L3 comminications Series II User manual

Model WX-500
Series II Weather Mapping Sensor
®
User’s Guide
for the
Stormscope
Series II Weather Mapping Sensor
User’s Guide
for the
Model WX-500
Stormscope®

A
Stormscope
®
WX-500 User’s Guide
A
Stormscope® System Advantages
Welcome
L-3 Avionics Systems, one of the world’s most experienced
companies in airborne thunderstorm avoidance instruments,
is pleased to welcome you to the family of tens of thousands
of pilots who are enjoying the benefits of safer flight with a
Stormscope®weather mapping system.
The Original
Don’t be fooled by Stormscope system look-alikes. There is
only one Stormscope system, and only one company that
makes the Stormscope line of weather mapping systems. The
Stormscope system, the original, most accurate weather
mapping system is manufactured by L-3 Avionics Systems.
Fly with Greater Confidence
You now own one of the leading instruments in the world
for airborne detection and mapping of thunderstorms.
Unlike any other product, your new Stormscope sensor will
enable you to make better informed thunderstorm avoidance
decisions so you can fly more safely and with greater confi-
dence than ever before.
Convenient Features
The advanced, patented technology in your new Stormscope
sensor was developed over many years and is so unique, so
revolutionary, it surpasses all others. Here are some of its
features:
• Precisely maps electrical discharges up to 200 nmi away
• Provides for a 120° forward view and a 360° view of the
surrounding airspace
• Outputs both cell and strike data

© Copyright 1997, 2001, 2003
L-3 Communications Avionics Systems, Inc.
Stormscope
®
is a registered trademark of L-3 C ommunications A vionics S ystems, I nc.
The white
L3 in a circle design logo is a trademark of L-3 C ommunications C orporation.
Designed and manufactured in the United States of America by
Methods and apparatus disclosed and described herein have been developed solely on company funds
of L-3 Communications Avionics Systems, Inc. No government or other contractual support or rela-
tionship whatsoever has existed which in any way affects or mitigates proprietary rights of L-3 Commu-
nications Avionics Systems, Inc. in these developments. Methods and apparatus disclosed herein may
be subject to U.S. Patents existing or applied for. L-3 Communications Avionics Systems, Inc. reserves
the right to add, improve, modify, or withdraw functions, design modifications, or products at any time
without notice.
User’s Guide
for the
Stormscope®
L-3 Communications Avionics Systems, Inc.
5353 52nd Street, S.E.
Grand Rapids, MI 49512 USA
[phone] or [phone]
Fax [phone]
www.L-3com.com/as
Series II Weather Mapping Sensor
Model WX-500

Safety Summary
These warnings and cautions appear later in this guide and
are repeated here for emphasis:
Never use your Stormscope system to attempt to penetrate a
thunderstorm. The FAA Advisory Circular, Subject: Thunder-
storms, and the Airman’s Information Manual (AIM) recom-
mend that you “avoid by at least 20 miles any thunderstorm
identified as severe or giving an intense radar echo.”
There are several atmospheric phenomena other than nearby
thunderstorms which can cause isolated discharge points in the
strike display mode. Clusters of two or more discharge points in
the strike display mode however do indicate thunderstorm
activity when they reappear after clearing the screen. Avoid the
clusters and you’ll avoid the thunderstorms. In the cell display
mode, even a single discharge point may represent thunderstorm
activity and should be avoided.
page 4-1
page 4-1
WARNING
CAUTION
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Stormscope
®
WX-500 User’s Guide
ii

Important Notice
All Stormscope®WX-500 functions are controlled through
various Multi-Function Displays (MFDs). The many capabili-
ties of the WX-500 allow MFD manufacturers to create
screens compatible with the various functions of their
display. The display screens illustrated in this guide are
intended to be characteristic of a group of MFDs that are
configured to work with the WX-500. The examples are
intended to assist the pilot in interpreting lightning data
output by the WX-500. Each MFD shows the information
consistent with the capabilities of that particular display.
Revision Highlights
This revision Cof the user’s guide makes the following changes:
• Changes occurences of “Goodrich Avionics Systems” to
“L-3 Communications Avionics Systems, Inc.” or just “L-3
Avionics Systems” and makes related company contact
information changes. (On March 28, 2003, Goodrich
Corporation sold its Avionics Systems division to L-3
Communications Corporation.)
• Eliminates the Warranty Information chapter. Warranty
information is now provided on a separate warranty card.
• Increases typeface size and adds more white space.
• Edits text for improved readability.
Stormscope
®
WX-500 User’s Guide iii

