XM Weather in the Hawker

[400A]

Is anyone using a portable XM system in the Hawker 800 series? If so are you having any reception problems? Which one are you using?

Our 750 came with the ACARS world wide system and the rates are so bad that I am not even going to activate it.

 

[DrProc]

We use a Garmin GPS with XM in a Hawker 800XP. The front windshields will not allow a signal to pass through. We mount the antennas by the sidescreen windows.

 

[400A]

We use a Garmin GPS with XM in a Hawker 800XP. The front windshields will not allow a signal to pass through. We mount the antennas by the sidescreen windows.

Is reception reliable?

 

[DrProc]

We don't fire up the GPS all that much, but for the most part, the reception is pretty good.

 

[corp_da20_guy]

He have 2 800XPs with portable XM. First one, like DrProc mentioned, the antenna is placed in a small clear plastic basket stuck to the side windows. Reliable, yes and no! It requires moving it from one side of the aircraft to the other depending on the direction of travel (east and west). It needs to primarily facing the south to west direction for a good signal. Take note, some of the bigger cities while on the ground have a ground based transmitter of somekind that you can actually receive while still in the hangar. Our second aircraft, we opted to put an external antenna (combination XM/GPS) in over the cockpit with the terminals in the cockpit to connect to the receiver. This option works, by far the best. The ACARS/AFIS/Datalink (whatever you want to call it) is expensive. Just depends on if you can justify the entire package, not just the weather (includes PDC, D-ATIS, Oceanic Clearences, Messaging capabilities to office and/or data service provider for flight plans, etc). If you go to many larger airports where PDC is available, then you can probably justify the expense. Good luck to you!

 

[400A]

Thanks for the replies. We negotiated pulling the ACARS and leaving the provisions, and then adding the XM system into the Pro-Line 21.

 

[Beechjetr]

We ordered our 900XP with provisions for ACARS and XM installed. It's pretty slick, but it doesn't get Satellite imagery, winds aloft, or notams.

I was cruising through the IFIS manual, and it looks like it's possible to get those items on a PL21 system. Does Aayone know why the Hawker doesn't have it?