Weather Radar

[Sekstifire 10]

Unlikely - you'd need to be able to add things to the FSX engine most likely to do that. Without source code, that isn't possible. Someone with an ESP license could probably do it, but it wouldn't be FSX compatible....

Its actually possible to add features without having access to the source code using techniques like code injection, but if its a practical solution is another question alltogether. Not to mention the questionably legality of such modifications.

[Prycon 1]

I'm not sure if you got my point. What I meant was a program like Active Sky with an advanced feature that calculates (based upon real meteorological models) where precipitation would form, and store it in a file which a weather radar add-on could read and project inside FSX. I'm not going to pretend to know how FSX programing works, but can't third party add-ons inside FSX read files from outside FSX?Just want to point out that I'm not a weather radar advocate, just found the topic interesting.

[ExNusquam 11]

Activesky can only input the cloud conditions at various weather stations. It's up to the sim if it puts precipitation in. See the above explanation.

[Prycon 1]

Your still not getting my point. Forget FSX, forget Activsky: If a stand alone program can read metar, calculate where precipitation would be based on real life models, save the data (location, elevation etc.) to a file. Can't a weather radar add-on read that file from inside FSX, and display the color codes on the displays?

[Lenny 5]

Your still not getting my point. Forget FSX, forget Activsky: If a stand alone program can read metar, calculate where precipitation would be based on real life models, save the data (location, elevation etc.) to a file. Can't a weather radar add-on read that file from inside FSX, and display the color codes on the displays?

I thinks that might be possible but only for bigger 'regions' with anticipated or real perception but not for individual (CB) clouds. So a big storm front with perception might be possible, I think, but not individual clouds or regions with individual clouds.OT: Having had to opportunity to sit in the cockpit of a 767 lately, landing while zig-zagging through individual cells, peeking at the weather radar whilst looking out of the window was most excellent.

[yos233 1]

It might be possible, you could overlay something from NOAA Aviation (given their permission), but it would still be unrealistic since FSX weather will be different.

[michal 44]

If a stand alone program can read metar, calculate where precipitation would be based on real life models, save the data (location, elevation etc.) to a file.

You are putting a lot of faith in those "real life models". Plus I think you are missing the main point - it is really up to the PMDG to decide where their time and effort brings best payoff and clearly they decided that all this jumping through the hoops to deliver half-baked radar is not where they want to be, at least for now. Plus - it is really another simulator inside the simulator, a well done radar simulation can be a very complex in its own right (Blue Ridge Simulation comes to mind), it would be much better if another company step up to the plate, Reality XP does it to for FSX to some extent. PMDG expertise is in the aircraft simulation, not radar simulation.

[Prycon 1]

You are putting a lot of faith in those "real life models".

Maybe, but it's all math right? ;-)I agree with PMDG on this, if it can't be done right, don't do it at all. And I also agree that this is for another developer to do. PMDG should do what their best at, making good aircraft simulation. I was just interested in talking about if it where possible outside of FSX.

[michal 44]

Maybe, but it's all math right? ;-)

No.Math is a perfect science, weather simulation is highly imperfect science. No math can make up for imperfect model or just plain lack of data.

[nrunning24 151]

No.Math is a perfect science, weather simulation is highly imperfect science. No math can make up for imperfect model or just plain lack of data.

As the saying goes, "Garbage in, Garbage out"

[Prycon 1]

Hmmmph. We recycle where I live.

[ajpongress 467]

I can't believe we're still talking about this.

[damocles 1]

OK, I know the weather radar is not going to happen with PMDG, but, I have just flown from LEMD to EGSS in a Feelthere 737-400 with REX and it's onboard weather radar picked up all the thunder cloud cells over northern Spain, as soon as I hit the amber section of the cell I had turbulence and when I hit the red, it was much worse and then!!!!!!....I had wind shear alerts, loads of red horizontal and diagonal lines across the WR - I have never seen that before in the 737pic - and phew, it was a relief to get out of that one.So while it's not based on reality, why should be be as fsx is not real, there still seems to be some relationship between my external weather program, REX and FSX, they did seem to communicate with each other.It was quite good.Chris Farrell

[ExNusquam 11]

Windshear is one thing, precipitation is something completely different. Real WX radars pick up precipitation alone. See above explanations.

[ZachLW 37]

Have you all thought about making a deal with Jeppesen

Jepps is a Boeing company. :( Wasn't Boeing consulted heavily for this sim?