Faststack have a good product that looks like the quick and easy solution to a lot of Avionic probems, in an ideal world I think I would use the fast stack system.
When stepping back into the real world behind my panel there is simply not enough room to use faststack and I suspect that this is the reason that most avionincs upgrades don’t use the product.
Peter – I’m sure even YOU would be impressed with Fast Stack owner’s – Tom Hass prowess.
Altough it is good to read you have had good experiances with them, and the project is a nice solution (IMHO mainly for new kit aircraft for those who wouldn’t do the wiring themselfs). The arguments they give on their website are just non arguments from a technical point. From a labour point, it would take a skilled worker at their end, but an equally skilled worker can do the same quality of wiring on their bench.
Give me a soldering iron and a straightforward gurl and I am as happy as a pig in sh*it bq.
Hmmmm, not sure a straightforward gurl would enjoy the soldering iron 
I am just a simple bloke. I don’t know what makes you think I am hard to impress 
Give me a soldering iron and a straightforward gurl and I am as happy as a pig in sh*it
Peter – I’m sure even YOU would be impressed with Fast Stack owner’s – Tom Hass prowess.
Wow, that is supposed to work?
My previous GPS (Trimble) didn’t even have the possibility to wire back the HSI course pointer…
I know one installer who has done maybe 100 GNS430/530 boxes and none of them have the HSI course pointer wired back to the GPS, so using the GPS in OBS mode needs the OBS set on the GPS.
Wow, that is supposed to work? I have to try that soon
There is another angle on this:
Most avionics installers don’t actually understand equipment interconnections. This is not made easier by most not being pilots, let alone IFR pilots.
I know one installer who has done maybe 100 GNS430/530 boxes and none of them have the HSI course pointer wired back to the GPS, so using the GPS in OBS mode needs the OBS set on the GPS. I guess this is also a comment on how many pilots know how their avionics work….
Most installers start on the back page of the IM and thumb the pages backwards until they find one which resembles the desired configuration. If it doesn’t work, no problem, you telephone Garmin! I have used a load of UK installers and there is only one guy I have met who actually understands the signals (XYZ/400HZ, RS232, ARINC429, Gray code) and the integration.
I have no reason to believe the issue is hugely better in the USA, though it probably is better because a given shop out there will be doing a lot more business, and US pilots have effective and informative forums (where they don’t hack each other to death like they do an all European GA forums – except EuroGA) so a good shop gets more business and a bad shop will quickly lose business.
So there is clearly room in the market for a “plug it all in” solution. But, IMHO, rather for the wrong reasons
I’ve installed the Fast Stack and worked with them on a couple of installations.
My observations :
- Their cables are absolutly First Class, the best I’ve ever seen and each comes with full computer generated schema/build sheet;
- They can supply be-spoke cables of same high quality yet excellent pricing;
- As mentioned, the Hub requires more cables & connectors over direct appliance to appliance cabling;
- The hub takes up room in an already cramped environment ( Mooney for example ) , not to mention the additional cables;
- As a company, they are a class act and I was very impressed wit their service.
My 2 cents …
I think that protection against a magnetic field is impossible anyway. It will penetrate any non-ferrous metal.
This is incorrect. Note that this is an RF electric magnetic field. If those would penetrate non ferrous metals, suchs as aluminium, you would also be able to use antenna’s inside your aircraft just like some composite aircraft. That is not the case. You can stop RF with a wide range of metals.
How the shielding behaves depends on the electrical length of the shield versus frequency. This is why for low frequencies single shielding can be used. The only disadvantage of multi point shielding is the possibility of ground loops, but these can be stopped using ferrite for example.
Most EMI / EMC problems are related to incorrect shielding / wiring routing and the lack of knowledge on this subject and the use of test equipment.
Recently seen again, with a stormscope system, which was installed without correct practices for EMI leading to installation with cells indicated all over the display.
