Omni Táxi To Equip AW139 Fleet with Honeywell Wx Radar

Brazilian offshore operator Omni Táxi Aéreo has selected Honeywell Aerospace’s IntuVue RDR-7000 weather radar for all 33 of the Leonardo AW139 helicopters in its global fleet of 88 rotorcraft. According to Honeywell, Omni’s opted to install IntuVue on its AW139s to provide maximum airborne weather radar capability for offshore flying, where conditions can deteriorate rapidly.

“Safety is the foundation of everything we do at Omni, and that starts with giving our pilots the clearest possible picture of what’s ahead,” said Omni Táxi Aéreo CEO Roberto Coimbra. “Upgrading our entire AW139 fleet with Honeywell Aerospace’s radar technology is an investment in our crews, our passengers, and the long-term reliability of our operations.”

The RDR-7000 uses 3D volumetric scanning, continuously sampling the atmosphere to create a real-time depiction of conditions along the flight path. That approach allows the system to resolve overlapping cells, including weather masked by a nearer storm front. Maximum scan range is 320 nm under optimal conditions.

The radar functions automatically, requiring no in-flight tilt or gain adjustments, which Honeywell said lowers crew workload during high-tempo operations. New software capabilities can be activated remotely through over-the-air updates.

Honeywell cited independent testing indicating that the system predicts turbulence with up to 93% accuracy and cuts the likelihood of a turbulence-related event by more than half. Detection coverage also includes hail, lightning, and wind shear.