The ultimate worldwide storm chase

In order to maintain our position as the manufacturer of the industry's premier weather radar, and to continue our world-renowned reputation for customer support, Rockwell Collins embarked on a worldwide weather radar research and development effort. In 2007, we leased a Boeing Business Jet and turned it into a long-range weather radar research, test and data-gathering platform.

Although this type of research required an out-of-plan, multimillion-dollar funding commitment from Rockwell Collins, senior leadership gave the project its full support.

The MultiScan team, joined by Dr. Edward Zipser, embarked on a series of test flights over a wide variety of locations across the globe. These tests spanned from the Asia-Pacific region, as well as Africa, South America, the Caribbean, Iceland, the United States including Alaska, Canada and the North and South Atlantic.

During these tests, the team made 34 flights and logged over 143 flight hours, finding and analyzing weather phenomena of all types. What they found provided a large, diverse set of data that could be used in the development of new algorithms that would further refine MultiScan's geographical weather detection parameters.

This was the first and the only test flight of its kind by a weather radar manufacturer. Its findings would ultimately create a whole new kind of weather radar: MultiScan Hazard Detection.

Now, pilots can traverse the globe with confidence - knowing that they have the most comprehensive, airborne weather information available.