“Visibility Tool” App Smartphone Atmospheric Visibility Estimation for Low-Altitude Heli Flights


By: Matt Johnson, HAA Pilot, FAA DPE T


hose who know me will tell you I am a card-carrying member of the weather-geek community. While


I’m not one to study in-depth meteorology and never have been, I truly love weather products that help me safely and effectively do my job. A lot of people much smarter than me take care of weather forecasting; I simply like to know where to go, how to read weather info., and like to pass that knowledge on to others.


It is no shock that helicopter operations frequently occur in low-altitude, complex-terrain, and off-airport environments where certified meteorological visibility observations are sparse or unavailable. Conventional weather reporting systems, including automated weather observing systems (AWOS) and automated surface observing systems (ASOS), provide localized point measurements that may not accurately represent visibility conditions along helicopter flight routes, approach corridors, or in my case as an HAA Pilot, remote landing zones. I am always on the hunt for the next break-through that will provide insight, literally and figuratively, when it comes to our low-level operating environment.


One new weather “gizmo” recently caught my attention. It is a new application of a smartphone-based visibility estimation tool designed to support helicopter-specific decision-making. The app uses image contrast analysis from a standard smartphone camera, and then the system estimates atmospheric visibility in real time and reports values in one-mile increments. The system provides an on-the-go visibility assessment intended to supplement pilot situational awareness in areas lacking certified weather infrastructure. Like so many other products, it is an interesting tool and I am optimistic about its use!


62


July/Aug 2026


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84