I was trying to find the definitive answer on why we can't have a weather radar. I understand the gist of it but not the details and I'd like to hear the official word. Searching turned up pages and pages and pages of threads that are essentially "Can we have a weather radar" / "no, PMDG have said why not, search the forum". So I searched ... All the way back to 2004 ... And I couldn't find it. So where is it ? Is there an actual message by an actual PMDG staffer that says why we can't have weather radar ? Can somebody give me a link to it ? I give the moderators permission to delete any replies that say "I want one too" or "PMDG have said why not, search the forum" Gary

It has to do with the way FSX models weather. Other weather radars just display where the rain is and how dense the rainfall is, which is not an actual representation of what a real world weather radar will do. Because PMDG strives for both quality and realism, and there is no possible way to accurately model a weather radar, PMDG has chosen not to create one. Maybe someone who has more information can explain it in better detail. Hope that helps! Andrew Blan

As I've pointed out on several occasions in these threads, Level D full flight simulators don't simulate the weather any better than FSX does, yet they have weather radar. No one from PMDG has yet replied to this point though. A weather radar display based on cloud position is not that realistic, but it's better than no weather radar at all. Kevin Hall

Sorry Gary, but you are going to get the same bla, bla, bla from folks that don't have a clue about FSX or the FSX weather system. I know all you asked for are links, but all you are going to get is the same old, same old.

I'm pretty sure that I read somewhere that FSX generates the rain effect randomly based on the conditions and that there is no functionality in FSX that allows other software like weather gauges to detect where it rains at any given time. All it can do is give these gauges the positions of clouds, which is useless for avoiding bad weather unless you never fly through clouds, which is unrealistic for IMC passenger liners.

Sorry Gary, but you are going to get the same bla, bla, bla from folks that don't have a clue about FSX or the FSX weather system. I know all you asked for are links, but all you are going to get is the same old, same old.

Well, why don't you enlighten us instead of mocking everybody? You seem to know better. After all, HiFi make ActiveSky, don't they?

I'm pretty sure that I read somewhere that FSX generates the rain effect randomly based on the conditions and that there is no functionality in FSX that allows other software like weather gauges to detect where it rains at any given time. All it can do is give these gauges the positions of clouds, which is useless for avoiding bad weather unless you never fly through clouds, which is unrealistic for IMC passenger liners.

IMC passenger liners. I like that.

I'm pretty sure that I read somewhere that FSX generates the rain effect randomly based on the conditions and that there is no functionality in FSX that allows other software like weather gauges to detect where it rains at any given time. All it can do is give these gauges the positions of clouds, which is useless for avoiding bad weather unless you never fly through clouds, which is unrealistic for IMC passenger liners. Well, why don't you enlighten us instead of mocking everybody? You seem to know better. After all, HiFi make ActiveSky, don't they?

Read the SKD for weather and SimConnect and you'll be all set!

IMC passenger liners. I like that.

Well, you know what I mean.

Read the SKD for weather and SimConnect and you'll be all set!

Thought so...

Wheather and ATC are the major flaws in the FS in my opinion... I wish programmers from PMDG, HiFi etc could launch a stand alone sim made for precision... though I imagine it wouldn't be easy... Teo Halfen

Sorry Gary, but you are going to get the same bla, bla, bla from folks that don't have a clue about FSX or the FSX weather system. I know all you asked for are links, but all you are going to get is the same old, same old.

Just to prove Mr. Skorna wrong... @ OP: Here's your linkhttp://forum.avsim.net/topic/335805-weather-radar/page__hl__weather%20radar

Sorry Gary, but you are going to get the same bla, bla, bla from folks that don't have a clue about FSX or the FSX weather system. I know all you asked for are links, but all you are going to get is the same old, same old.

Jim, how about reading my post, just above yours. No bla bla bla there, I understand the weaknesses of FSX weather, but I don't understand PMDG's logic for not implementing Wxr as a result. Kevin Hall

Just to prove Mr. Skorna wrong... @ OP: Here's your linkhttp://forum.avsim.n...weather%20radar

AJ, that is mostly the same bla, bla bla, with the REAL reasons directly from PMDG mixed in. So that link show me to be correct.

Jim, how about reading my post, just above yours. No bla bla bla there, I understand the weaknesses of FSX weather, but I don't understand PMDG's logic for not implementing Wxr as a result. Kevin Hall

Kevin, Please follow that fine link provided and read post #11. Where is that beating a dead horse animation when I need it?

AJ, that is mostly the same bla, bla bla, with the REAL reasons directly from PMDG mixed in. So that link show me to be correct. Kevin, Please follow that fine link provided and read post #11. Where is that beating a dead horse animation when I need it?

Jim, with great respect that does not answer my point, and as I posted in that thread it's nothing new to me. The argument PMDG use against providing weather radar would also prevent FFS manufacturers, such as CAE, including it in their simulators too. No one, as far as I know, simulates precipitation to individual cloud level. No one really simulates weather at all in fact, it's just instructor selections and pre-defined scenarios. Many things are simulated in FSX (and full flight sims for that matter) for effect and not from first principles, so why is Wxr any different? I'm not trying to flog a dead horse. I accept PMDG's decision, I just think the reasoning they use is completely flawed. I'd still like to hear what PMDG have to say to the point I'm making. Kevin Hall

AJ, that is mostly the same bla, bla bla, with the REAL reasons directly from PMDG mixed in. So that link show me to be correct.

The link, despite all the fluff throughout, has good explanations why FSX doesn't depict real weather and why PMDG doesn't want to model something that can't be accurately modeled in the sim world because of said limitations. So no I don't think you're correct at all.As someone who works for a company making weather software, you should understand the limitations better then anyone.