I’m told the GTN hold functionality will look something like this (the G3000 shares much of the same underlying software as the GTN series):
This was originally slated for GTN software v5, but has apparently been bumped.
Nice Johannes. You are making me wish for my 650s back!
@achimha:
Before you have your IR and made some experience, it is very difficult to judge what is important to have in your airplane. I made the very mistake. Best would be to purchase the aircraft after you’ve gained some experience flying your IFR missions.
That is certainly right. Actually, that’s more or less what I will do in the end. I’m not in a hurry – why should I?
But on the other hand I am involved in systems design and therefore I do think about that stuff. The way a system is designed, presents information and wants to be operated does have influence on one’s behavior and the overall system (in that case the combination of pilot and ATC). So I’m simply curious to learn a bit more instead of just learning to get along. I hope that angle makes this conversation interesting to more people than just myself.
I have to catch up a bit on your insightful posts now.
Stephan, you seem particularly interested in Cirrus avionics, not just avionics in General. When I had to buy my second Cirrus I found very difficult to collect comparison data between DFC90+430, DFC100+R9, GFC700+Perspective.
What I found out is this: - GFC700+Perspective:Digital autopilot with IAS hold and Yaw damper (optional)
TKS tank gauge (even for non-FIKI)
Double AHARS, two Alternators of similar power
Vertical Navigation (possibility to create customized vertical navigation also to VFR airports)
Hypoxia Automatic Descent
Overspeed/Underspeed Protection
3D Synthetic Vision – Highways In The Sky (HITS)
Automatic Airways upload
Top-of-Descent calculation
Keyboard inputs
Most widespread and tested avionics system, with software continuously updated and improved. Good integration of all avionics systems (all made by the same manufacturer).
- DFC100+R9
Digital autopilot with IAS hold (not sure if Yaw damper is available)
Vertical Navigation
Overspeed/Underspeed Protection
Automatic Airways upload
Keyboard inputs
- DFC90+430
Digital autopilot with IAS hold (not sure if Yaw damper is available)
Overspeed/Underspeed Protection
Stephan, sadly there are all to few people with your background involved in avionics design!
One issue that few people understand is separating interface from functionality. Most private IFR pilots are reasonably intelligent and computer literate: they pretty quickly find their way around the dodgy interfaces, and only care about the functionality. I think you are right however that in high-stress situations interfaces can make all the difference.
I think you will be disappointed by the interface on any system until you’ve flown with it for 100 hours – then you wouldn’t want to use anything else…
Somewhere in there I would put the various combinations with Aspen PFDs (I have one and am very happy!)
I think that it is fairly obvious that the keypad has been used in avionics as a means of differentiating product ranges – just like e.g. manual shutter speed control has been one of the features used to separate “consumer” camcorders from “prosumer” camcorders (but costs nothing to do in the firmware).
Unfortunately I think they went about it far too cynically, because only an idiot would develop a four figure priced product like – taking a 1990s box as an example – a KLN94 or a GNS430, where you spend several minutes winding a knob around to enter waypoints.
When I fly with passengers who have had the slightest interaction with IT and they see me knob-twiddling say 20 waypoints, they just laugh, especially when I tell them how much that box cost…
Where in your cockpit would you put the keyboard? The revolutionary thing about the GNS430 was the number of separate devices it was able to replace with one single unit and a form factor that fits all cockpits.
For retrofit, an on screen keyboard is the best one can hope for in my opinion.
…knob-twiddling say 20 waypoints…
You should really try and fly without all those waypoints! Call up the departure route, enter one waypoint somewhere mid-way and the destination. Takes 30 seconds and your time and fuel estimates for the destination will not be off by more than five percent, guaranteed! We have a keypad on our FMS and even airways (so the routing could be entered really quick) but I don’t bother, as on most flights we do not fly over a single planned waypoint.
but I don’t bother, as on most flights we do not fly over a single planned waypoint.
Must be the altitude you fly at. I fly over 90% of mine until I get very close to destination.
Where in your cockpit would you put the keyboard?
There are various options. One is to have it slide in sideways and you pull it out – that is done on some satnav / in-car entertainment boxes. Another is to have it either slide out or be totally separate and in both cases be on a lead (cable). Another is for it to be separate and connected via wireless, and I would go for IR which “just works” without interference risks. I vaguely recall the GNS480 had an IR port and it is a pretty easy and cheap thing to have. Some electricity meters have an IR port for programming and data downloads. Nowadays one might do bluetooth except that bluetooth works best on Monday afternoons… wifi is more robust but needs a lot more power so the keyboard would need to be stowed into a charging base.
You should really try and fly without all those waypoints!
I think you, flying a jet in the upper airspace, have more straight routes. They really are more straight. When I fly, I am constantly asking for a shortcut to the waypoint past the next 2 or 3, so having the programmed (and ready for the DCT button) is very handy. Upper airspace is mostly laid out to facilitate the common airliner routes, whereas lower airspace is laid out around the space which was pre-grabbed by the military (and which is empty 99% of the time but they won’t let it go – and make a massive fuss if you go into it while avoiding some CBs – because they don’t want to lose it).
