Quick Reference Media’s Qref books and checklists provide a welcome adjunct to the manufacturer’s documentation and fill a real need for pilot-friendly guides that can be used both on the ground and in the air. I recently spent a few days with Qref’s documents for the Lowrance AirMap 1000 that my partnership keeps in the yoke mount of our Skylane, and while they’re not a substitute for the original manual, they’re definitely a big help.

For the AirMap, Qref provides two formats: A 16-page spiral-bound book and a one-page laminated card. The book covers just about every function you’d want to use in the air, as well as a couple of pages on the AirMap’s land-mode functions. It’s organized well, with a table of contents, graphical overview of the Lowrance menu structure, glossary of terms and generic GPS tips, followed by tabbed sections covering direct-to and nearest navigation, flight planning, moving maps, database access and GPS-specific tips and tricks. Each page in the tabbed sections provides step-by-step instructions, including the precise buttons to push for one or more functions of the GPS. These pages are single-sided so that, in the air, you can just keep flipping the pages and never have to turn the book over.

The single-page laminated checklist is two-sided and provides step-by-step instructions for the most commonly used functions, including locating the nearest airport, COM and VOR frequency lookup, creating and editing flight plans, and creating and deleting user waypoints.

Running through the checklist functions can be a good review and offer a better understanding of your GPS. While doing so, I learned the AirMap’s less-than-obvious shortcut for its nearest-airport function (hold down the “zoom in” and “zoom out” keys simultaneously); how the omni-bearing selector (OBS)/hold mode of the unit’s simulated horizontal situation indicator works; and how to set up vertical navigation. I also discovered the unique “man overboard” function (intended for use when boating). Space on the checklist card is limited, so it doesn’t cover every function—for example, the AirMap’s simulator mode isn’t covered, though it’s covered in the larger Qref book. For that matter, neither the book nor the checklist card can completely replace the owner’s manual (among other things, there’s no coverage of GPS setup, database updates or troubleshooting).

I have one minor complaint: Neither the book nor the card indicates the firmware version number it’s intended to support. When I first tried to apply the book’s instructions to access simulator mode on the AirMap, I thought I had found an error, but when I realized just how old a firmware version we were running, I decided to try an update—and with that, the Qref instructions worked perfectly.

If I had to choose between the book or checklist, I’d probably prefer the former, as it’s more complete; but having both can be awfully handy, and I plan to keep both in our Skylane.

Qref books and checklists are available for a wide range of portable and panel-mount GPS units and glass panels from such vendors as Avidyne, AvMap, Bendix/King, Eagle, Garmin, Lowrance and Magellan. Recently, the company released 14 new titles covering the entire line of certified Cirrus aircraft and avionics. Single-page checklist cards cost $14.95, while multipage books vary from $19.95 to $49.95, depending on complexity. For more information, visit www.qref.com or call (877) 660-7733.

The post Qref Books & Checklists appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

The availability of increasingly sophisticated flight-simulation software that runs on PC hardware makes it possible for pilots to maintain some proficiency (and have fun) at home. Until recently, the vast majority of such systems ran on multipurpose computers in home offices; few could afford to completely dedicate a computer to simulation or gaming. Utilizing a multiuse PC tends to be a less-than-ideal experience. The typical home-office desk doesn’t offer a good place for a yoke; rudder pedals get lost in the typical rat’s nest of cables under the desk; and while PC-based flight-simulation software can provide a reasonable facsimile of either the view out the window or the instrument panel, it’s tough to do a good job putting both on a single display. Most such setups require you to use the mouse to control radios, which isn’t terribly realistic, either.

Today, however, armchair pilots are beginning to buy hardware that provides a far more realistic experience. If you’re willing to spend the money, it’s possible to come up with a system that uses multiple screens to provide a wraparound view of the virtual world out the windows; control panels with realistic controls (including a full-blown radio stack); and even a full-blown motion simulator that banks your chair (and computer) when you move your control stick. And software is available that lets you do everything, from practicing crosswind landings to instrument approaches. When you finish practicing, the same hardware can be used for virtual air-racing and air-combat games, providing an entertainment experience beyond what you can find in most video arcades!

