Honeywell Aerospace has received FAA TSO approval for its IntuVue RDR-7000 weather radar system and is now working to complete STCs for 15 aircraft platforms by year-end, including the Dassault Falcon 900C/EX/LX; Bombardier Learjet 40/45 and Global 5000/Express; Cessna Citation X; and Leonardo AW139.
Flight testing and production of the new radar are currently under way, with initial customer deliveries expected to begin in the third quarter, Honeywell said. The RDR-7000 was announced at NBAA-BACE 2019 as the latest addition to Honeywell’s IntuVue series, but intended for smaller business and regional airplanes, as well as helicopters.
Features of the fully automated, 3D radar include scanning from zero up to 60,000 feet and up to 320 nm in front of the aircraft. Additionally, it can predict windshear up to five nautical miles ahead, turbulence up to 60 nm ahead, and the presence of hail and lightning up to 160 nm in front of the aircraft with 93 percent accuracy.
“Larger business and passenger jets have benefitted from IntuVue for years, and soon those same capabilities will be available on many more platforms,” said Honeywell Aerospace avionics v-p Mike Ingram. “Pilots of these smaller aircraft will have the same 3D capabilities, full automation and predictive weather insights to help them make critical decisions to navigate weather ahead of and around the aircraft.”