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U.S. Weather Bureau
     Approximately $27 million of the Weather Bureau's budget is attributable to aviation.
     The functions of the bureau within the field of aviation are legion. It is conducting research and development in forecasting and observing techniques, terminal area weather, and clear air turbulence. It installs and maintains all airport weather measuring instrumentation essential for the safety and efficiency of aircraft operations. These include such important items as transmissometers and RVR computers for the measurement of Runway Visual Range--a substantial aid in the attainment of lower landing minimums leading to all weather operations. It is obtaining communications recording equipment for use in connection with the establishment of a high speed communications circuit to major field forecast centers.
     Its Fiscal 1964 aviation plans include the beginning of a program to centralize much of the data processing, weather depiction and broad-scale forecasting for aviation. The increased availability of weather measurements, particularly weather satellite observations, and a greater number of upper-air soundings daily by upper-air stations will make it possible in Fiscal 1964 to begin planned progressive phasing to eventual dependence by Area Forecast Centers on the National Meterological Center at Suitland, Maryland.
     The center will produce computer analysis and graphic, i.e. facsimile, portrayals of national distribution of ceiling, visibility, cloud layers and significant weather in the lower levels of the atmosphere;

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