Garmin expands StormOptix weather radar compatibility

Garmin announced Tuesday that the GWX 8000 StormOptix Weather Radar with Auto Mode will soon be approved for display and control through the GTN Xi navigators and TXi flight displays. This will expand the interface potential beyond the previously approved Garmin integrated flight decks. By using the GWX 8000, pilots can eliminate the requirement to manually adjust the radar, which allows for a comprehensive weather depiction with simplified operation. With 3D volumetric scanning capability, the GWX 8000 will reduce the pilot workload and depict weather with four times the colors of a traditional weather radar. The system will also provide hail and lightning prediction, turbulence detection and advanced ground clutter suppression. "The GWX 8000 and its StormOptix Auto Mode technology has been praised by pilots flying Garmin integrated flight deck equipped aircraft, and now, we are expanding its display/control options to thousands more high-performance piston and turbine-powered aircraft," said Carl Wolf, Garmin VP of Aviation Sales and Marketing. "This revolutionary weather radar system reduces pilot workload and completely changes how pilots operate their weather radar. By eliminating the need to manually adjust tilt and gain settings, pilots of all experience levels can see a comprehensive and clear depiction of weather so they can confidently make weather-related navigation decisions." The GWX 8000 features StormOptix, which is an advanced automation technology that allows pilots to activate the weather radar in-flight, without the need to configure the radar's settings. The StormOptix Auto Mode will merge 3D volumetric scanning with advanced ground clutter suppression to automatically adjust the tilt and gain of the radar system, thus creating a more representative depiction of the weather-related flight hazards near and along the aircraft flight path. The high-definition color palette will provide improved color contouring to help the pilot better interpret the severity of an individual storm cell or multiple storm cells in an area. This bolstered color palette uses 16 colors, four times more than what is typically found in other weather radars. Additional colors will provide a clearer picture for operations around significant weather, improving safety by giving the pilot more clarity on where the most severe weather is, and simplifying navigation through serious weather conditions. GWX 8000 provides its owners and operators with the technology to detect specific atmospheric conditions that can lead to hail and lightning development within a cell. For a better and more comfortable passenger experience, turbulence detection will help pilots to more easily identify turbulent conditions in flight, allowing them to recognize the air containing moisture or particulates. The Weather Attenuated Colo Highlight technology will help pilots identify shadowing effects of cell activity and highlight the areas in which radar returns are weakened or attenuated by intense precipitation, giving the pilot an improved sense of confidence when navigating weather threats. The weather radar system is among the lightest in its class at just 12.9 pounds for the 14-inch version, bringing in additional weight savings when compared to other weather radar systems on the market. The GWX 8000 is available in 10-, 12- and 14-inch models to meet the specific demands of several aircraft configurations. In manual mode, with at least two GWX 8000-compatible displays like the GTN Xi and TXI, a pilot can look at individual tilts and returns on their side of the cockpit to increase situational awareness. The GWX 8000 StormOptix weather radar with Auto Mode is expected to be available in Q2 2024 for aircraft equipped with GTN Xi navigators and/or TXi flight displays. The aircraft equipped with the GWX 75 radar can have the systems upgraded to the GWX 8000 with the purchase of a software enhancement for their GTN Xi and/or TXi series systems.