GPS/XM Weather Question

For those of you who have XM weather integrated with your GPS.

Do you use the weather information to paint a big picture of what's going on
around you. I.E. "If I fly 50 miles thataway, it looks like I'll be able to
circumvent this line of storms."

Or, do you us it on a more detailed level. E.G. "There is a two mile
corridor between these two cells, I'm gonna buzz right between 'em."

Realistically, since there is a delay between when the radar picture was
taken and when you got the information, how close are you comfortable
cutting things when relying on XM weather?

Kyle Boatright wrote:

For those of you who have XM weather integrated with your GPS.

What about those of us who have WSI downlinked NEXRAD displayed on moving
maps? Are we qualified to answer or are you specifically interested in XM
users only?

--
Peter

"Peter R." wrote in message
...
Kyle Boatright wrote:

For those of you who have XM weather integrated with your GPS.

What about those of us who have WSI downlinked NEXRAD displayed on moving
maps? Are we qualified to answer or are you specifically interested in XM
users only?

--
Peter

All answers are welcome. I'm simply trying to get a feel for the usefulness
of this kind of technology.

KB

Kyle Boatright wrote:


I'm simply trying to get a feel for the usefulness
of this kind of technology.

I had the WSI receiver displaying graphical and textual weather on the MX20
moving map installed in my Bonanza two years ago and have been using the
aircraft heavily to commute for my business, flying at least twice a week
for the last two years (about 95% of the total time) in the Northeast US.

Disregarding for a moment my belief that I chose the "Betamax" of the
downlinked weather technology, I am continually impressed with how
downlinked NEXRAD allows me to launch more confidentially. As long as the
refresh rates remain within the 4 minute period (the WSI sometimes doesn't,
especially on long x/c's across the US mainland), the big weather picture
is accurate enough to give me the information to make proper decisions.

Last year, I was about 20 minutes outside my home airport when two t-storm
cells merged into one large one right over the airport. I could see the
tops of the storm up ahead, but the NEXRAD provided me with the fact that
the cell actually sat right over the airport (as opposed to being east or
west of it).

In watching a few refreshed screens, it was clear that the cell was not
moving that fast, so I requested a diversion to an airport to the south (I
was IFR), where I landed and waited about 30 minutes for the cell to
finally move northwest of my home airport.

I have plenty of similar experiences but in summary, if you want more
utility out of your aircraft, the confidence to have the big weather
picture and you fly outside your local traffic pattern, you should
seriously consider installing downlinked NEXRAD (IMOandE, of course).

--
Peter

"Kyle Boatright" wrote:

All answers are welcome. I'm simply trying to get a feel for the
usefulness of this kind of technology.

It would be difficult to overestimate it, IMO.

I tend to gush about it, because I live in one of the most
thunderstorm-afflicted areas of the U. S. To me, it is the greatest thing
since GPS. Put the two together, and the cross country utility of a light
airplane takes a quantum jump.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

Nexrad XM datalink could be as much as 10 minutes old. So, no, you
cannot use it to buzz between cells. It is a strategic tool, not a
tactical tool. Flying 50 miles thataway is a much better plan.


Kyle Boatright wrote:
For those of you who have XM weather integrated with your GPS.

Do you use the weather information to paint a big picture of what's going on
around you. I.E. "If I fly 50 miles thataway, it looks like I'll be able to
circumvent this line of storms."

Or, do you us it on a more detailed level. E.G. "There is a two mile
corridor between these two cells, I'm gonna buzz right between 'em."

Realistically, since there is a delay between when the radar picture was
taken and when you got the information, how close are you comfortable
cutting things when relying on XM weather?

"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message oups.com...
:
: Nexrad XM datalink could be as much as 10 minutes old. So, no, you
: cannot use it to buzz between cells. It is a strategic tool, not a
: tactical tool. Flying 50 miles thataway is a much better plan.
:


Is there some sort of time marker on the screen to indicate the time the last data was updated, or to indicate how old
it is?

".Blueskies." wrote:

: Nexrad XM datalink could be as much as 10 minutes old. So, no, you
: cannot use it to buzz between cells. It is a strategic tool, not a
: tactical tool. Flying 50 miles thataway is a much better plan.
:


Is there some sort of time marker on the screen to indicate the time the
last data was updated, or to indicate how old
it is?

Yes.

..Blueskies. wrote:
"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message oups.com...
:
: Nexrad XM datalink could be as much as 10 minutes old. So, no, you
: cannot use it to buzz between cells. It is a strategic tool, not a
: tactical tool. Flying 50 miles thataway is a much better plan.
:


Is there some sort of time marker on the screen to indicate the time the last data was updated, or to indicate how old
it is?


On the MX20 XM FIS display the time is on the right side bottom of the
display for NEXAD (and if you have it overlaid, the METAR flags).

Kyle,

I have XM via the Garmin 396 and in the panel mounted Avidyne EX 500. They
both display the same nexrad but with the 396 I get more useful information
(cloud cover, storm cell heights & direction of movement, airmet & sigmet /w
text and more). The ideal use is to avoid the areas of bad stuff, which is
how I always intend to use the information. That being said, it has gotten
me thru some tight spots and around cells while in IMC. I would have been in
those situations even without the XM weather, so I was very glad to have it
available. I would never suggest that downloaded NEXRAD be used to pick a
2 mile corridor between 2 cells but it is a nice thing to have when things
do get nasty. I did a lot of observation of storm cells while in VMC and the
NEXRAD was quite accurate (all this was done before paying any attention to
it while in IMC). It's just another tool but only to be relied on to avoid
bad areas not to pick your way around bad things.

Mark
N28409
WC5I

"Kyle Boatright" wrote in message
...
For those of you who have XM weather integrated with your GPS.

Do you use the weather information to paint a big picture of what's going
on around you. I.E. "If I fly 50 miles thataway, it looks like I'll be
able to circumvent this line of storms."

Or, do you us it on a more detailed level. E.G. "There is a two mile
corridor between these two cells, I'm gonna buzz right between 'em."

Realistically, since there is a delay between when the radar picture was
taken and when you got the information, how close are you comfortable
cutting things when relying on XM weather?