HotSeat Chassis was developed by engineer and inventor Jay Leboff, whose 14-year-old son complained that his home PC didn’t make a very good platform for games. Leboff’s solution is a dedicated mount for a PC and display that’s built around an adjustable bucket seat, with space for a yoke or stick, rudder pedals and built-in Dolby 5.1 speakers, including a subwoofer located under the seat. The company offers several models, ranging from an entry-level $1,449 unit, to which you add your own computer and peripherals, up to a complete system for $4,674, which includes a 27-inch widescreen, flat-panel display connected to a game-ready computer running a 2.2 GHz Intel quad-core processor with 4 GB of RAM, state-of-the-art video, mouse, keyboard, control yoke, rudder pedals and Microsoft Flight Simulator X (it’s also compatible with X-Plane). The company also offers special-order models with additional features, including multiple displays and FAA-approved flight controls.

ASA’s On Top ELITE Lighted ATD is FAA-approved and includes a computer, two display screens, rudder pedals, radio stack and throttle quadrant. DreamFlyer (opposite page) offers a strong illusion of motion, with users rotating by 15 degrees in pitch and roll motions.

DreamFlyer from Flight Motion Simulators was invented by George “Doc” Holloway, a “flight-simulation fan, lifelong tinkerer and computer technician” who wasn’t satisfied with the realism of even the most sophisticated home flight-simulation systems. After five years of experiments and multiple prototypes, he’s come up with what amounts to a low-cost motion simulator, in which the pilot’s own weight causes his (or her) body—and an attached computer display and controls—to rotate by up to 15 degrees in pitch and roll about a central pivot point. Add simulation software, and the illusion of motion can be uncanny. One user told us: “Your eyes tell you that you’re in a left bank, and the tilt of the chair really gives a sense that you’re in a bank.” He says it works best in a darkened room, where your only visual cue comes from the computer display; in a bright room it still works, but the effect is less pronounced. DreamFlyer is compatible with Microsoft Flight Simulator and X-Plane, and is available in several models with prices starting at $2,375.

Precision Flight Controls builds a wide range of flight-simulation hardware for both home and professional use, including accurate Mooney, Beech and Jetliner yokes; flight consoles; and single or dual professional rudder pedals. Precision Flight Controls hardware is compatible with Microsoft Flight Simulator, X-Plane and ELITE software. The company also offers several FAA-approved simulators built using various combinations of the aforementioned components, including the $5,195 Cat II Basic Aviation Training Device (BATD), based on X-Plane Professional software, which can be used to perform (and log) the practice approaches necessary to maintain instrument currency.

Aviation Supplies and Academics (ASA) offers a wide range of simulation products intended primarily for flight training but also used in a surprising number of homes, according to ASA’s Fred Zanegood. Their On Top ELITE Lighted Basic ATD is a complete, FAA-approved training device that includes a computer, two displays, rudder pedals, realistic radio stack, throttle quadrant and software. In contrast to earlier PC-based aviation training devices (PCATDs), the $5,295 On Top ELITE Basic ATD can be used to fulfill instrument currency requirements (under CFI supervision). It provides a realistic simulation of instrument flight.

HotSeat Chassis has a dedicated PC mount and display that’s built around an adjustable bucket seat and features a control stick, rudder pedals and Dolby 5.1 speakers.

ELITE Simulation Solutions offers what the company calls “the most advanced IFR simulator available for the personal computer.” The latest version includes 12 virtual airplanes (ranging from a Cessna 172R and Piper Archer up to a Beech King Air B200), a navigation database covering the United States and Canada, real-world weather simulation, highly detailed panels with instruments that can be switched between ADF and RMI or DG and HSI, two simulated GPS units, approach-chart viewing, simulated Bendix-King avionics (including the EFS-40 EHSI-EADI) and virtual instrument covers for realistic partial panel work. ELITE 8.1 Premium retails for $499. The company also provides a wide range of simulation hardware, from yokes and rudder pedals to complete FAA-approved basic and advanced ATDs.

