CAP/NASA 2026 Aviation Skywatch
Data Entry
Data Entry
Printable forms, checklists, and instruction guides to facilitate data collection in the field.Ā
Safety Officer
Weather Officer
Communications Officer
Instructions
Coms Log
Flight Tracker
Photographer
Orienteer
Data Manger
Datasheet (Print 8 if using the paper version instead of the digital version on site)
Units experiencing 100% cloud cover during the operational period may choose to implement the Cloudy Day Protocol instead of canceling. For this protocol:
The weather officer will complete the full GLOBE cloud protocol every 15 minutes starting on the top of the hour
The rest of the team will complete a Land Cover Survey of their data collection location
The rest of the team will then work together to make tree height measurements using a sextant and then again using the GLOBE App
To complete the cloudy day protocol, teams will need access to the following equipment:
At least 2 phones loaded with the GLOBE Observer App (One for the weather officer, one for the land survey/tree height project)
A sextantĀ
A measuring tape (25 feet or longer)
A piece of string long enough to wrap around a tree
Note: Rural units that experience infrequent overflights may choose to take a hybrid approach to data collection. To do this, the Aviation Weather Protocol is prioritized when aircraft are nearby, and the members may complete a land cover survey and collect data to help calibrate the GLOBE Tree Protocol during lulls.Ā
Team LeaderĀ
Weather Officer
Landcover SurveyĀ
Tree Calibration
All teams should upload a copy of the Admin, Data Manager, and METAR forms using the links below. The Admin and Data Manager Forms should be uploaded as either an Excel or Google Sheet. The METAR forms should be uploaded as CSVs
The METAR system provides weather reports, including wind, visibility, and pressure, essential for aviation safety and meteorology. We will be pulling the METAR data to help researchers put our aircraft observations in context.
The NASA GLOBE Observer App will be the tool used to transfer all photos to NASA. It will also be used to collect real-time weather data. Review how to collect data with the app using the following resources.