Cessna has just completed their certification of the Garmin GDL 69A Data Link Receiver featuring XM WX Satellite Weather (FIS) and Radio.

Production incorporation of the GDL 69A system is starting now for all Cessna Single Engine Piston NAV III Avionics installations (excluding the 172 GA aircraft). Cessna is also aggressively working on the release of the retrofit kits for all NAV III aircraft currently in the field. The first set of Cessna Service Bulletins is expected to be mailed in early August.

The GDL 69A is a new remote sensor that brings highly reliable, near real-time weather information to the cockpit. The sensor receives broadcast weather data from the XM WX Satellite Weather service of XM Satellite Radio, and delivers the data to Garmin's popular G1000 Integrated Avionics System installed in all NAV III optioned aircraft. All weather services are continuously updated and can be accessed on the G1000 display before take-off (for example, high resolution Nexrad data is updated every 5 minutes). Once XM WX data is received, Garmin's high-resolution displays show the pilot valuable information in flight, coast-to-coast and everywhere in between.

The XM WX Satellite Weather service is broadcast in the S-band frequency over two powerful geosynchronous satellites for rapid-update, high-resolution weather information directly into the cockpit, at any altitude across the continental United States. Since only the S-Band wavelength is able to easily penetrate dense storm cells, the use of S-Band technology is a key factor and one of the defining advantages of XM WX Satellite Weather.

The GDL 69A increases situational awareness by offering a broad array of weather services and graphically depicts a high level of detail on the displays:

• High-resolution NEXRAD weather data
• METARs (in graphical or textual format)
• TAFs
• TFRs
• Winds aloft (at altitude)
• Echo tops
• Precipitation type (at surface)
• Lightning
• Severe Weather Tracking (size, speed and direction)
• AIRMETs
• SIGMETs, and much more...

The GDL69A receiver also combines XM WX's weather services with XM's digital audio entertainment, which provides 130-plus channels of music, news, talk, sports and information.

The comprehensive weather data suite available through XM WX is supplied by WxWorx, an innovator in location-specific weather data and leading provider of analytical weather services to the broadcast media and emergency management industry. XM WX Weather products are available for the US continental 48 states.

FMI: www.cessna.com