Trying to find a video I recently saw...

Stinger

Stinger

Well-Known Member
So I saw a video recently about a single engine airplane that was flying around some storms at night. The controller was telling the pilot about the weather they saw on the screen, and the pilot was using the NEXRAD weather display in the cockpit. He gets towards the southern tip of a cell and wants to bend back up to the northwest, but because the cockpit weather had a delay, he was right in the heaviest precipitation. Spiraled down into the ground and everyone (maybe 3 total) was killed.

Anyone see this and have a link?
 
We had a brief discussion about NEXRAD at work recently.

CA: The radar on this jet sucks. I hear NEXRAD is much better. You got any experience with it?
Me: I do. I've operated several Cessnas with it. The images are clear and accurate, but there's an approximate 10 minute delay in receiving them.
CA: Yeah, I guess it's not as good as I thought it was.

It's been a few years since I've operated a NEXRAD equipped aircraft. Have there been any improvements to it? I remember it being a great tool, but like anything else, not without it's limitations.
 
Old Dominion Flyer said:
It's been a few years since I've operated a NEXRAD equipped aircraft. Have there been any improvements to it? I remember it being a great tool, but like anything else, not without it's limitations.
Click to expand...

It is much better having it, rather than having nothing at all. The last one I used (yesterday) could be set up to show the age of the radar on screen, which is also very helpful.
 
Old Dominion Flyer said:
We had a brief discussion about NEXRAD at work recently.

CA: The radar on this jet sucks. I hear NEXRAD is much better. You got any experience with it?
Me: I do. I've operated several Cessnas with it. The images are clear and accurate, but there's an approximate 10 minute delay in receiving them.
CA: Yeah, I guess it's not as good as I thought it was.

It's been a few years since I've operated a NEXRAD equipped aircraft. Have there been any improvements to it? I remember it being a great tool, but like anything else, not without it's limitations.
Click to expand...
My handheld had it. Worked better than the Metro's radar for big picture. Using that, controller's input, and the crappy on board radar worked really well.
 
I'd really like to have both Nexrad and weather radar on board. The onboard radar can be used for tactical avoidance, but having the nexrad there to tell you what is further down the road would help the decision making process. Nothing is more irritating than picking your way around some stuff only to find out that there is more stuff on the side you chose. With Nexrad on board as well you could say "ok, I might get around this one quicker if I go right, but if I go left I'll also be able to avoid the next 20 miles of junk."

If things are really nasty I'll take a screen shot of the My Radar app on my phone. Since I do shorter legs I've found the overall picture to be not that different provided its not moving or building too quickly.
 
drunkenbeagle said:
It is much better having it, rather than having nothing at all. The last one I used (yesterday) could be set up to show the age of the radar on screen, which is also very helpful.
Click to expand...

Careful using the time that is displayed. The video said that was one of the potential problems:
"the total approximate time latency of the 2130 CST XM data was 6 minutes and 24 seconds. The XM data age indicator in the cockpit should have indicated that the XM data was 1 minute old (the time it took for the XM data to be created and sent to the accident airplane."

Unless yours is different and actually displays when the radar image was put together and/or not just the transmitted time from XM or whatever.
 
The Garmin portable Mojo and I used had a warning in the manual that said the XM NEXRAD was not to be used for 'tactical penetration'.










Giggity.

I found the XM and now ADS-B weather helpful for long term planning, but for picking through stuff, give me onboard radar any day of the week. It's an art that's unfortunately not well taught anymore. A LOT of our new hires have never dealt with onboard radar and don't understand the limitations and advantages of the various weather sources.
 
Nexrad is definitely nice for strategic planning, but it's definitely not to be used tactically. I departed on a flight, and had to divert around a significant cell that built up along our route. It never showed up on the nexrad until after we arrived at our destination...
 
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