Anyone have any experience with this avionics solution. How reliable is it? Any problems with compatibility with sensors, com radios, etc?

Views: 567

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

I know an iPad is a cheap solution but visibility in a cock pit is not good based on my experience, others may differ.  You need to be able to see the screen in all lighting conditions. The best tablet I have found is a Nexus 7, but that also has limitations .  My $.02

EFBs, be they iPads or Android operating system tablets, are good supplements for Situational Awareness and good replacements for paper flight information publications in the cockpit, but they are not good substitutes for a purpose-built aviation GPS device. Although it depends on the aircraft, screen glare, screen washout in direct sun, and shutting down as a result of exposure to direct sun and overheating are common shortcomings for commercial tablets unless you move up to the more expensive ruggedized outdoor tablets, even then, they are not as good in direct sun as an aviation GPS. My iPad comes along with me but mostly it sits in my headset bag while I use my purpose built portable aviation GPS mounted on my panel.

Byers,

 I don’t use Open Flight, but if you do I would like to hear how well it works. Their products look real neat. I use an iPad in my cockpit with Seattle Avionics mapping with a Dynon EFIS. The iPad visibility’s has always been fine. If it occasionally catches a little glare, so what? I fly a put put Plane, not a jet. My flight instructor’s hammered into me that I needed to be able to fly the airplane without instruments if needed. I do not fly IFR.

My observation of glass EFIS systems is that they provide way more information than you really need. Do you really need cylinder head temps on all cylinders? I fly behind a fuel injected engine, exhaust temps are just fluff. Fuel rate of use? Fun, but not once you run a few loads of fuel through your plane it is just bragging rights. Oil temp with a decimal readout? Get real, C172 steam gauge are a floppy needle with just yellow, green, and red with no numbers, been working fine for decades. Just keep it all in perspective.

Enjoy,

Ralph

Do you really need cylinder head temps on all cylinders? I fly behind a fuel injected engine, exhaust temps are just fluff.

Au contraire, mon frere!  When you stuff a 6 cylinder, air-cooled engine (Jab 3300) into a slow, high-drag airframe (STOL 750), you definitely need 6-probe CHT/EGT monitoring!  :>)

John

N750A

I plan on a Ul 350is in my 750.  Cost of the additional  probes seems minimal compared to the cost of the engine.

Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not against using a commercial tablet as an EFB, just that they are best suited for use by the person not on the controls. You need to be able to keep it powered, move it around sometimes to find a good viewing angle to counter the glare, and keep it out of the direct sunlight. Good tool to keep your passenger engaged in the experience. Buy a tablet you like and load up your app and go try it out. If it doesn’t work out you still have a tablet for use around the house. I’d just stay local until you sort out if it’s right for you and your plane.

iPads got off to a great start as EFB's and were quickly adopted by pro pilots since they didn't have to lug around a huge, heavy case of paper plates and charts.  However, the pro's were/are using them in bizjets and other commercial aircraft that tend to have relatively small windows (subdued lighting and not much glare) and air conditioning (no overheating issues).  Also, they were not panel mounted or hard-mounted which allows you to make subtle tilts and vary viewing angles to reduce glare.

In my 750 STOL, I used a Toshiba android tablet for a while (to display GPS moving map), which had an excellent display, but there is simply no comparison to the aviation-quality displays on my MGL XTreme EFIS/EMS and my iFly 740 GPS!

I agree with Jim - tablets are a great supplement but not always the best choice as a primary flight display.  Of course, technology marches on and now I can run iFly GPS on my phone and that means I always have a backup GPS in my pocket!  :>)

John

RSS

New from Zenith:

Zenith Planes For Sale 
 

Classified listing for buying or selling your Zenith building or flying related stuff...


Custom Instrument Panels
for your Zenith
:

Custom instrument panels are now available directly from Zenith Aircraft Company exclusively for Zenith builders and owners. Pre-cut panel, Dynon and Garmin avionics, and more.


Zenith Homecoming Tee:


Zenair Floats


Flying On Your Own Wings:
A Complete Guide to Understanding Light Airplane Design, by Chris Heintz


Builder & Pilot Supplies:

Aircraft Insurance:

 
 

West Coast USA:

 
Pro Builder Assistance:

 

Transition training:

Lavion Aero

K&S Aviation Services

Aircraft Spruce & Specialty for all your building and pilot supplies!

How to videos from HomebuiltHELP.com

Developed specifically for Zenith builders (by a builder) these videos on DVD are a great help in building your own kit plane by providing practical hands-on construction information. Visit HomebuiltHelp.com for the latest DVD titles.

© 2024   Created by Zenith.Aero.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service