In-Cockpit NEXRAD Products

Abstract

Recent developments in avionics have allowed pilots of General Aviation (GA) aircraft to access more in-flight information than ever before, among them being data link weather services. However data link resources, namely next generation radar (NEXRAD), possess discrete limitations which can lead pilots into dangerous situations if they do not interpret the information correctly. The present study evaluated a training module designed to help pilots interpret and use data link NEXRAD weather information. GA pilots in the Midwest and Northeastern U.S. completed a face-to-face lecture course which covered the capabilities and limitations of NEXRAD based weather products and included paper based scenarios to give course participants practice using NEXRAD as a tool for decision making. A comparison of Pre- vs. post- test performance indicated that pilots had significant increases in radar knowledge, performance on application scenarios, and self-efficacy after completing the training.

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