Taking weather avoidance to new heights

Knowing the vertical extent of a weather cell can be critical to a pilot's diversion decision. Unfortunately, the top of a storm is the least reflective part of a thunderstorm, so it is difficult for current-generation radar systems to gauge a cell's full extent. MultiScan addresses this problem with dedicated vertical scans that automatically adjust gain and pulse patterns, detecting the nature of the storm top. This capability warns the flight crew of the thunderstorm top threat and/or turbulence that could grow up into the aircraft's flight path.

MultiScan then displays the storm-top information on the navigation display. This information, when combined with typical plan-form radar displays, allows flight crews to determine the best possible weather avoidance maneuver: either laterally, vertically or a combination of the two. Now flight crews have all the information required to determine the best route of flight.