Jeppesen SIMCharts is a $41.95 software package that lets you view real approach, departure, arrival and airport charts. The latest version covers all the airports in Microsoft Flight Simulator X (some 25,000 charts) and displays aircraft position on the chart (similar to using Jeppesen’s JeppView Flight Deck product with a compatible GPS in an actual airplane). Or print out the charts you need and put them on a clipboard. SIMCharts aren’t current and aren’t intended for navigation in a real airplane.

By far the most popular software for home flight simulation is Microsoft Flight Simulator. The latest version, introduced just last year, includes highly realistic versions of some 24 aircraft, ranging from an Air Creation trike ultralight up to a Boeing 747-400. Four of the included airplanes (Beech Baron 58, Cessna 172SP and Mooney Bravo) are available in versions with conventional “steam-gauge” instrumentation or state-of-the-art Garmin G1000 glass cockpits. Besides the simulated aircraft, Flight Simulator X offers realistic weather, highly detailed terrain, and simulated air and ground traffic. Add-ons are available for it from Microsoft and a wide variety of third-party vendors. A related product, Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator, provides an air-to-air combat environment where you fly one airplane and attempt to shoot down others that are controlled by the computer or by other players connected over the Internet.

X-Plane is a competitor to Flight Simulator that’s largely the work of one man: Austin Meyer, who wrote the first version for his own use when he was a college student. In contrast to Flight Simulator, X-Plane actually models the aerodynamics of simulated airplanes using blade element analysis, which makes it possible to test your own airplane designs (or modifications of existing designs). The underlying feature set of X-Plane is every bit as rich as Flight Simulator, with some additional features that are unique, such as the ability to fly simulated airplanes in the atmosphere of Mars.

The post Home Sims Fly To New Levels appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

Sporty’s SP-200 NAV/COM Transceiver
Alternators fail and batteries won’t keep your radio stack operating for long. Sporty’s SP-200 provides a vital backup when that happens: it’s a complete VHF NAV/COM (including ILS localizer functionality) that weighs just over one pound and fits nicely into your flight bag or a seat-back pocket. Features include a “last frequency” recall button, 8.33 KHz channel spacing, 2,280 COMM channels, 200 NAV channels, OBS functionality, duplex functionality (transmit on COM and listen on NAV) and five-watt output power. It runs on eight AA batteries; accessories include a rechargeable battery pack, headset adapter and belt clip. Suggested price is $279.
Contact: www.sportys.com, (800) 776-7897.

ARINC eFlyBook
There’s an old Air Force saying that no airplane leaves the ground until the weight of the paper equals the weight of the pilot—and those of us who’ve flown long cross-country IFR know it’s sometimes true. ARINC’s eFlyBook promises to change that: It’s a 13.7-ounce electronic document viewer with an 8.1-inch “electronic paper” display that allows pilots to store and view FAA en route charts, terminal procedures, approach and departure procedures and airport diagrams. On-screen annotation is available using eFlyBook’s built-in stylus, and it’s easy to keep your charts up to date with updates delivered on CD-ROM. Suggested price is $1,499.
Contact: www.eflybook.com, (888) 406-7388.

NavAero tPad 800
Laptop or notebook PCs are great flight-planning platforms, but any pilot who’s tried to do so in the cockpit can tell you that they’re not ideal for use in such environs. NavAero’s tPad800 solves this problem: It’s a display device that straps to your leg and connects by cable to your laptop, which can go under your seat. The tPad 800 offers a stunning 8.4-inch display with brightness that can be adjusted for use in bright sunlight or the darkest night; a touch screen allows you to select menu items, press on-screen buttons or even input text (using an on-screen keyboard, one letter at a time). Suggested price is $1,895; doesn’t include notebook PC or software.
Contact: www.navaero.com, (866) 628-2376.

Advanced Data Research FG-1000 EFB
Advanced Data Research offers the FG-1000 Electronic Flight Bag (EFB): A Fujitsu P1500 tablet PC that runs Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition software. The computer offers an 8.9-inch daylight-visible display with touch-screen input, convertible form factor with built-in keyboard, 1.2 GHz Pentium-M processor, 512 MB RAM, 30 GB hard disk and built-in wireless connectivity. It’s compatible with most flight-planning, moving-map and weather-avoidance software that runs on Microsoft Windows. Prices start at $2,295.
Contact: www.adrsoft.com, (248) 299-5300.

