Delta A320 vs Hail

[seagull]

The Honeywell RDR-4000 on our newer jets is nice (it's different).... But even our older jets (which are probably the same vintage as most of Dl's fleet) still have a pretty good radar. Way better than what was on the ERJ. So, we must have different equipment. I saw Doug talking about CAL mode, ours 99% of the time is fine in "Auto," rarely do we adjust the gain. I don't even think we have a CAL mode.

AFAIK the RDR-4000 does not have a "gain" in the traditional sense. Like the Collins system, the "gain" really just ramps down the display intensity. It is useful for determining certain aspects of the storm. Overall, these are much improved systems, but there are some limitations with them that can "bite" you if not aware.

 

[Baronman]

AFAIK the RDR-4000 does not have a "gain" in the traditional sense. Like the Collins system, the "gain" really just ramps down the display intensity. It is useful for determining certain aspects of the storm. Overall, these are much improved systems, but there are some limitations with them that can "bite" you if not aware.

I think the RDR-4000 has "Gain" in a traditional sense. There's a Gain control knob, with "Auto" in the middle. From the manual, "Rotating the Gain knob to the minimum (MIN) position reduces gain by approx 16dBz. Rotating the GAIN knob to the maximum (MAX) position increases gain by approx 10dBz.

 

[seagull]

The "traditional sense" changed the receiver sensitivity, but these more change the calibration of the presentation.

 

[derg]

The Honeywell RDR-4000 on our newer jets is nice (it's different).... But even our older jets (which are probably the same vintage as most of Dl's fleet) still have a pretty good radar. Way better than what was on the ERJ. So, we must have different equipment. I saw Doug talking about CAL mode, ours 99% of the time is fine in "Auto," rarely do we adjust the gain. I don't even think we have a CAL mode.

The multiscans on the 330 were great.

Turn it on before takeoff, turn it off after landing. Easy peasy.

 

[Minuteman]

"Gain PLUS™ SmartScan™ with OverFlight™ Protection, True Zero Antenna Misalignment Compensation™, PAC Alert™, Oceanic Weather Reflectivity Compensation™ and Directed Sequential Hazard Assessment™"

 

[derg]

"Gain PLUS™ SmartScan™ with OverFlight™ Protection, True Zero Antenna Misalignment Compensation™, PAC Alert™, Oceanic Weather Reflectivity Compensation™ and Directed Sequential Hazard Assessment™"

 

[ASpilot2be]

View attachment 32362

And then?

 

[typhoonpilot]

AFAIK the RDR-4000 does not have a "gain" in the traditional sense. Like the Collins system, the "gain" really just ramps down the display intensity. It is useful for determining certain aspects of the storm. Overall, these are much improved systems, but there are some limitations with them that can "bite" you if not aware.

While I agree there are some "gotchas" with these new generation radars, you seem to be a bit secretive on what they are. Have you even flown with them?

My personal biggest complaint with them is the software sometimes decides not to display a return that would have shown up on an older radar system as it does not see it as a threat. While it might not be a threat, I would prefer to go around it for a smoother ride.

The second biggest complaint is the overflight protection is way too conservative and if you follow it all the time you end up deviating unnecessarily.

I actively switch from Autotilt to Manual tilt quite a lot to keep from getting suckered by the overflight protection.

The gain is not an issue to me at all as it would only be in extremely rare circumstances that I would come out of auto gain. But maybe I am just used to flying newer equipment that is well calibrated.



Typhoonpilot

 

[Screaming_Emu]

At BlueJet I believe we're approved to use our WSI Aviation Weather App in flight hooked up to the aircraft WiFi. Works great usually for longer range planning.

I want that so much. The onboard radar is great for tactical, but you need the big picture stuff for strategic decisions.

 

[PositionAndHold]

I want that so much. The onboard radar is great for tactical, but you need the big picture stuff for strategic decisions.

Like I said previously, it really is awesome. When you can see the trend of the system 500 or more miles away it really makes avoidance decision making a piece of cake. And the thing is, we generally cruise at fl430-450, so I can only imagine how much some one slogging it out at 350-370 could benifit from it. Although a few weeks ago we were pretty much solid IMC for 20-30 mins going across the rockies.

