Avionics
Flaws cited in Hawker weather-radar radome
An apparent design problem with the airborne weather radar radomes in Hawker business jets could prevent the radars from accurately painting storm cells ah

An apparent design problem with the airborne weather radar radomes in Hawker business jets could prevent the radars from accurately painting storm cells ahead, making them appear less hazardous than they really are, say pilots.

There are about 150 Raytheon Hawker 700s, 800s and 800XPs worldwide fitted with Rockwell Collins TWR-850 radar systems, including those with the Pro Line 21 avionics suite, according to Owen O’Mahony, who manages a flight department that has two Hawker 800s with the TWR-850. “These have an antenna power of 24 or 32 watts,” he said. “The remainder of all Hawkers are fitted with Honeywell high-power radar, comparatively speaking, but even they require a minimum of a Class C radome. The problem is that the radome fitted to the Hawker is Class D.”

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