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Weather Radar Training
- Thread starter mike1mc
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Any help is appreciated.Mike,
The first thing to know about radar is that it won't tell you what you're about to fly into. If properly used, it can tell you about liquid precipitation. It can also be used for terrain information. However, radar does have it's limitations, not the least of which is shadowing due to attentuation...that means that one return can mask another behind it, and what looks clear can really be something else entirely.
Frozen precipitation shows weak returns, and sometimes no returns at all. A t-cell poking hail will show moisture where it's liquid, but the hail may not show up at all, or may have very little reflectivity, and relatively little attenuation.
If you can obtain or view the Trammel course, it's very dry, but worth the time. There's a lot of information you'll never remember, but it's still good to go through.
Several books are available on the subject, too.
Tilt management is about pointing the radar where it can do the most good, for what you're trying to accomplish. That depends on what you want it to do. Before departing an airport, having the radar tilted upward allows you to see what's above. This tells you what weather may be above you. As precip falls down, it tells you about convective weather with active vertical precip...thunderstorms being the most critical. You see it above, and it extends down.
When enroute, you tilt both up and down occasionally; you're looking for weather that may be above you, as it can affect you beneath it. You're looking for weather below while preparing to descend; you may have a storm beneath that is of concern.
You can determine the approximate height and other information based on your tilt management; that gets a little more complex.
As a general rule, when enroute, set your radar at the 40 nm setting, and tilt down until just a little ground clutter appears at the top of the screen. This is the bottom of the radar beam, 40 nm out. This gives you a good picture of what lies ahead, remembering that you must occasionally sweep high as well as simply ahead or low. By altering the amount of tilt you have on your antenna, you can also use it for ground mapping; you can see reflections indicating terrain such as mountains, and even bodies of water. This can also be useful, so long as you don't try to predicate terrain avoidance on weather radar.
Radar should be used all the time, not just when there is weather to be encountered enroute. Use of radar is necessary for the longevity of the radar unit. Some folks believe that the unit shouldn't be used unless it's necessary, and that's really the opposite of the truth. It should be used all the time; you can't wear it out during the typical operational life of the unit. It's longevity is not only a use issue, but a callendar issue, and it's unlikely you'll use it enough to come close to wearing it out during it's callendar life. Conversely, not using it can drastically reduce radar life.
Mike, repost this question on the general board; you'll get a wide variety of responses, hopefully, with some discussion and valueable information. I believe this site has a search feature, too. I know some good discussions about weather radar and it's useages have been here before.
The first thing to know about radar is that it won't tell you what you're about to fly into. If properly used, it can tell you about liquid precipitation. It can also be used for terrain information. However, radar does have it's limitations, not the least of which is shadowing due to attentuation...that means that one return can mask another behind it, and what looks clear can really be something else entirely.
Frozen precipitation shows weak returns, and sometimes no returns at all. A t-cell poking hail will show moisture where it's liquid, but the hail may not show up at all, or may have very little reflectivity, and relatively little attenuation.
If you can obtain or view the Trammel course, it's very dry, but worth the time. There's a lot of information you'll never remember, but it's still good to go through.
Several books are available on the subject, too.
Tilt management is about pointing the radar where it can do the most good, for what you're trying to accomplish. That depends on what you want it to do. Before departing an airport, having the radar tilted upward allows you to see what's above. This tells you what weather may be above you. As precip falls down, it tells you about convective weather with active vertical precip...thunderstorms being the most critical. You see it above, and it extends down.
When enroute, you tilt both up and down occasionally; you're looking for weather that may be above you, as it can affect you beneath it. You're looking for weather below while preparing to descend; you may have a storm beneath that is of concern.
You can determine the approximate height and other information based on your tilt management; that gets a little more complex.
As a general rule, when enroute, set your radar at the 40 nm setting, and tilt down until just a little ground clutter appears at the top of the screen. This is the bottom of the radar beam, 40 nm out. This gives you a good picture of what lies ahead, remembering that you must occasionally sweep high as well as simply ahead or low. By altering the amount of tilt you have on your antenna, you can also use it for ground mapping; you can see reflections indicating terrain such as mountains, and even bodies of water. This can also be useful, so long as you don't try to predicate terrain avoidance on weather radar.