Table of Contents
Section Page
List of Illustrations ..............................vi
List of Tables ......................................vi
Chapter 1, System Description ........... 1-1
General Description ...............................................................1-1
Processor ................................................................................1-2
Antenna .................................................................................1-2
Functional Description ...........................................................1-2
Cell Data ...............................................................................1-3
Strike Data .............................................................................1-3
Strike Rate .............................................................................1-3
Features ................................................................................. 1-4
Chapter 2, Storm Mapping Principles .. 2-1
Anatomy of a Thunderstorm ...................................................2-1
Stages of a Thunderstorm ........................................................2-3
The WX-500 & Weather Radar .............................................. 2-4
Chapter 3, Operation ........................ 3-1
Introduction ..........................................................................3-1
Power-Up...............................................................................3-1
Continuous & Operator-Initiated Self Test ..............................3-1
Clear All Discharge Points ....................................................... 3-2
Heading Stabilization .............................................................3-2
Error Messages .......................................................................3-2
Chapter 4, Weather Display Interpretation . 4-1
Introduction ..........................................................................4-1
Radial Spread .........................................................................4-2
Typical Patterns ......................................................................4-3
Mapping Headings Past Thunderstorms ..................................4-6
Special Patterns .....................................................................4-10
Chapter 5, Specifications .................. 5-1
Stormscope
®
WX-500 User’s Guide v

List of Illustrations
Figure Title Page
1-1 WX-500 Major Components......................................................... 1-1
1-2 WX-500 Functional Diagram ........................................................1-2
2-1 Electrical Discharges in Thunderstorms .......................................... 2-1
2-2 Discharge Rate a Function of Wind Shear .......................................2-2
4-1 Airspace Diagram ..........................................................................4-1
4-2 Three Clusters Within 200 nmi ..................................................... 4-3
4-3 Range Changed to 100 nmi ........................................................... 4-4
4-4 Two Clusters Within 200 nmi ........................................................4-5
4-5 Range Set at 200 nmi.....................................................................4-6
4-6 Aircraft Progresses 100 nmi ............................................................4-7
4-7 Range Changes to 100 nmi ............................................................4-8
4-8 Aircraft Turns to Avoid Thunderstorms ..........................................4-9
4-9 Randomly Scattered Discharge Points ...........................................4-10
4-10 Cluster & Splattering Within 25 nmi ...........................................4-11
4-11 Discharge Points Off the Aircraft’s Nose........................................ 4-12
4-12 Line of Discharge Points While Taxiing .........................................4-13
4-13 Developing Cluster Within 25 nmi ..............................................4-14
3-1 Error Messages ..............................................................................3-3
5-1 WX-500 Specifications ..................................................................5-1
Table Title Page
List of Tables
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Stormscope
®
WX-500 User’s Guide
vi

1-1
Stormscope
®
WX-500 User’s Guide 1-1
General Description
The Stormscope®Series II Weather Mapping Sensor, model
WX-500 (figure 1-1) detects electrical discharges from
thunderstorms within a 200 nmi radius of the aircraft. This
information is then sent to an external Multi-Function
Display (MFD) that plots the location of the thunderstorms.
The WX-500 is a passive sensor that listens for electromag-
netic signals with a receiving antenna. There’s no transmitter
and no harmful transmissions. The WX-500 works as well on
the ground as it does in the air, thereby giving the pilot
important planning information before takeoff.
System Description
Chapter 1
Figure 1-1. WX-500 Major Components
Processor Antenna

Stormscope
®
WX-500 User’s Guide1-2
Chapter 1 – System Description
Figure 1-2. WX-500 Functional Diagram
Processor
This compact, tray-mounted computer processor receives
electrical discharge information from the antenna, processes
it to determine range and azimuth, processes the heading
input, then forwards the information for presentation on the
MFD. The processor may be installed almost anywhere in
the aircraft.
Antenna
This combined crossed-loop and sense antenna is sealed in
an aerodynamic flat-pack and mounted on the outside of the
aircraft where it detects electrical discharges associated with
thunderstorms. Stormscope thunderstorm detection systems
can correlate the electric and magnetic signatures of light-
ning strikes better than other systems due to their patented
sense channel technology. The antenna is designed to help
filter out pulsed noise from sources other than atmospheric
electrical discharges.
Functional Description
Figure 1-2 and the following paragraphs describe how the
major components of the WX-500 connect to each other and
to other aircraft systems.
Major Components
Discharge
Signals
Test Strike
Control
Heading Input
Antenna
Power
±12 V dc
External
Clear
Input
Comm
Mic
Inhibit
Processor
WX-500
Power
Input
11–32 V dc
Heading Valid Input
Electromagnetic Signals Radiating from Atmospheric
Electrical Discharges Associated with Thunderstorms
Antenna
RS-232
or
RS-422
MFD