Deliveries of the new WSI InFlight AV-300 series datalink weather systems began earlier this month, following their introduction and demonstrations at EAA AirVenture 2007 in July.

The -300 series, which includes the AV-300 and -350, replaces the -100 and -200 series product lines and offers expanded satellite service and a more robust platform to allow for future enhancements, the company said. The AV-300 receives WSI’s aviation weather graphics and data service, while the -350 is capable of receiving WSI weather service and Sirius Satellite Radio. The -350 receiver is a new addition to the WSI InFlight product line and is the first to offer radio entertainment in addition to the continuous stream of weather data for North America and the Caribbean.

WSI’s aviation weather content delivers icing levels, surface analyses, winds and temperatures aloft, graphical and textual metars, TAFs, sigmets, airmets, TFRs, pireps and city forecasts, in addition to WSI NOWrad, radar summary with storm cell height, speed of movement and direction, lightning data from the long-range U.S. precision lightning network, cloud tops and Canadian radar.

“The new AV-300 series will not only supply our customers with expanded satellite coverage, but it will also provide a vigorous platform for WSI to deliver market-leading innovations in cockpit aviation weather services well into the future,” said Laurence Vigeant-Langlois, director of product management for WSI’s aviation division. “WSI’s offering can help pilots in all aviation segments strategically avoid adverse weather such as storms, icing and turbulence thanks to the most accurate content for the cockpit.”

According to WSI, the -300 and -350 receivers are compatible with a host of multifunction displays and electronic flight bags. In addition, the teardrop-shaped antenna and the new WSI InFlight receiver systems were designed to have the same approximate footprints as the current -100 and -200 systems to help current WSI InFlight customers transition to the new hardware with minimal effort. The new antenna and receiver also have been engineered to reject any interference from ground-based signals and to take full advantage of satellite signal availability.

“While designing new hardware was a requirement of our decision to transition to a new satellite network, it has enabled WSI to make significant improvements to the WSI InFlight customer experience while in flight,” said Jim Menard, general manager of WSI’s aviation business group. “This first shipment is a significant milestone for the WSI InFlight product line and WSI’s continued quest to supply pilots with the critical aviation weather data and tools they need to improve the safety and efficiency of flights.”