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04-07-2022, 08:34 PM #1GWX 8000 StormOptix Weather Radar for NXi - any interest?
Last year Garmin came out the GWX 8000 StormOptix Weather Radar, which is the first General Aviation radar with volumetric autoscan function. No manual tilt management required - the radar automatically finds targets of interest presents the clearest picture of the threat.
"Forget tedious, time-consuming manual adjustments to get the storm cell information you want and need. With the StormOptix volumetric autoscan function, the radar automatically performs multiple scan/sweep angles to help you determine the actual size, shape and hazardous storm cell activity. You simply select the range display desired, and the radar is programmed to do the rest. You get more and better detection with less workload. So, you can focus on flying the aircraft while getting detailed, real-time weather information at a glance."
This automatic volumetric scanning is in addition to all the other benefits that GWX 75 offers over the 68 - no magnetron, no warm-up, 16 colors, wider scan width etc. I don't have any potential pricing, but as a reference the GWX 75 is $23k and ground clutter suppression enablement is $14k.
My P300 was the STC aircraft for NXi, so I have been encouraging my Garmin connections to offer the GWX 8000 as an upgrade. Would you be interested if they did? -
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04-07-2022, 11:17 PM #2Yes! The only reason I didn’t do the GWX-75 is because I am waiting for Garmin to “unlock” the features of the GWX-8000. I believe it is a firmware update and an unlock card or two. There could be an additional data cable needed as well, but I am not sure on that. Let me know what you find out!
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04-08-2022, 09:59 AM #4I can tell you the comparable product from Collins is incredible. I have about 7 years experience with it in the CL-300 installation and it's truly a game changer.
The CJ4 has the same Collins radar system, and I heard there was a flight department with a CJ4 and with an older "Heavy Iron" large jet. When convection was bad they would take the CJ4 for the radar... -
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04-08-2022, 02:58 PM #5Do they share how it's logic works to isolate the information you want to see? For example, does it know the freezing level in your area and will depict the center of the beam at that level auto-tilting?
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04-11-2022, 04:29 PM #6I'd be interested as well.
I also didn't do the 75 upgrade because it seemed like it didn't offer much over the 68. The 8000 looks like a major improvement in terms of automation and useful information. -
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04-11-2022, 08:37 PM #7I echo (Username Protected) comments. I have been flying with the Collins radar, and there are not many things to like about Collins, but the radar is absolutely incredible, a game changer without a doubt.
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04-13-2022, 06:38 PM #11
The GWX8000 does looks great (wish I had one). Having said that, I don't think it is quite the caliber of the Honeywell RDR7000/RDR4000 which I am guessing is comparable to the Collins product you have been using.
For one thing, as I understand the GWX8000 operation, it presents a composite mode of the weather from its lowest scan to highest scan...similar to NEXRAD. Thus if there is weather well below your altitude that presents no risk to you, it will paint it in auto mode. So you'd still need to go to manual tilt mode to determine if the weather is really a threat at your altitude or not. The RDR4000/7000 in full auto mode will not display weather well below your altitude that is not a threat. Also, the RDR4000/7000 does a true ground clutter removal using a EGPWS-like terrain database. I think the GWX8000 is more of a suppression algorithm and thus might not eliminate all ground clutter especially when maneuvering and/or at (Username Protected) ranges.
That is just my understanding from another pilot that just installed the GWX8000 and I have not verified that myself. In other words, I might be wrong!
Having said all that, the GWX8000 would be a huge improvement from my current radar (an RDR2000). -
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04-13-2022, 08:07 PM #12The manual doesn't offer much information, but here is some relevant text:
Key capabilities of the GWX 8000’s Auto Mode:
- Simplifies the interpretation of the displayed radar data.
- Automatic weather analysis.
» Performs multiple automatic scans, relieving the flight crew of the need to constantly adjust tilt angles in order to analyze the weather radar information.
» Reduces the amount of ground clutter on the display to simplify interpretation of atmospheric threats.
» The radar evaluates the returns to show hazardous storms for tactical and strategic avoi(Username Protected)ce and to further reduce clutter as compared to Manual Mode GCS.
- Auto Mode is available at ranges from 0 to 320 nautical miles.
» Independent, flight crew controlled range settings per display pane or map overlays.
- Auto Mode automates antenna tilt and gain functions for the flight crew.
- Auto Mode is available on all maps which feature weather radar overlays.
INITIAL SCANNING PROCESS
On transition from Standby Mode to Auto Mode, the GWX 8000 begins the process of gathering volumetric radar return data. In order to produce a radar image for display in Auto Mode, the GWX 8000 requires a complete set of volumetric radar return data. The current Auto Mode scanning process requires at least 4 full radar scans to fill up the 3-D volumetric area.
During this initial data gathering process, the radar will not display any weather radar data or scan line. After approximately 20 seconds, the Auto Mode will display an initial image of the incomplete radar return data. The trade-off for this strategy is the flight crew will quickly get an initial indication of the weather. However, this initial radar data image consists of a two scans of radar data rather than the full 3-D volumetrically processed data. This initial image may display more ground clutter than the completed weather image. Once the GWX 8000 has concluded the gathering and processing of the full 3-D volumetric weather data, the flight crew will be presented with a complete weather image. The radar display will then continue to update the complete weather image every 45 seconds thereafter while Auto Mode is enabled. -
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05-11-2022, 03:41 PM #13Thank you for all the feedback and interest in the GWX 8000 and StormOptix tech.
The GWX 75 weather radar option available as an option for the Phenom 100/300 today, is leaps forward from the GWX 68/70 that it replaces.
The GWX 75 is the same hardware platform used in the GWX 8000 StormOptix application. Although, we do not currently have a commitment or plan in place, the StormOptix tech could leverage the GWX 75 platform with additional software, option upgrade and hardware in the future. I do appreciate your interest and will share it with the team for consideration.
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05-17-2022, 02:53 PM #15Hi (Username Protected), there is not an upgrade option available for the Phenom 100/300 with G3000 at this time. I will share your interest with the team for future consideration.
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10-20-2022, 10:29 PM #16FYI Embraer just revaled that the GWX-75 on the 2nd gen G3000 will soon get "Automatic 3D Volumetric Scanning Radar".
https://www.phenompilots.org/threads...000-in-3305-07 -
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07-29-2023, 09:44 AM #18Did anyone notice that Embraer recently put out a service bulletin to remove the 3D scanning feature from a single serial number plane?
It basically amounts to "throw out the SD unlock card and reload the software." Who hated the feature enough to pay Embraer to come out with a service bulletin to remove it? -
04-28-2024, 11:41 AM #21
Yes, I am stoked to get it. But just to be clear, the recent approval was to display the GWX8000 on a GTN 750 Xi. I believe that approval applies to any GTN Xi equipped plane. I don't have a Garmin PFD so I'm not sure if PC12s with Garmin PFDs have that approval, but based on this language in the service letter quoted below I guess it is so (Username Protected) as they are Xi or Txi versions.
"GWX 8000 enablement is shared between GTN Xi and G500/G600/G700 TXi."
Here are the links to the Garmin service letters I got yesterday...
https://support.garmin.com/en-US/avi...Nx6LSpa5nnEQh8
https://atlaske-content.garmin.com/f...3800143403.pdf
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