 

[ChasenSFO]

Yes.

And anybody who knows me knows I do not fall on the cold side of the political spectrum. I have been flying since 1988 and seen a lot of weather. I also have a degree in chemistry and can digest alot of the science as its presented. I feel people who politicize hard science, that which has been studied and withstood the scrutiny of peer reviews, do us all a disservice.

It all seems pretty logical to me. The earth was formed before man, man took over the earth and loaded it with pollution that was all man created and never in the plans for our ecosystem, adverse effects happened. I don't see how one has an argument against that. I've never looked up the facts or "science" behind it, but I don't need them to make the connection between processed foods American's are scarfing down and skyrocketing cancer rates. Common sense is no longer common in much of the world, however.

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

While I agree there are some "gotchas" with these new generation radars, you seem to be a bit secretive on what they are. Have you even flown with them?

My personal biggest complaint with them is the software sometimes decides not to display a return that would have shown up on an older radar system as it does not see it as a threat. While it might not be a threat, I would prefer to go around it for a smoother ride.

The second biggest complaint is the overflight protection is way too conservative and if you follow it all the time you end up deviating unnecessarily.

I actively switch from Autotilt to Manual tilt quite a lot to keep from getting suckered by the overflight protection.

The gain is not an issue to me at all as it would only be in extremely rare circumstances that I would come out of auto gain. But maybe I am just used to flying newer equipment that is well calibrated.



Typhoonpilot

This is a very good assessment of the multi-scan that lines up perfectly with my experience on it.

 

[Springer]

, NWA held that reputation.

You don't think it carried over to DAL with the merger? Many of NWA wx personnel transferred over.

 

[seagull]

While I agree there are some "gotchas" with these new generation radars, you seem to be a bit secretive on what they are. Have you even flown with them?

My personal biggest complaint with them is the software sometimes decides not to display a return that would have shown up on an older radar system as it does not see it as a threat. While it might not be a threat, I would prefer to go around it for a smoother ride.

The second biggest complaint is the overflight protection is way too conservative and if you follow it all the time you end up deviating unnecessarily.

I actively switch from Autotilt to Manual tilt quite a lot to keep from getting suckered by the overflight protection.

The gain is not an issue to me at all as it would only be in extremely rare circumstances that I would come out of auto gain. But maybe I am just used to flying newer equipment that is well calibrated.



Typhoonpilot

You hit on one. The other, with the RDR-4000 is that you have to switch to ground map to know if it is attenuating. An additional is that the volume it is scanning on takeoff and landing is too low to detect an oncoming microburst, IMO (see my article here on where it needs to be looking).

 

[Cptnchia]

Is your management team petitioning to allow usage of internet in the cockpit?
.

That is part of the planned EFB upgrades at SJI. A dedicated wifi cell for the front office which will allow for up to date WX and text comms with DX. When will it happen? Four to Six (weeks, months, years.)

 

[seagull]

You don't think it carried over to DAL with the merger? Many of NWA wx personnel transferred over.

Well, the post said that Delta had the best "pre-merger", and that is what I was responding to. As to post, well, yes, many transferred over, the knowledge is there, but not sure how much has been implemented into flight planning. Maybe someone with direct knowledge can answer that.

 

[derg]

Four to Six (weeks, months, years.)

I don't know whether to laugh or to cry.

I've been "four to six weeks"'ed fairly consistently since 1998.

 

[derg]

Well, the post said that Delta had the best "pre-merger", and that is what I was responding to. As to post, well, yes, many transferred over, the knowledge is there, but not sure how much has been implemented into flight planning. Maybe someone with direct knowledge can answer that.

I think they had their own meteorology department that got outsourced during "The Mullin Hangover" years, but I think post-merger they rebuilt it. It was amazing, then it sucked, but then it got better. I'm not sure precisely how each phase manifested.

 

[NewYorkophile]

...slogging it out at 350-370...

lol

 

[PropSettin']

Saw this on the book of faces today...