Clearwater, Florida-based Connectrix, self-described as a provider of “wireless, Bluetooth Low Energy, and smartphone-connected ‘Internet of Things’ sensor solutions,” has announced SayWxAir, a subscription-based text interface product for its SayWeather airport weather advisory systems. Available since 2019 and targeted at GA airports, SayWeather Pro2 ($8,995) and the more feature-rich Pro+ ($9,995) systems provide on-airport advisory weather reporting for a fraction of the cost of an AWOS system, which can run well into six figures.
SayWxAir enables pilots to receive SayWeather’s up-to-the-minute METARs by texting “M” and the airport identifier (i.e., M KSLA) to the service. SayWeather says its information is updated every 60 seconds, while published METARs can be up to an hour old. The system can also deliver “threshold texts,” notifying pilots when any of the measured weather parameters improve to meet a specific value. For example, while waiting for strong wind to die down, a pilot could request SayWxAir to text them when the wind diminishes to the desired, safe velocity—or generate a text when cloud ceilings lift to a given height.
For airport operators, SayWxAir can be programmed to notify them to initiate maintenance if one of the sensors is compromised. They can also include the advisory link on their airport’s webpage. The information can be configured to display airport information, wind-over-runway, current weather conditions, local NEXRAD radar, weather history, usage history and more.
Finally, SayWxAir can also interface with pilots’ ForeFlight app, rather than texting, to provide the same feedback. Price of the service is $79 per month with a $10 discount for an annual subscription.
