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weather cameras installed throughout the state at airports and 
hospital heliports,” says Lambert. “That’s an incredible record.”
The cameras are intended to complement AWOS stations 
rather than replace them. Together, the systems give pilots more 
comprehensive information for go/no-go decisions—measured 
weather data and visual context about conditions around the 
runway and approach area. “It’s the coupling of the two,” 
Lambert emphasizes. “Having both of those systems like we’re 
getting here in Maine now is fantastic.”
On a broader level, Mesotech has cameras at 50 to 60 of its 
AWOS III stations around the United States. Typically, they are 
mounted on 30-foot wind towers to give pilots a view of runway 
and surface conditions. Kuchel notes that LifeFlight of Maine’s 
experience helped Mesotech develop its own camera program 
and work with the FAA to expand the technology. 
Benefits Beyond Aviation
Pilots and their passengers aren’t the only beneficiaries of 
improved weather reporting. First responders, police departments 
and city councils also rely on accurate local weather forecasting, 
which they can find expressed in layman’s terms on Mesotech’s 
website. The AWOS III data also feeds weather forecasting from 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and 
National Weather Service. 
Moreover, having an FAA-certified system 
helps airports serve as command bases 
during extreme weather, wildfires or other 
emergencies. “If the governor needs to show 
up at a disaster site or even if the president 
needed to fly in, this technology enables 
those smaller airports to become a base of 
operations,” Kuchel says. “The investment 
the Maine DOT and federal government are 
putting into this is making this state more 
ready for those types of events.”
Lambert notes that the systems also are 
an economic stimulus for airports and their 
communities, facilitating aircraft traffic that 
might have otherwise flown elsewhere. “The 
towns have recognized quickly that this is a 
big deal for the airport because it gives them 
the capability to bring in more revenue, which 
will be a benefit for everybody,” he explains. 
Next Steps
As excited as Lambert is about the state’s 
first two AWOS installations, he’s also looking 
toward the future. Up next on the list are 
Central Maine Airport in Norridgewock, 
Greenville Municipal Airport and Sugarloaf 
Regional Airport in Carrabassett Valley. The 
latter two border backcountry lake regions 
and ski areas that are prone to icing, mountain 
windshear and lake-effect snow—places where 
LifeFlight relies on accurate weather data for 
rescue missions.
 “We’ve just started,” Lambert remarks. “This 
is the just the tip of the spear. We’re going to 
continue to do this for the next three years, 
adding more capability across the state. Then, 
we’ll probably ask the FAA for two or three 
more and see how that goes.” 
And he likely won’t be the only one asking. 
AWOS III units and weather cameras are key 
items airport managers and state DOTS are 
pushing for in ongoing FAA reauthorization bill 
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