Nielsen-Kellerman Kestrel 4000 Pocket Weather Tracker
Nielsen-Kellerman’s Kestrel 4000 Pocket Weather Tracker is a great backup tool to use at smaller airports that don’t have their own weather reporting. In addition to wind speed, barometric pressure, temperature, altitude and dew point, it also calculates wind chill, relative humidity, heat-stress index and density altitude. Up to 2,000 measurements are stored in the Kestrel 4000’s built-in memory, and may be charted on the unit’s built-in LCD display or uploaded to a PC. The unit is available in black, orange or olive drab. Suggested price is $349.
Contact: www.nkhome.com, (610) 447-1555.

AvMap GeoPilot PLUS
AvMap’s GeoPilot PLUS is a compact GPS navigator that can be used in the air and (with optional terrestrial maps) for turn-by-turn navigation on the ground. It offers a wealth of pilot-friendly features, including a bright 5.6-inch color display, oversized control buttons and a unique thumbstick cursor control. The customizable display allows a map view with or without data fields to be used alone or in combination with a simulated HSI/RMI presentation. The unit comes preloaded with a Jeppesen North America database, which includes low-altitude Victor airways, and a terrain database that enables full TAWS functionality for complete situational awareness. Other features include flight planning, flight computer functions and a built-in speaker. Suggested price is $999.
Contact: www.avmap.us, (800) 363-2627.

Vertex Standard VXA-710 Spirit Air Band Transceiver
More than the typical handheld backup for your voice radio, the Vertex VX-710 offers coverage of the entire VHF aircraft band including both NAV and COMM frequencies. It also receives FM broadcast band, U.S. broadband radio service (BRS)—with Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System (CTCSS) and Digital-Coded Squelch (DCS) functionality—and NOAA weather radio transmissions. All this functionality comes in a rugged magnesium case designed to survive after 30 minutes submerged in three feet of water. Suggested price is $550, but you should shop around for a better deal.
Contact: www.vertexstandard.com, (714) 827-7600.

Stenbock & Everson ChartCase Pro
Pilots of older airplanes with “steam gauge” panels can carry-on a complete portable glass cockpit with ChartCase Pro software from Stenbock & Everson. When used with a GPS and WxWorx satellite weather receiver, the software turns a tablet PC into a class-1 electronic flight bag (EFB), including in-cockpit weather (both NEXRAD and satellite) and digital charting (all U.S. sectional, WAC, low/high en route charts, approach plates and taxi diagrams). All charts are geo-referenced and provide full moving-map functionality. Suggested price is $395 for software only, and $2,500 for the complete system bundled with a Samsung Q1 Tablet PC, Bluetooth/WAAS-enabled GPS, WxWorx Weather Receivers and power devices. A subscription is required for chart revisions.
Contact: www.flightprep.com, (503) 678-4360.

RMS Technology Flitesoft Express
Pilots who carry Pocket PC devices based on the Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system will find many uses for Flitesoft Express—software that offers flight planning, weather, weight and balance, moving map and even an emergency attitude indicator function based on GPS input. It’s compatible with saved routes and pilot files from Flitesoft’s desktop flight-planning product and can also present XM Satellite Weather data. The $149 price tag is for software, and is only available to existing Flitesoft customers.
Contact: www.rmstek.com, (800) 533-3211.

Mercury Computer Systems VistaNav 2.0
Mercury Computer Systems calls their VistaNav “the first portable MFD with 3-D synthetic vision.” Hosted on a Motion Computing tablet PC, VistaNav software generates a synthetic 3-D view of terrain, “providing a cockpit-like view regardless of external conditions,” in addition to a conventional moving-map display. The software also provides flight-planning features and can display weather data (including NEXRAD imagery) from a satellite radio receiver. Prices start at $4,299.
Contact: www.vistanav.com, (866) 627-1671.

