Story ID: 586
Garmin Unveils New Weather Radar 
By: Mark Huber
Caption: Doppler-based GWX 80 
Word Count: 292
Garmin (Booth C12412) has introduced a new weather radar that incorporates automated atmospheric threat assessment. The Doppler-based GWX 80 also features automatic 3D volumetric scanning, predictive wind-shear detection, hail and lightning prediction and advanced ground-clutter suppression. It will be available for business, commercial and military aircraft and has already been selected by Textron Aviation for its Cessna Citation Longitude. Garmin expects to receive TSO approval by the end of 2017.

The GWX 80 incorporates fully automated tilt management that prevents pilots from over scanning or under scanning. Pilots simply need select the range of interest and the GWX 80 gathers multiple scans at various tilt angles to display a comprehensive, easier to interpret weather-radar image. The radar has a range of up to 320 nm, horizontal scan angles up to 120 degrees and pilot-adjustable sector scanning. 

Predictive wind-shear detection is provided and is fully automated through takeoff and landing, giving pilots aural wind-shear notifications and visual identifications on a dedicated Garmin display. Doppler-enabled turbulence detection and hail and lightning prediction allows turbulence to be more easily identified in air with moisture and particulates, weather attenuated color highlight helps identify the shadowing effects of short range cell activity and highlights areas where returns are weakened or attenuated by intense precipitation.

The GWX 80 incorporates what Garmin calls "unique technology" that detects atmospheric conditions that might lead to the formation of hail and lightning within a storm cell. Color-coded depictions of potential areas where hail and lightening might reside or develop within a storm is displayed out to 80 nm and turbulence is displayed out to 40 nm.

A high-definition color palette enables pilots to more easily interpret individual storm severity or multiple storm cells. The 14-inch version of the GWX 80 weighs 13.9 pounds.