GWX™ Processor

Advanced Doppler Weather Radar with Automatic Threat Analysis  

• All-digital Garmin radar with volumetric scanning capability automatically adjusts antenna sweep pattern to accurately profile weather cells and provide threat analysis
• Optional predictive windshear technology identifies and alerts pilot to areas where low- level shear conditions may be present
• Advanced surveillance features include lightning and hail prediction, turbulence detection, zero blind range for close-in returns and ground clutter suppression
• High-definition color palette uses up to 4 times more colors than traditional radars to provide more detailed contouring of storm cells, helping pilots easily discern threats
• Ground mapping mode provides a real-time depiction of geographical features to aid in visual navigation

Powerful weather avoidance technology meets work-saving automation in the solid-state, Doppler-enabled GWX 80 radar. It combines excellent range and performance with precision target contouring plus volumetric scanning and automatic threat analysis to give you the most accurate, most robust cockpit technology for storm cell detection and interpretation.

Automatic Threat Analysis

Forget tedious, time-consuming manual adjustments to get the storm cell information you want and need. With the GWX 80 radar’s volumetric autoscan function, the radar automatically performs multiple scan/sweep angles to help you determine the actual size, shape and hazardous storm cell activity. You simply select the range display desired, and the radar is programmed to do the rest. You get more and better detection with less workload. So, you can focus on flying the aircraft while getting detailed, real-time weather information at a glance.

Advanced Prediction/Detection Features

With the GWX 80 radar’s advanced autoscan technology, you’re able to quickly analyze storm cells, accurately assess threat potential, and then choose the best diversion route or avoidance solution. As standard capability, the radar will also predict lightning and hail development in thunderstorm cells ahead as well as detecting and alerting you to potentially hazardous turbulence. Predictive windshear alerting is also available as an option.

Less Clutter, More Clarity

Another advanced feature, enhanced ground clutter suppression, helps take more of the guesswork out of interpreting what you see on your radar display. With this technology, GWX 80 provides a more consistent, more accurate view of weather at all altitudes and all ranges. It identifies clutter from ground and surface features — then applies advanced algorithms in conjunction with an onboard terrain database to eliminate those nonweather returns from the display. The result is a cleaner, clearer image that lets you focus on real weather.

Your Partner in Vigilance

All GWX 80 display configurations offer our WATCH feature, which identifies the “shadowing” effects of short-range cell activity — highlighting areas where radar signals are weakened, or attenuated, by intense precipitation (or large areas of lesser precipitation) and that may not fully reflect the “storm behind the storm.”  The radar’s high-definition color palette can display up to 4 times as many colors as traditional weather radars, providing a far more nuanced interpretation of storm cell dynamics. Plus, with its all-digital design, the GWX 80 system offers lower power consumption and typically longer service life, compared to previous generations of magnetron-based radars. The all-in-one antenna/receiver/transmitter unit is available with 10, 12, 14 or 18” antenna array, so it can adapt to a wide variety of aircraft radome installations. And all GWX 80 systems offer full radar stabilization when interfaced with your aircraft’s analog gyro or AHRS system.