realise Iridium's 2400bits/sec is nearly useless but it is not totally useless.
The ADL does not use Iridium dialup, it uses Iridium short data burst (SDB) which is like UDP in the TCP/IP world and much slower than dialup. However, it is also much cheaper, both in hardware and transfer cost.
If you want half way useable internet without paying a fortune, Thuraya is the only solution out there. I get up to 60kbit downstream, albeit with a huge latency.
You are right that sending for example genuine Thuraya SMS would be extreme unreliable, I did some test runs last year...
On a 4h flight last year, somebody sent me an SMS via Thuraya's web gateway to my Thuraya phone. For the whole flight, I kept receiving the very same SMS once a minute. I have now stopped handing out my Thuraya number.
The ground based SMS gateways are very reliable, I use the same approach with my Thuraya solution.
So today, the ADL120 got me into EDTY. Lots of really bad weather around. Had I not had an up to date radar picture I would not have left cruise levels. The radar showed EDTY was still clear of the weather I had flown over from France. From high altitude it looked like it wasn't.
As it happens, the weather was fine for the descent and approach. The AdL120 was 100% correct.
Are there specific times that the radar/stormscope update? On the hour, 15 min past etc.
I can't find the exact times but it is about 4 times/ hour. But Germany is moving to 5 minute updates and that should reflect in this product.
Essentially whenever the German weather service updates its radar picture it is available to the adl.
From the ADL docs the radar images are created on each 15 min of the hours plus 3 min render time so you will get a new radar image on minute 3, 18, 33, 48. The strike maps are updates on a 1 minute interval.
I've bought the ADL120 too but haven't used it yet because my plane is in annual inspection. But I'll try on Monday!
Which is frequent enough that it can be used as yesterday for real time decision making. Separately, Sebastian has been very responsive with updates for the software to take account of feedback. Currently version 1.08. Good customer service continues.
We just bought the ADL-120, and I’m looking for best practices on how to use the ADL-120 for weather avoidance.
I’m looking for feedback from other pilots who are already using this device while flying.
Some questions:
- According to the manual, the ADL-120 may never be used to penetrate weather. How does it work in practice? Do I need to stay clear of anything which is depicted on the ADL-120 radar screen?
- What do the colors on the radar map depict? Is it the intensity of precipitation?
- How to interpreted the colors on the radar map? It’s obvious you should stay away from anything purple or red. But what about yellow or green?
- Suppose the ADL-120 is depicting serious weather on your route, and you decide to strategically get around it. The result would be a significant detour. How do you work that out with ATC? They usually allow deviations, but expect you to return to the planned route. Can you change your route while airborne?
According to the manual, the ADL120 may never be used to penetrate weather.
Data link weather in general is a great tool but there is so much technology involved, so for several reasons the information is not reliable enough to bet your life on it.
What I want to say is that you should not enter IMC conditions where there might be embedded thunderstorms basically relying only on data link weather. You always need several sources of information.
So the first step is to also download the data link strike map if available for your region. A combined malfunction in both mostly independent systems is a lot less likely.
Then you have to verify your assumptions about the situation close to your aircraft either by looking out of the window or by using certified on board radar.
So the ADL120 is a little like a car navigation system. It will usually give you precise information on your route but don’t drive into the river if the navigation system suggests there is a bridge which has been removed lately …
What do the colors on the radar map depict? Is it the intensity of precipitation?
They depict the reflectivity of the atmosphere. Usually this means water in the atmosphere but it could also be ice or sand particles.
How to interpreted the colors on the radar map? It’s obvious you should stay away from anything purple or red. But what about yellow or green?
On the ADL120 the maximum intensity is red. The national radar systems are calibrated differently. We try to equalize this by comparing measurements of the same weather systems when they move over the overlapping country borders.
So from a practical point of view I would stay away from anything orange or red. For green and yellow it depends on your aircraft and the altitude you fly. I have been in yellow areas in the sunshine at FL180 and the rain was in the clouds below.
Suppose the ADL120 is depicting serious weather on your route, and you decide to strategically get around it. The result would be a significant detour. How do you work that out with ATC? They usually allow deviations, but expect you to return to the planned route. Can you change your route while airborne?
Sure you can change your route. Usually you request something like 10 or 20 degrees to the left/right “to avoid”. But that is not specific to data link weather. If all your available sources of information indicate you have bad weather ahead you request to avoid it. In addition most radar controls will also have access to weather radar systems.
So data link weather is a wonder full tool. But there have been some accidents in the US when pilots tried to use XM to fly very close to thunderstorms ignoring the limitations. So I encourage all pilots to fly reasonably.
Can the ADL120 connect to multiple iPads simualtaneously?