Jack Tyler wrote:Howard, congrats on likely finding the problem and with a fix at hand. Frustrating, yes....but as we've all discussed in the past, complex and integrated avionics can have many component- and module-level failure points. No free lunch…
A couple of comments related to your 'back-up' choices: First, it doesn't sound to me like you need much of anything. As I understand it, you fly locally or in an area probably covered by one or at most two sectionals. (Remember those? <g> I don't even know where to get them now.) So while it's fun to max out a back-up's capabilities, your needs seem pretty basic. My Grumman has a pretty bright cockpit and I just moved to an Air 2, keeping my older iPad as a Foreflight back-up, so here are a few of my conclusions that might apply to your needs:
-- like you, I concluded my 5s phone just didn't have the screen size to be acceptably functional. That's what drove me to a 2nd iPad since, for me, I need full approach plate & LA chart back-ups.
-- let's not forget that we fly down low where little planes bounce around routinely. My only significant gripe about FF is that, when pulling up an info box for airport or weather info, that small box has v-e-r-y small sub-choice boxes, even tho' the rest of the chart screen is now frozen and unusable. With the plane hopping around, larger boxes would make FF more functional but the designers refuse to change this. (Long talk with one of them at Sun 'n Fun; they don't care). So along with aging eyes, that's another reason why I favor as much screen real estate as I can have.
-- the Air 2 screen is better at dealing with glare than I expected. So far, I haven't found it necessary to get the same $25 Sporty's anti-glare screen that I put on my older iPad, which works well but dims that beautiful retina display for all uses. But I mount my iPad like Andy does, by suction mount on my side window, which means I have the option of simply popping the iPad out of its holder and sitting it on my lap if on a given heading at a critical moment the screen gets washed out by glare. I've had to do this very little over the last 3 years. Another benefit of that location is that my arm isn't stretched out when using FF, meaning a/c movements are easier to contend with.
-- I chose a Dynon D1 as my AI back-up as I don't like the idea of having 3 or 4 devices & software packages, each built by a different mfgr, needing to work in harmony to produce a critical flight instrument. And sure enough, you've probably read that some Bad Elf products failed to work with the latest iOS update. I've had a form of AI representation available to me on the iPad for well over a year now (I have a Stratus II) and it has failed to work properly on several occasions. By contrast, the D1 and its software are built & tested by a single source. But again, your needs are basic and I don't see a D1 serving your VMC needs.
-- If you haven't seen it, the latest issue of Aviation Consumer has a review on the iFly product. It's screen does deal much more effectively with direct sunlight than any iPad does; in that regard it's superior. However, as mentioned earlier, an iPad is so multi-functional that we no longer carry a laptop when on trips. And of course one can now grab the latest METAR info (assuming a cell version of the iPad) just before starting the engine and then activate the VFR flight plan from the iPad after completing the run-up and before the roll and canceling on arrival. Lots more functionality, even when narrowing considerations to flying alone.
Sure is nice to have choices, isn't it...!
Jack,
Not looking for a 'free' lunch….Dynon are busy putting out new products but not putting as much $$ into the support side is all I'm saying, in my view. My recent experience is that their position is 'we're busy', just send it in, and needing to get off the phone without seeming to really be listening. That's MY experience. It's concerning that my plane is grounded and it could be for several weeks. I get that. 'Some time' of course, but...
I also just learned that they have a new vendor for the memory modules since the older ones, which I have, have 'issues'. Well, hey…
For those that visit this site contemplating LSA flying, they need to know ALL the aspects regarding ownership, not just the brochure driven hype you get at air-shows, expos and aviation magazine reviews. There's also no free lunch on that side either.
The recent debacle with the Rotax carb floats is a case in point. There are folks literally sitting waiting to get the new small 'fixed' carb floats. The float problem has been going on for months.
Can I mention Rich's big issue with his fuel tank and the related use of E10 auto gas?
Yes for MY mission local flying ( for me up to 150 miles) still requires some kind of backup. Skyview is fantastic, but when it goes…so does everything. Ask me how I know…
I've been using FF for a while and it's great for planning and on my iPhone, it's 'on the go'. Many tablet type units are the PRIMARY for many. Whilst I realise if any primary fails then the the back-up becomes the 'new' primary, for me I need some airspeed, altitude and situational awareness. FF on an iPad, as it does on iPhone( would do that for me. Many are looking at the iPad with FF as the original 'primary' not the backup and I feel that you can look at this from both sides.
Whilst I'm not getting Stratus 2 the new $35 adapter from Dynon does send (back and forth) attitude, etc plus flight plans to and from FF. This plus the $25 Synthetic option on FF provides quite a lot of info. As you say the iPhone is also a portable laptop already. Pretty cost effective (LSA mission?). Actually, for ME, I'm actually more on the lines of…hey, I can use the iPad Air I just bought to replace my MacAir laptop, in my LSA AND it makes a good back-up! With the $35 Dynon module, $75 FF subscription and the $25 Synthetic subscription, and a suction mount,I can have a working and very useful back up! I can also have it on my iPhone.
A second Skyview screen is $4k+ installation, so for me, this is an excellent cost effective choice for LSA flying that is more affordable and yet capable.
The suction mount, for me, means the unit can be on the right side of Skyview and moved closer to the left side bubble canopy if necessary. The Bad Elf fits bit the iPad and the iPhone and works very well, at $99.
For these older eyes the Air might be better for the size. The brightness will never be as good as Skyview but not too bad as a back-up.