pirep on stormscopes

[Scooter]

Looking for input on the different models of the stormscopes.  Am looking a purchasing one for IFR flying.  There are so many models out there so I am looking for one that does the job that is reasonably priced.  Any ideas?

[Piloto]

Unless you fly outside the WX/XM coverage I would rcommend the WX/XM weather with any of the Garmin GPS. I have the WX10A Stormscope but only use it when outside XM coverage. Stormscope is better than nothing but it does not have the accuracy and features of XM/WX.

José

[MattS]

Really? I find that the nexrad on XM can be several (up to 10) minutes old. When trying to navigate around those summer thunderstorms, I think the stormscope AND XM weather is your best bet.

[Mooney65E]

Scooter,

I've got a WX-8 that'll be coming out of my plane soon. Make me an offer and it's yours.

[dougmilam]

I use a Garmin Aera with XM weather and a WX 900 that was OEM in my plane.  I do find the Stormscope helpful.  Often the XM will show moderate rain and it is very reassuring not to see any lightning.  Also, there are times when there are numerous moderate buildups, too numerous to be sure that the site picture out the window matches the XM.  The Stormscope keeps me out of the bad ones.  I'm not sure that I would pay full price for a new one, but having the Stormscope gives me one more piece of useful information.

[thinwing]

I also find having both xm weather downlink and sferics sensor (wx 500 or stormscope)the best total weather picture when threading cells.Go to my gallery photos to see a perfect example of threading the needle.Note on the final pic of "new panel"a line of convective activity about 300 mils long.Just north of Boise (on screen shot)is a rapidly developing cell showing Xs on xm dispiction.Switching to wx500 dispiction in "cell mode" shows strikes not shown by xm (it onlys shows air to ground )with numerous air to ground and air to air strikes ....this is a cell to avoid!!!,plus in the 5 min since the last radar sweep and upload to satalite...the cell has moved east towards Boise....sinc kp couch

[fantom]

I too, have both XM WX and a 1000+ stormscope. The XM keeps you dry, the stormscope keeps you smooth. If you're going to the expense of installing one, get the newest, yellow tagged unit you can find. At least a 950 in my opinion. There are a lot of them on the used market because of people going to glass panels. Good luck!

[fantom]

I too, have both XM WX and a 1000+ stormscope. The XM keeps you dry, the stormscope keeps you smooth. If you're going to the expense of installing one, get the newest, yellow tagged unit you can find. At least a 950 in my opinion. There are a lot of them on the used market because of people going to glass panels. Good luck!

[laytonl]

I installed a used WX-1000 in my Mooney a couple of years ago.  Someone gave it to me when upgrading their 310 to a glass cockpit.   When used with XM, it provides a great weather picture.  Today was a good example, on a flight from Florida to North Carolina, XM showed heavy precip and the stormscope verifed that it was just rain - no convective activity.

I've just purchased a used Strikefinder SF-2000 for my son's Cherokee.  It will be an easier install since it does not have a separate processor.

Lee

N201BN

[rorythedog]

i also use a wx-10 and xm combination. i find that the stormscope gives an earlier warning of trouble when these midwest summer build-ups materialize in seconds!

[DaV8or]

In California, a stormscope is about on par with an ADF or LORAN. Nevagunnayoosit. However, for those of you in the rest of the country, they seem like they would be useful for real time info on lighting. I have to admit, that I am really intimidated about flying across the country due to weather. Having flown for the last 12 years pretty much only in California, I am frequently impressed with the weather you all deal with out there in the other 49. I feel like I would get my ass kicked by some sort of convective/windy/hailey/thunder/ice/wind shear sort of thing. Don't know how you do it. Like to try some time soon though. All we got is sunshine and clouds... mostly.

[flight2000]

Dave,

It's not that bad really.  Thunderstorms are a fact of life, but they don't just materialize in nanoseconds.  You'll see them building and just need to be aware of what's going on around you.  I had the most current weather reports when I left Kansas for Ohio last May and knew the potential was there.  The storm below built for over an hour and I watched it from my altitude at 9k.  I deviated to the North and went around it.  Not a big deal.  Squall lines that stretch from Texas to Minnesota are another matter entirely and I'll wait those out on the ground thanks...   It's just another thing you get proficient at...just not over cocky about it.

[Jeff_S]

Ditto on all that. The massive squall lines are to be avoided, but the general thunderstorm activity can make for the most beautiful flights there are as long as you have the knowledge and technology to avoid them. Last summer I was at the Jerry Manthy MAPA maintenance class at Kinston NC, and during the afternoon a massive line moved across the area while we were in class.

