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Newbie learning to use a weather radar

Hi all!

I’m struggling to find a good resource to learn to use on-board weather radar. I’ve managed to learn quite a bit through trial and error but wouldn’t feel super confident in my ability to translate that into an accurate picture in IMC.

Does anyone have any recommendations? In particular it’s the Garmin GWX 70.

Thanks in advance

EGTR

I would search for the loads of Archie Trammell articles online.

EGTK Oxford

This is interesting


Also this

And this

EGTF, LFTF

denopa wrote:

This is interesting

There was a crash in Stockholm in 1977 caused by stabiliser icing. When the crew extended full flaps on approach, the stabiliser stalled and the aircraft pitched down uncontrollably.

ESKC (Uppsala/Sundbro), Sweden

I wonder if the tailplane icing video was intended to be posted in this thread?

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

I was sort of wondering the same thing, then came to the conclusion that you only get icing in places that paint on weather radar.

But I’d’ve thought that severe turbulence is what one would normally think of first.

EGKB Biggin Hill

you only get icing in places that paint on weather radar

Definitely not; my fastest ice encounter, about 30mm in 5 mins, was over Lydd, in a layer with a base of 1500ft and top of 4000ft, and -5C. Absolutely nothing on meteox.com and I thus assume nothing would paint on a normal aircraft mounted radar.

One can also get gradual icing, over time, in fairly thin IMC which would definitely not show.

My direct experience with aircraft mounted wx radar is however zero.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

As nokicky, I also wasn’t able to find a good resource. There’s difference in antenna size / beam width / effective range between GA and airliner radars. That makes some rules of thumb published online not applicable. An airliner can see farther than a GWX70 with 10 inch antenna and uses different tilt settings.

Here’s one link.

I guess flying with an experienced pilot is the best way to approach the problem. One can also play with tilt while flying around TS in VMC.

LPFR, Poland

Apologies, that was indeed the wrong link.

EGTF, LFTF

Thanks for all the input.

I’ve paid for the Garmin course and will report back once I’ve completed it.

(Garmin should really make the online training material for their own products free!)

EGTR
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