Hilton Software LLC WingX 2.0
WingX 2.0 premier edition offers a range of features including weight and balance for hundreds of aircraft, NACO charts (including airport diagrams and approach procedures), route planning (including automatic optimization for best cruise altitude), weather (including NEXRAD radar and satellite imagery), access to airport/facility directory information and GPS-enabled E6B functionality. A SmartTaxi feature not only shows your location on an airport, but also indicates which runway you’re on and how much space is available ahead. Suggested price is $129.95.
Contact: www.hiltonsoftware.com, (866) 429-4649.

Production Software eFAD 1.31
Electronic Facilities & Airport Directory (eFAD) features airport and navaid information, runways, Land and Hold Short Operations, ILS, pilot-controlled lighting, control tower information and weather data (including METAR/TAF, winds aloft, pilot reports and NEXRAD radar graphics). Among other things, airport information includes FBOs, repair stations, parachute-jumping areas, FAA Flight Standards Offices and Flight Service Stations, NOTAMs, special-use airspace, airline service, NTSB reports, tail numbers, approach charts and diagrams, E6-B functions, an aviation dictionary, Federal Aviation Regulations, traffic statistics, location maps, en route radio stations and travel information (including transportation, lodging and restaurants). Suggested price is $79.99 for a one-year subscription.
Contact: www.pspda.com, (800) 818-1168.

ASA CX-2 Pathfinder Flight Computer
Why struggle with an old-fashioned analog E6B when you can have a bright digital display? ASA’s CX-2 offers standard E6B functions, such as true airspeed, groundspeed, Mach number, density altitude, fuel calculations, headings and courses, time/speed/distance calculations and wind, as well as weight and balance. It runs on four AAA batteries, and is accepted for use in FAA and Canadian aviation exams. Suggested price is $79.95.
Contact: www.asa2fly.com, (800) 272-2359.

ASA Flight Timer 2
While many pilots wear an oversized “pilot watch” with chronometer functions, a rough day in the soup is the wrong time to squint at your wrist, trying to figure out which button to push. ASA’s Flight Timer 2 is a dedicated pilot’s timer with a large backlit display, local and Zulu time, three simultaneous timers, digital notepad function for squawk codes and frequencies, up to 12 memorized approach times, audible and visible alarms, fuel timer and a 10th and 100th of a second stopwatch. The suggested price is $49.95.
Contact: www.asa2fly.com, (800) 272-2359.

Jeppesen NavSuite
Since the 1930s, airline pilots have relied on Jeppesen’s loose-leaf airway manual for en route and approach navigation. Today, Jeppesen’s navigational database is available in state-of-the-art software that combines flight-planning, electronic-charting and moving-map functionality. Based on Jeppesen’s worldwide database of terrain, navaids, special-use airspace, airports and other relevant data, NavSuite provides electronic access to VFR and IFR en route charts, approach plates, approach and departure procedures, airport diagrams and much more. It’s compatible with Windows-based PCs for use on the ground, and Windows-based Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) hardware in the air. Prices vary depending on coverage and are generally comparable to those of paper chart subscriptions.
Contact: www.jeppesen.com, (800) 621-5377.

King Schools Pocket PC E6B Software
King’s Pocket PC E6B Software turns Microsoft’s Windows Mobile operating system into a graphical E6B with some 40 flight-related features including graphical weight and balance, density altitude, speed, distance, Zulu time conversions and dual independent timers that operate in both countdown and elapsed-time modes. Suggested price is $49.95.
Contact: www.kingschools.com, (800) 854-1001.

Garmin GPSMAP 496
Garmin calls their amazing GPSMAP 496 a “mini-MFD,” and it certainly offers a plethora of features more commonly seen on MFDs in modern glass-cockpit aircraft, including 12-channel GPS-WAAS navigation, moving map, terrain and a simulated control panel that provides emergency instrumentation. Other features include complete databases of navaids, airways, Garmin’s exclusive SafeTaxi feature for more than 650 U.S. airports and data from AOPA’s airport directory. The unit can display weather data from an optional XM Satellite Radio receiver—all in a package that weighs less than one pound. Suggested price is $2,995.
Contact: www.garmin.com, (800) 800-1020.

