A review of recent advances in space weather effects on aviation

Abstract

Space weather is a recognized source of risk to civil aviation through its effects on communication, navigation, surveillance, and radiation systems. Historically, aviation space weather research has achieved substantial progress in identifying the physical mechanisms and operational vulnerabilities associated with individual subsystems, specific technologies, and sensitive regions, which laid the physical foundation for modern operational standards. Growing evidence suggests that the impacts of space weather may extend beyond individual subsystems and manifest themselves in operational metrics such as flight delays, cancellations, safety risks, and economic losses. This paper summarizes recent key advances over the past decade with a particular emphasis on an emerging transition from traditional subsystem-oriented studies toward quantitative investigations of system-level aviation impacts. We further discuss the development of aviation space weather services and the increasing necessity to translate scientific knowledge into understandable indicators, quantifiable consequences, and actionable decision-support tools.