What is the problem, really?
All of that stuff had problems at one point. Then it was fixed, and that’s it. Actually I know NO technical product that has not had any problems at one point. It is normal. And with software there has never been one prodcut without a bug. Okay, maybe an alarm clock or door bell —
Everything has bugs but IMHO a GPS of this category that has a problem of this magnitude (IF indeed there is no fix yet) is a bit more than just a normal “bug”.
Anybody who gets this installed and discovers the issue afterwards is going to be very unhappy.
This comes up quite often…
One could have a separate discussion on whether the issue should be publicised at all.
I know many people in GA whose view is that issues should not be publicised. Their reasons vary… One reason I got thrown out of the Socata owners’ group is that many there felt that my reports reduced the value of their aircraft. They had a big discussion behind the scenes whether I should be banned. Even now, they have a private forum (open only to TB owners) allowing a discussion of issues without prospective buyers seeing it. None of this is unusual.
Another thing which I learnt, which to me was a bit of alien concept, is how many aircraft owners are continually monitoring the value of their aircraft, often relative to a bank loan. These people are understandably very unhappy to see this kind of thing in the open. Anybody in the business is likely to be unhappy about the publicity, too.
If EuroGA carried adverts from the usual players then none of this could be discussed.
If you want to read shoe-licking reviews of every product, you know where to find them – the printed media, and especially publications.
You take your pick…
What is the problem, really?
Ahem… no LPV, no +V… nothing affecting a burger run to Le Touquet I guess.
Yes, of course it’s inconveniant. But aren’t autopilot failures just as bad? Look at Boeing. or Airbus, or the trouble Garmin had with WAAS antennas, or, or, or …. I think: the problem will be solved, there will be an update and in 6 months most will not even remember …
I mean you should really know how complicated all that stuff is. Car manufacturers like BMW, Mercedes or Toyota call back hundreds of thousands of cars for brake (!) or steering (!!) issues. Compared to that a sw bug in the IFD540 is really peanuts. It will also have no influence whatoever on the value of the plane.
You are arguing against a point nobody made, Flyer59.
Of course AP failures are just as bad, and you can’t accuse me of covering them up 
And nobody can accuse me of having an anti Avidyne position. Search EuroGA for many examples of a positive view e.g. this As I have said many times, my longer term plan is to install two of them – once the expected bugs have been worked out.
It will also have no influence whatoever on the value of the plane.
Hmmm… depends on whether you are hoping to sell it before the fix comes out!
As I’ve said before, what this comes down to is whether negative stuff should be publicised or discussed at all. Perhaps another thread for Hangar Talk? Here you go 
I think I’d sell it after the fix comes out :-) But I guess that most pilots buying an airplane with avionics like that are well aware that stuff like that happens …
Why should it not be discussed? I mean if I were Avidyne i probably wouldn’t book a TV commercial for the glitch (;-)) but of course we can discuss it. We are the customers :-) and we pay enough for these toys.
Hi
I’m the pilot who wrote that comment on EGNOS. Indeed in the current software EGNOS isn’t picked up. The way they tested EGNOS masked the issue. These things happen in innovative new products. What is important is that a) the issue is quickly found and reported (which I did) and b) that it’s quickly fixed and disseminated to users (which Avidyne will do in v 10.0.3.0 of the software around mid December).
I think some of the reactions in this thread are a little OTT. Avidyne are open and honest and respond to feedback. I exchange emails with their head of product development reporting my issues, I send him the logs, he tells me he’s found and fixed the bug and when it will be available. Sure beats waiting for months on end for Garmin to fix problems like the fuel flow bug in their latest 530w software.
Maybe project our energy at the total lack of LPV approaches in the UK on which you could actually use EGNOS :)
Actually what I wonder more about is what certification means if stuff like this isn’t spotted.
The IFD540 is a fantastic product. I am writing a long review of it as we speak which I promised Peter I’d publish here.
Hi JayBee,
that’s my experience too. I had some problems with my DFC90 autopilot in the beginning (later i found out that the roll servo was bad, not the computer …) and Avidyne was very communicative and helpful. They even sent me a new autopilot computer “just to confirm” it’s not the computer and let me keep it. ((It’s a much smaller company than Garmin, but actually if you compare directly, I find the IFD540 much more interesting than the GTN750!))
WAAS and EGNOS are not compatible. The GPS needs to be specifically designed for each.
I have a Garmin GPSmap 196 right here (2011 firmware) which has a WAAS capability, which “must” have worked in the USA otherwise there would have been a scandal. Here (UK) it just shows “looking for WAAS” and it will show that until the batteries go flat…
They fixed that on the 496 (which actually refers to “EGNOS”) and maybe on the 296.
Any WAAS compatible receiver should ‘just work’ with EGNOS – the technology is absolutely identical.
The two active EGNOS satellites are 120 and 126 – it’d be interesting if your 196 is picking those up at all. (120 and 126 may appear as 33 and 39).
Those are geostationary satellites unlike the rest of the GNSS constellation, so if you don’t have a view to the south, you won’t see them.
120 is located at 15.5W and 126 is at 25E
Unfortunately I can’t do that check as I have put the G196 GPS back in the “emergency bag” in the plane. But I know it never worked.
Are the transmissions from the EGNOS satellite exactly identical to the transmissions from the WAAS satellite(s)?
If they were, the IFD540 would have used them, and referring to them as “WAAS”.
Also, I have a G496 which was bought mail order from the USA (it even contains the US weather data modem) and over here it displays “EGNOS” not “WAAS” so there must be something which tells it.
