EC145 pilot reported encountering issues with the onboard weather radar system and suggests these issues are common within the entire fleet.

Date: 2023-08 · Aircraft: EC145

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-less-severe

Synopsis

EC145 pilot reported encountering issues with the onboard weather radar system and suggests these issues are common within the entire fleet.

Narrative

AIRBUS AHD H145 D3 Weather Radar Shadowing and signal failures. Airbus helicopters certified an unworthy radar system to its H145d2d3 series with RDR2000 and Helionix panel configuration. The system is failing and showing unworthy shadows. H145 D2/D3 with RDR2000 and Helionix. Radar shows 'WXR FAIL' messages that is thought to be 'latency issue' between hardware/software of radar and avionics. Software and hardware uncompatibility. The event will cause a major incident or accident with this type of aircraft because its not a single serial number issue; its the model/fleet issue and its recognized by manufacturer to be so.ANAC/CENIPA (Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center/Brazilian Civilian Aviation Agency) Brazilian aviation and safety authorities are working with Helibras on this matter; but the Airbus H145 D3 comes certified with billateral relationship between ANAC and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the matter should go to EASA to take actions with Company. H145 D3 was brought being updated from Bo105/Bk117 certification and received a avionics update called Helionix; that came up with shadowing phe- nomena and WXR FAIL message coming up intermittently on MFD (Multifunction Flight Display). Tried to work with the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) to solve the problem but AHD blames EASA for certification bureaucreacy and issues to come up with a solution/update on the radar system to solve the shadowing/failure problem ocurring with many serial numbers.Already registered safety issue claims on EASA/ (European Co-ordination centre for Accident and Incident Reporting Systems) ECCAIRS2/ANAC/ CENIPA etc but no feedback yet. This radar system will cause accidents on the Brazilian fleet at least; because it is an issue occurring on many serial numbers and we don't have radar coverage in Brazil such as XMWX or NEXRAD. We need to rely solely on aircraft equipment and satellite images. Please notify the manufacturer AHD to explain why the system was certified with a failing radar software communication with avionics.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.