Gulfstream IV / G350 / G450
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
General None Reported / Taken
Weather
Enroute to PHL at 45;000 feet we encountered a 5 minute period of heavy moderate turbulence. There was a north south line of thunderstorms stretching 800 miles centered over Nebraska along our route. We transited the area along the same route that ATC had sent all previous airline traffic. Passengers and Flight Attendant were briefed and cabin was secure. We encountered speed variations between .83 and .74 and altitude variations between 44;700 and 45;300 feet. We advised ATC of the turbulence and there was no traffic near our altitude. In retrospect the situation would have been much safer if our situational awareness could have been expanded by looking at the real time weather radar picture available thru using the onboard wireless to access internet live radar shot. Our current company policy forbids the crew members from accessing the WiFi signal during flight. The aircraft radar only gave us a sliver of the big weather picture and it is possible that with more information a smoother route could have been selected.
G IV Captain experiences moderate turbulence at FL450 on a transcontinental flight due to a long line of thunderstorms perpendicular to his route. He believes he may have been able to choose a better route had he been able to view a Nexrad radar image via on board WiFi which is prohibited by his company.