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Using The Weather Radar For Navigation  
User currently offlineA342 From Germany, joined Jul 2005, 4655 posts, RR: 4
Posted (5 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 2550 times:

Hi guys,
I'll limit my question to approach and departure.

There's an increasing number of GPS approach/landing procedures out there. But is there really a backup?

Here goes my question: IIRC most weather radars have a ground mapping function. Couldn't this be used to check the aircraft's position relative to a terrain database? I imagine this would be especially useful at airports located in mountainous terrain, where an ILS can't be installed. Lower weather minimums should be possible.

And maybe it's also useful for low-visibility departures or taxiing?

Is it possible to clearly distinguish the runway surface from other objects with the ground mapping function of a weather radar?


Exceptions confirm the rule.
2 replies: All unread, jump to last
 
User currently offline113312 From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 536 posts, RR: 1
Reply 1, posted (5 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 2541 times:

The MAP function of the Weather Radar is for showing the surface only and is very low resolution. It doesn't show any man made objects other than in large context like a city. It certainly doesn't show an airport. It's best used to visualize coast lines. However, it's use as a navigation device is strictly prohibited. It can assist in situational awareness or to aid confidence when operating in proximity of a coastline or large mountain.

Many aircraft today have Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning Systems which use a detailed terrain database in conjunction with GPS and can display on some aircraft's weather radar screen. However, this is a depiction from derived data and not a real return of surface features so, again, it's not for use in navigation.

User currently offlineFlyMatt2Bermud From United States of America, joined Jan 2006, 563 posts, RR: 8
Reply 2, posted (5 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 2539 times:		 Support Airliners.net - become a First Class Member!



Quoting A342 (Thread starter):
And maybe it's also useful for low-visibility departures or taxiing?

The legal answer is 'no' to both.

In airline or general aviation operations, the radar is not intended for terrain avoidance. First it is not designed to do so and second it would not show antennas. If you lost your GPS signal during approach, you should have ample information from your charts to know basically which direction you should go to avoid obstacles. The radar MAP might be beneficial for basic orientation but I would hope I would never have to rely on it.


"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward" Leonardo Da Vinci
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