Insights - Executive Jets

Embraer's Solution to Windshear

Published

Imagine you’re driving your car down an old, bumpy country road. What would you give to have a technology that scans the road ahead, alerting you to where the big potholes are?

Similarly to potholes, windshear — any sort of rapid change in wind speed and direction — can be a huge problem for pilots.

Usually, windshear is created when a downward burst of cool air hits the ground and fans out in all directions, like a stream of water gushing from a garden hose onto the ground.

When an airplane is caught in a microburst, it first encounters a head wind that causes extra lift; then, as the airplane passes the center of the windshear, this head wind gets replaced suddenly by a tail wind, causing a sudden loss of lift. Severe windshear can cover an area of two miles in diameter and is especially common during takeoff and landing.

Embraer’s Solution to Windshear

To provide pilots with early warning about windshear conditions such as microbursts, Embraer’s predictive windshear technology scans the real-time weather radar and flags up problematic areas. This increases crew awareness, allowing pilots time to prepare and maneuver when needed for a smoother flight experience. If you’re in need of an extra level of protection, reactive windshear alerting provides alerts after the airplane encounters windshear.

The Difference Between Predictive and Reactive Windshear Technology

Predictive complements reactive by providing guidance to avoid while reactive provides an alert so the pilot can perform a windshear escape maneuver. Do you need both to operate an aircraft? The short answer is no. However, they work together kind of like a vehicle’s seatbelt and airbag. While a seatbelt keeps you safe and helps avoid injury, the airbag is an additional safety measure in place in the event you need it. The same idea applies here with predictive and reactive windshear.

Both predictive and reactive windshear technology is an available option for the Phenom 300E, the Praetor 500, and the Praetor 600.