Ally Allman Elevates Weather Radar and Expectations

By the time she graduates from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2026, Allayna “Ally” Allman will have helped install and reengineer a sophisticated weather radar system originally built for business jets. As a student in Electrical Engineering, she has already learned how to script control commands for a $100,000 aviation radar on a laptop — and become such a proven asset to Honeywell that the company extended her internship, semester after semester.

That’s not a typical undergraduate experience. Then again, Allman isn’t a typical student.

Up on the Roof

Ally began her college journey as an Aerospace Engineering major with dreams of contributing to the space industry. However, an unexpected fascination with communication systems — radios, radar and signals that speak across space and time — led her to switch majors. “Radio frequency engineering always piqued my interest,” she explained. “I didn’t realize it lived under electrical engineering until someone pointed it out.”

Once she made the change, she never looked back.

The clarity she brings to her academic path is mirrored in her hands-on work. As an electrical engineering student at Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus, she co-leads a groundbreaking radar installation project in collaboration with Honeywell. The centerpiece is the IntuVue RDR-7000, a state-of-the-art airborne radar system that detects turbulence, lightning, hail and icing conditions. The goal? Transform this airborne tool into a ground-based weather teaching resource for meteorology students and pilot trainees.

“We had to rethink the entire setup,” said Honeywell engineer Levi Brown, an industry mentor to Ally. “This radar was designed to be in a jet, so we re-engineered it to run on a laptop, unlocking its full potential for Embry-Riddle’s students.”

An Internship That Turned Into a Calling

Ally originally connected with Honeywell during a student tour of the company’s Deer Valley research facility. Her sharp questions and enthusiasm stood out. When she followed up, she earned an internship with the radar team. That summer, she not only kept pace with professional engineers — she exceeded expectations.

Her work has involved everything from coding and reprogramming the radar’s embedded systems to coordinating installation logistics with faculty and Honeywell advisors. “The software wasn’t initially communicating with the radar,” Allman recalled. “Honeywell sent us a full software load to reflash it. Once we got that running, we could finally begin seeing weather and terrain.”

Bringing the Sky to Campus

Following a recently completed installation atop Embry-Riddle’s AC-1 building, the radar system now delivers real-time data that students can access via a public-facing website designed by Ally and teammate Sawyer Curless, a Computer Engineering major. The site provides a 360-degree, pilot’s-eye view of local skies — allowing meteorology students to directly compare actual cloud formations with radar data.

“We’re building a tool that lets students and pilots see the skies the way an aircraft does — in real time, with real consequences,” Allman said.

Though the radar was never designed for rooftop use, the team devised creative housing solutions and solved structural challenges to withstand Arizona’s high desert winds. Every step required engineering improvisation — and industry coordination.

A Creative Collaboration

The radar isn’t just a gift to the university — it’s a two-way partnership. Honeywell continues to collaborate with students on calibration and configuration and retains the option to use the system for live-fire testing. Because the installation allows radar pulses to bounce off terrain and weather systems in real-world conditions, Honeywell gains valuable verification data beyond what’s possible in a lab.

“This relationship helps grow the next generation of engineers,” Brown said. “We benefit from the testing and training, and students get to learn from real-world tools that are actively used in the industry.”

A Future Shaped by Hands-On Learning

For Ally, the experience has sharpened both her technical skills and her career vision. She’s still deeply interested in communication systems and aerospace — and thanks to her time on the radar team, she’s seen how industry, research and education can intersect.

She credits Embry-Riddle not only for rigorous academics but for direct access to meaningful, resume-defining work. “Getting to network with Honeywell directly through campus opportunities was huge,” she said. “I wouldn’t have had this internship if it weren’t for that trip to Deer Valley.”

Although it was technically challenging to get to this point, both students are enthusiastic about the project’s potential. “It’s fun to work up here,” Sawyer said. “And it’s exciting to know what we’re building will help students and pilots access better, real-time weather data.”

The result is a cutting-edge aviation tool now in use at the recently completed installation atop the AC-1 building — with custom scripting, real-world signal testing and open-air weather analysis all part of the student-led achievement.

“Ally’s the kind of intern who changes what you expect from an undergraduate,” said Levi Brown of Honeywell.

The radar may scan for storms across 150 kilometers, but it’s impossible to gauge Ally Allman’s capacity to reach new horizons.