But by 6pm it had mostly moved on, and skies to the west were improving with just latent pop-ups. I flew back to Clemson and got some amazing sky shots, as well as a nice illustration of how XM-Wx depicts cells. Pardon the quality of the iPhone photo, but the two shots below show how a cell near Clemson looked on the MFD and out the window.

[Cruiser]

I do not have XM weather in the cockpit, I do have a 3M WX-11 stormscope and I am very satisfied with it. It offers real time display and is very sensitive. I have found it to be more accurate than the reported weather by ATC.

In my personal experiences flying the Midwest and Eastern states I am very comfortable reviewing the latest weather and radar images before taking off and using the stormscope enroute to update the local conditions.

My flights are normally less than two hours. The general weather patterns don't change that quickly that I feel an urgency to require having XM in the cockpit. If the weather is that severe I don't need to be in it anyway.

[John Pleisse]

I have a first gen analogue Strikefinder boot strapped to a Cenutury H-S-I. It is priceless. It works so good, I received a complete screen cluster on the ground in Frederick MD, of a massive thunderstorm complex 165 miles away off the coast of Atlantic City.

Here's something I find unfortunate. My 201 is having the Apsen 2000 system installed as I write. Aspen made no accomodation for providing an analogue output for compass bootstrapping. My invaluable Strikefinder is about to lose heading stabilization. However it is so good, I will keep it knowing it's new limitations.

[rorythedog]

Quote: Cruiser

I do not have XM weather in the cockpit, I do have a 3M WX-11 stormscope and I am very satisfied with it. It offers real time display and is very sensitive. I have found it to be more accurate than the reported weather by ATC.

In my personal experiences flying the Midwest and Eastern states I am very comfortable reviewing the latest weather and radar images before taking off and using the stormscope enroute to update the local conditions.

My flights are normally less than two hours. The general weather patterns don't change that quickly that I feel an urgency to require having XM in the cockpit. If the weather is that severe I don't need to be in it anyway.

[takair]

Quote: N4352H

I have a first gen analogue Strikefinder boot strapped to a Cenutury H-S-I. It is priceless. It works so good, I received a complete screen cluster on the ground in Frederick MD, of a massive thunderstorm complex 165 miles away off the coast of Atlantic City.

Here's something I find unfortunate. My 201 is having the Apsen 2000 system installed as I write. Aspen made no accomodation for providing an analogue output for compass bootstrapping. My invaluable Strikefinder is about to lose heading stabilization. However it is so good, I will keep it knowing it's new limitations.

[Hank]

comparison shots are provided below of my two installed weather systems.

First is a distant shot, Mk. I eyeball, followed by a closer view more than an hour later of the cell on the right. Last is a shot of my stormscope as I passed it by.

Those times that System I is ineffective [in IMC], then ATC has always vectored me around areas of heavy precip at my request. Having the stormscope display [system II] keys me in on when to ask.

Oops, attaching mixed up, the scope shot is now first.

FWIW, these two vere visible as soon as I leveled off at 9000 msl over WV, but were actually in SC, very near the GA line.

[Vref]

Quote: N4352H

 

Here's something I find unfortunate. My 201 is having the Apsen 2000 system installed as I write. Aspen made no accomodation for providing an analogue output for compass bootstrapping. My invaluable Strikefinder is about to lose heading stabilization. However it is so good, I will keep it knowing it's new limitations.

[John Pleisse]

Hey Vref....Thanks for the heads up. I will copy this to my avionics technician. Seems the Aspen is developing as fast as it is selling.

[John Pleisse]

Quote: takair

 I have to buy a new Digital LCD unit ($1800 used), to work with the available heading module you speak of($1400). Ain't that some stink? A WX500 will go in installed for $6500.

[takair]

Ouch!  I see your dilema!

[peter]

Quote: Vref

I thought Aspen (according Peter here on the Forum)was going to solve this issue the next coming months by having a heading bootstrap output (synchro output)....As well as having an ADF input .to accommodate European customers.?

[John Pleisse]

Hey Pete,

I very much appreciate your responsiveness and I am excited about owning the Aspen products. Sadly, my AC is halfway through a very expensive 2000 install. Please tell me there will be a reasonable and timely upgrade path to the ACU2, which I would xpect is not going in my airplane at the present. Also, please know Dave Shelton at Landmark Aviation Frederick, MD and Todd Adams at Lancaster Avionics, Lititz, PA  both run top notch shops and represent your product very well. Dave at FDK is in the middle of my install right now.