PSS blurb promotes the new 777 as having "a first in the industry; a working Weather RADAR integrated into the NAV Display!"Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Oleksiy Frolov's (Fanda) Dash 8-300 have this feature in both the old freeware version (which has been out for years)and the payware Dash 8-300 which was released months ago?http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/132376.jpg

Is that one fully functional?I've seen weather radars before but they were all either addon modules (like the one in AS2004), standalone gauges (like the RXP WX500), or just (usually static) bitmaps with no relation to the actual weather at all.

The Dash 8 weather radar is fully functional.I quote part of the Majestic Software specs."The real weather radar, utilizing the fs2004 NWI (New Weather Interface) and creating an accurate representation of the weather within the desired range, from both World Real Weather, fs2004 own weather or any weather controlling addons."

John,Yes, I am biased but did Frolov's gauge do both weather and navigation dispay with the navigation info overlaying the weather?I see a compass rose and the like but nothing in the way of what most people would term a Navigation Display.

I believe so Norman, but I'll punch in a route and try it tonight.The small pic in my original post came off the Majestic site and looks very basic (note CRS, HDG and GSPD). Probably no navigation data has been input.

Confirm navigation info shown with weather on Dash 8.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/132411.jpg

Bye the way Does the PSS 777 store all the settings for save flight or restart?

>>The Dash 8 weather radar is fully functional.Fully functional means simulating a cosec beam for ground mapping. Does the Majestic bird do this?

Absolutely... no idea!I am referring to PSS's statement which refers to a "working weather radar" as an industry first. The Dash 8 certainly has a working weather radar. No big deal, by the way, I was just in a nit-picking mood. :-)

JohnIt can only ever be a gimmick in FS004 as a fully functional radar can only be as good as the weather system it is supposed to be looking at.I am afraid that with all the weather addons for FS2004 the dynamic structure of the weather engine in FS2004 is not capable of creating cloud density and defined thunderstorm or heavy precipitation that radar simulation could read.FU3 A programme way ahead of its time did a pretty good job of storm simulation and what showed on the radar matched with the weather around you.Approaching the heavier areas on the radar resulted in turbulence heavy rain, icing and vertical wind currents.Looking at the picture the radar painted allowed you as in real life to pick your way through such weather systems.I very much hope that in the next version of MSFS they really put some structure into the weather system making such a radar a realistic and useful tool.At present it cannot be more that a bit of character to the sim.Peterhttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/132413.jpg

Amazing shot there Peter - we can only hope that FS10 can depict such a scary sight realisticaly! I've wanted better "walls of cloud" in FS forever.

I agree wholly with Peter on this one. Until WX has an actual working effect within FS, there is no reason to avoid it.

Hmmmmm,Interesting comments ... a week or two ago I was 1000 feet into my climb out of WSSS RW2L (in a very heavy PMDG 747-400) into what was reported on my Reality WX-500 radar as a very serious set of red ... or a major CB structure ... like a loony, I flew right into it ... with ASV running and supplying the weather ... I had all I could do to keep the aircraft in the air ... quite honestly left me shaken ... updrafts, downdrafts .. all I could think of was a day many years ago when a L1011 or DC-10 ... can't remember now got caught in a major downdraft on approach into KDFW and crashed short of the RW.I know it's only a sim ... but imho ... FS9 with ASV does a fairly good job ... of course, I'm not a real pilot but I have been through much heavy weather as a passenger ... and I do stay far away from the CBs when I see them on the radar!!

even the free FSMetar does a good job of creating walls of clouds, i have no complaints about this part of the sim, it even has the same weather as outside my house ;)http://www.bruces-stuff.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/clouds.jpg