Final answer:
Onboard datalink weather (FIS-B) is useful for pilots to navigate safely around thunderstorms by providing weather information and radar imagery directly in the cockpit, similar to how controllers use radar to manage traffic in poor visibility conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, onboard datalink weather (FIS-B) can be incredibly useful in navigating an aircraft safely around an area of thunderstorms. FIS-B provides pilots with a variety of weather information, including NEXRAD radar imagery that allows the detection of precipitation and intense weather activity such as thunderstorms from the cockpit. Combined with the strategic use of doppler radar, which presents the advantage of not only detecting precipitation but also measuring the velocity at which rain droplets are moving, indicating wind shear, pilots can make informed decisions to navigate around severe weather. Understanding the weather patterns and the current situation allows pilots to plot a safer course, avoiding areas that could pose threats to the aircraft's safety due to thunderstorms. It's very similar to how air traffic controllers use radar instruments to locate planes when visibility is compromised due to bad weather conditions.