Radar should be used all the time, not just when there is weather to be encountered enroute. Use of radar is necessary for the longevity of the radar unit. Some folks believe that the unit shouldn't be used unless it's necessary, and that's really the opposite of the truth. It should be used all the time; you can't wear it out during the typical operational life of the unit. It's longevity is not only a use issue, but a callendar issue, and it's unlikely you'll use it enough to come close to wearing it out during it's callendar life. Conversely, not using it can drastically reduce radar life.
Mike, repost this question on the general board; you'll get a wide variety of responses, hopefully, with some discussion and valueable information. I believe this site has a search feature, too. I know some good discussions about weather radar and it's useages have been here before.
Checks
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Radar should be used all the time, not just when there is weather to be encountered enroute. Use of radar is necessary for the longevity of the radar unit. Some folks believe that the unit shouldn't be used unless it's necessary, and that's really the opposite of the truth. It should be used all the time; you can't wear it out during the typical operational life of the unit. It's longevity is not only a use issue, but a callendar issue, and it's unlikely you'll use it enough to come close to wearing it out during it's callendar life. Conversely, not using it can drastically reduce radar life.
AVBUG, WHATS THE REFERENCE FOR THIS? NOT SAYING YOUR WRONG< JUST WANT TO READ IT MYSELF
AVBUG, WHATS THE REFERENCE FOR THIS? NOT SAYING YOUR WRONG< JUST WANT TO READ IT MYSELF
Actually, I don't believe I ever advocated not using radar for ground mapping. I simply said not to predicate terrain avoidance on weather radar. That's not the same thing as saying don't use it for ground mapping.
Radar is useful for ground mapping purposes, and should be used. But one should NEVER predicate terrain avoidance on weather radar.
Use it for identifying ground features, and it can be used as a safety device to provide a heads-up on terrain, but don't rely on it, or predicate descent or flight profiles on the use of weather radar for ground avoidance.
As far as general use, leaving a radar unit off longer than 30 days can have definite harmful effects on the longevity of the unit. For best service and longest life, the unit should be used frequently; there's little reason not to have it on during every flight.
Radar is useful for ground mapping purposes, and should be used. But one should NEVER predicate terrain avoidance on weather radar.
Use it for identifying ground features, and it can be used as a safety device to provide a heads-up on terrain, but don't rely on it, or predicate descent or flight profiles on the use of weather radar for ground avoidance.
As far as general use, leaving a radar unit off longer than 30 days can have definite harmful effects on the longevity of the unit. For best service and longest life, the unit should be used frequently; there's little reason not to have it on during every flight.
Hello,
I was an airborne RADAR operator in the military, and I cannot ever recall being trained that the RADAR set should always be "ON". Just to clarify a few things about RADAR, it will damage the older type sets if you are constantly turning it on and off i.e., multiple legs, multiple days. You get the idea.
The magnetron is the "guts" of the RADAR, and in order to preserve it's life. Turn the set to SDBY only...DON'T transmitt the thing unless you need it. I think this is what Avbug means as well, but not 100% sure. I'm not a high-time pilot, but I am a high-time RADAR operator. If you need any questions answered, drop me a line here or a PM.
Regards,
ex-Navy Rotorhead
I was an airborne RADAR operator in the military, and I cannot ever recall being trained that the RADAR set should always be "ON". Just to clarify a few things about RADAR, it will damage the older type sets if you are constantly turning it on and off i.e., multiple legs, multiple days. You get the idea.
The magnetron is the "guts" of the RADAR, and in order to preserve it's life. Turn the set to SDBY only...DON'T transmitt the thing unless you need it. I think this is what Avbug means as well, but not 100% sure. I'm not a high-time pilot, but I am a high-time RADAR operator. If you need any questions answered, drop me a line here or a PM.
Regards,
ex-Navy Rotorhead
Weather radar is not the same radar. The general principles are similiar, but the function and use is not.
The heart of the unit is the magnetron. Unless the magnetron is energized on a regular basis, it's useful life will be drastically shortened.
Weather radar should be shut off before every engine start. Radar is highly susceptible to voltage transients and spikes, and can easily be damaged during start, or just after start.
You're not going to hurt a weather radar unit by transmitting, or turning it past standby to a weather function.
The heart of the unit is the magnetron. Unless the magnetron is energized on a regular basis, it's useful life will be drastically shortened.
Weather radar should be shut off before every engine start. Radar is highly susceptible to voltage transients and spikes, and can easily be damaged during start, or just after start.
You're not going to hurt a weather radar unit by transmitting, or turning it past standby to a weather function.
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