ERJ Drivers........

[Axel]

A technique, if you have a nav display, is to enter the fixes from the convective sigmet(s) into the FMS without activating. This will draw the outline of the affected area(s) on the nav display. It is only marginally useful in a macro sort of way, but it will give you a picture of the affected area(s) with respect to your route.

 

[Captain X]

I've used some pretty crappy radar in the past but I've seen more problems with people who have no idea of how to use radar (it's not just like the weather channel you know). On board radar is no more reliable than the operator.

This right here.

The primary problems I saw were related to operator error, primarily in the way of beam tilt management and a poor understanding of the main limitation of the system (small dish, big beam).

 

[labbats]

With time in both the EMB145 and now the MD80 I can tell you I have no reservations when I use the MD80 radar. Yet the EMB145 never seemed reliable to me.

I studied the Archie Tremmel videos, I brought the laminated card regarding beam angle to altitude. I even did the math Archie recommended. Yet almost half the time we'd pop out of the clouds at FL370 and see a different picture than we expected from the radar.

In my opinion the EMB145 radar is essentially a turboprop radar. It works very well until you hit the upper 20s. By the time you reach 350 or 370 it just can't tell you specifics. I saw purple at FL370 once on the EMB145 and it was something that could probably kill you. So it does have its uses even up there. But comparing that radar to the ones in Airbus, MD80s, and Boeing is comparing a C172 to a jet. More often than not in the EMB145 we'd use the TCAS to see what those aircraft were doing and follow them. The EMB145 will keep you out of intense cells but that's about it.

 

[BeeFCaKe]

With time in both the EMB145 and now the MD80 I can tell you I have no reservations when I use the MD80 radar. Yet the EMB145 never seemed reliable to me.

I studied the Archie Tremmel videos, I brought the laminated card regarding beam angle to altitude. I even did the math Archie recommended. Yet almost half the time we'd pop out of the clouds at FL370 and see a different picture than we expected from the radar.

In my opinion the EMB145 radar is essentially a turboprop radar. It works very well until you hit the upper 20s. By the time you reach 350 or 370 it just can't tell you specifics. I saw purple at FL370 once on the EMB145 and it was something that could probably kill you. So it does have its uses even up there. But comparing that radar to the ones in Airbus, MD80s, and Boeing is comparing a C172 to a jet. More often than not in the EMB145 we'd use the TCAS to see what those aircraft were doing and follow them. The EMB145 will keep you out of intense cells but that's about it.

Couldn't agree more, nice post...

 

[crazy8]

With time in both the EMB145 and now the MD80 I can tell you I have no reservations when I use the MD80 radar. Yet the EMB145 never seemed reliable to me.

I studied the Archie Tremmel videos, I brought the laminated card regarding beam angle to altitude. I even did the math Archie recommended. Yet almost half the time we'd pop out of the clouds at FL370 and see a different picture than we expected from the radar.

In my opinion the EMB145 radar is essentially a turboprop radar. It works very well until you hit the upper 20s. By the time you reach 350 or 370 it just can't tell you specifics. I saw purple at FL370 once on the EMB145 and it was something that could probably kill you. So it does have its uses even up there. But comparing that radar to the ones in Airbus, MD80s, and Boeing is comparing a C172 to a jet. More often than not in the EMB145 we'd use the TCAS to see what those aircraft were doing and follow them. The EMB145 will keep you out of intense cells but that's about it.

Considering the size of the 145's radar dish, is that really a surprise?

 

[CiFIknow]

I hate to contribute to such an old post, but I will. I flew the E-145 for 7 years and the radar was nothing but guess work. Now I am flying a "Big" jet, I can see weather 80-120 miles ahead of me without ground clutter.

The E-145 radar interpretation is an art rather than a science. I remember flying over the rockies with a new FO and seeing returns and thinking the returns were just mountains where they were expected to be. FO thought they were TS. I said naw, they are just ground returns. Only to get our a$$ kicked by TS over said mountains. My bad.

Now that I have had time to work with real radar, I can say that the EMB radar pretty much sucks.

 

[DHPFLYN]

Why take the chance. Just go around it all.