Weather or Not ... Honeywell Helps Airlines Avoid Flight Delays

Winter weather patterns can put a strain on travel plans and airline schedules, and this season has brought plenty of challenges. Advanced technology from Honeywell Aerospace gives pilots the help they need to avoid severe weather, stay on schedule, and provide a safe, comfortable flying experience for passengers.

A major storm can cause dozens, even hundreds, of flights to be delayed or cancelled. In late December, a Pennsylvania airport shut down under nearly three feet of snowfall, triple the previous record. Cyclone-level wind gusts lashed the Atlantic Coast, and parts of the U.S. turned colder than even Mars.

A major storm can cause dozens, even hundreds, of flights to be delayed or cancelled. In late December, a Pennsylvania airport shut down under nearly three feet of snowfall, triple the previous record. Cyclone-level wind gusts lashed the Atlantic Coast, and parts of the U.S. turned colder than even Mars.

A six-year reporting sample shows that inclement weather is responsible for nearly 70 percent of all system-impacting delays, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Economists at the U.S. Travel Association say the cancellation of a single U.S. domestic flight for weather-related reasons costs $31,600 in passengers’ lost economic activity.

Airlines work hard to achieve on-time performance, rain or shine, but they can’t do it alone. Travelers need assurances that delays and cancellations will be kept to a minimum, and Honeywell has ready solutions.

Onboard weather radar helps pilots avoid severe weather. This technology took a great leap forward with the introduction of the IntuVue family of advanced 3D weather radar systems from Honeywell — the first all-new concept in weather radar in more than 30 years.

The RDR-4000 weather radar for airliners uses volumetric 3D scanning and pulse compression technologies that provide vastly improved weather detection and unique predictive hazard warnings for lightning, hail, wind shear and turbulence.

By rapidly scanning 180 degrees in front of the aircraft at many tilt angles, IntuVue radar captures weather data vertically from zero to 60,000 feet and ahead up to 320 nautical miles. This provides a clear view of weather conditions and potential hazards that can intrude on the flight path.

Only IntuVue radar provides advanced weather detection through all stages of flight — from taxi to takeoff and departure, throughout the journey from point A to point B, and during approach and landing.

Your flight can be delayed or cancelled due to stormy weather at your departure airport, your destination or any point in between. You can be affected by bad weather even if the sun is shining all along your flight path, because bad weather in one location can have a far-reaching impact that becomes more severe as the day wears on.

We live in the age of the app, and Honeywell also offers a feature-packed mobile application for pilots who want to steer clear of bad weather. The Weather Information Service provides flight crews with up-to-date weather information on a tablet-based electronic flight bag. Pilots may download preflight weather information and use the service to update their weather charts via datalink as conditions change.

The Weather Information Service blends current, historical and forecast data from weather services with real-time and trend information from the flight deck to provide the crew with the clearest view of weather all along the anticipated route. That includes pinpointing storms in plenty of time for pilots to pick another route and avoid severe weather and rough air.

Honeywell continues to advance the science of severe weather avoidance to reduce delays and improve the flying experience for passengers and airlines alike. Weather Information Service is part of the vast portfolio of Connected Aircraft solutions making flying in a commercial aircraft safer and more efficient.