ARNAV Systems has added two new weather displays, Significant Weather/Hazards and Winds Aloft, to its WxLink suite.

The new graphics, delivered direct to the cockpit via the ARNAV datalink network, join four other WxLink aviation weather products. These include color-coded meteorological reports including surface conditions and a Nexrad composite mosaic. The weather maps may be viewed in four scales--local, en-route, regional and national--and are designed to overlay moving map systems.

The local and en-route weather maps have quick reference icons indicating ceiling and visibility. Regional and national views show up to 210 reporting sites. Nexrad imagery shows four levels of reflectivity and includes cell top, direction and velocity data.

The new Winds Aloft display shows forecast winds in segments from 6,000-feet through FL390. The Significant Weather/Hazard screen identifies the location of severe icing, turbulence and the altitude and speed of the jet stream and systems fronts. It also pinpoints surface convergence zones, tropopause heights -- even volcanic activity.

WxLink is compatible with most major avionics displays through addition of a weather graphics generator (WxGG). It provides a comprehensive moving-map program with weather overlays indexed to aircraft position and flight plan. The lightweight, remote-mount WxGG interfaces to aircraft systems through serial and video ports, ARNAV said.

These displays can be seen on the NBAA show floor on the GNSXLS GlobalStar 2100 at the AlliedSignal booth.

The Puyallup, WA-based company also has launched an internet gateway to its ARNAV Aeronautical Network (AAN), which was previously known as GeoNet. This gives pilots a chance to preview its weather products during their preflight preparations. The displays appear just as they would in the cockpit. In addition to WxLink, AAN offers two-way text messaging, flight following, fleet dispatch and data archival.

By Paul Proctor