Aviation Services

DUBLIN AIRPORT
Location:
53°25'40" N
6°14'27" W
71M above mean sea level
Dublin Airport is approximately 10Km north of Dublin city centre.
History:

History:
1939: Synoptic observations started at Dublin Airport. 1940: First commercial flight from Dublin Airport on 19th January. 1942: Met office moved from its old quarters, in what was an RAF hospital unit in World War 1, to the newly opened Central Terminal Building now known as the OCTB ( Old Central Terminal Building). This is a listed building and still houses the Met Office. It was designed by Desmond Fitzgerald, a brother of former Taoiseach Garret Fitzgerald, and was much admired for its beautiful design concept.

1943: By the end of 1943, the forecast office at Dublin Airport was providing a service to cross-channel flights and had relieved Foynes of responsibility for the service to the Air Corps and the Defence Forces.

1948: On 1st April the Met office Dublin Airport assumed responsibility for the first weather forecasts broadcast on Radio Éireann.

1952: Forecasts supplied to the Newspapers.

1961: Due to the increasing demands from the general public and agricultural, industrial and other interests, it was decided to set up a Central Analysis and Forecasting Office (CAFO) in Headquarters in O'Connell St. Dublin on 23rd March to deal with non-aviation requests.

1988: The Aviation forecast section was moved to the newly formed Central Aviation Office at Shannon Airport.

1988 to the present: Met Éireann at Dublin Airport continues its service to aviation by providing constant weather watch 24 hours daily. Pilots can now use a Self Briefing Unit (SBU), provided by Met Éireann, in the AIS offices in the Link building. This facility provides PC access to the central computer for Tafs, Tafors, Metars and Sigmets for route information to the aircraft destination with lists of alternate airports. Also available are Upper Air wind charts, Sig. Weather charts, Live Radar and Satellite pictures and screens with current observations and RVR ( Runway Visual Range) readouts. Met Éireann at Dublin Airport is actively co-operating with Dublin Airport Authority and the IAA to cater for the ever increasing growth in passenger numbers.