Digital Cyclone Pilot My-Cast
Up-to-date weather is critical for every pilot, and with Pilot My-Cast, a customized aviation weather report is as close as your cellular phone. Features include animated color NEXRAD Doppler radar, METARs, TAFs, satellite loops, moving weather maps, TFRs, AIRMETs, SIGMETs, PIREPs, winds aloft and even lightning data. A subscription costs $12.95 per month plus a $9.95 setup fee or $129.95 per year.
Contact: www.my-cast.com, (866) 669-2278.

The post Great Handheld Gadgets! appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

Anywhere Map Duo and Quadra

Not long ago, handheld devices for in-cockpit use broke down into neat categories: GPS moving-map units kept pilots from getting lost. Portable VHF radios kept us in touch when the alternator failed. Pilots who could afford to spend a few thousand dollars experimented with electronic flight bag (EFB) software that ran on notebook or tablet PCs and provided flight-planning and electronic-chart functions.

In the last couple of years, we’ve seen a radical change that blurs the lines between those categories. Today, many portable GPS navigators offer EFB functions, while smaller (and cheaper) tablet PC hardware is making full-function EFBs possible at much lower prices. And the feature set has expanded to include in-flight weather from XM and WSI satellite radio sources, and traffic avoidance using either a Mode S transponder with Traffic Information Service (TIS) or a portable collision-avoidance sensor like Zaon’s amazing XRX portable collision-avoidance system (PCAS). Even the VHF radios are getting new features, with some receivers offering National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) weather, FM broadcast channels and even full ILS localizer and glide slope!

Advanced Data Research

Advanced Data Research FG-7150
www.adrsoft.com
This EFB offers an 8.9-inch daylight-visible, high-brightness, touch-screen display with unique night-flight dimming control. Options include a data transmitter that provides GPS and WSI weather data over a wireless link. A one-year warranty is standard. It can be used with most Microsoft Windows-compatible EFB software. Pricing starts at $6,995.

Adventure Pilot Fly 700

Adventure Pilot iFly 700
www.ifly.adventurepilot.com
The iFly 700 is a low-cost, portable GPS moving-map designed for in-cockpit use. It features a seven-inch touch screen that displays the aircraft position on georeferenced sectional, terminal and IFR en route charts. It also displays approach charts and airport diagrams, but without the aircraft position. An articulated suction-cup mount is included. The iFly 700 sells for $499, and requires a cigarette lighter or other connection (12 or 24 volts) for power. A battery pack that powers the unit for up to four hours is available for $72. VFR updates cost $69 per year; IFR coverage adds another $20 per year.

AirGator Navpad 10x

AirGator NAVPad
www.airgator.com
AirGator offers four different models in their NAVPad series of EFBs—customized tablet PCs with sunlight-readable, nonglare, touch-sensitive displays in sizes from 4.8 to 10.4 inches. All are available with AirGator’s NAVAir EFB software, which provides moving map, aviation weather (with an optional XM satellite weather receiver) and georeferenced instrument approach plates. Pricing for complete bundles ranges from $1,950 to $5,995, depending on the model. The company also offers software for pilots who already own a tablet PC.

AvMap EKP V

AvMap EKP V

www.avmap.us
AvMap’s new EKP V blurs not only the distinction between GPS and EFB but also between handheld and panel-mount devices. On its own, the EKP V is a handheld GPS with a seven-inch split-screen display that provides moving-map, electronic HSI, Jeppesen charts (including IFR en route and approach plates) and GPS-based backup instrument panel functions. Plug it into the optional docking station, and it can connect not only to the airplane’s electrical system but also to XM satellite weather, traffic, audio, video and even to a panel-mount GPS and autopilot. Price wasn’t announced at press time. AvMap also offers the $899 Geopilot II Plus, with a 5.6-inch color display, which can be used both in the air and for turn-by-turn navigation on the ground. A Jeppesen North America database is included with navaids, airports, low-altitude airways and terrain. Other features include flight planning, E6B functions, a built-in speaker, optional traffic display when used with a Zaon PCAS XRX, and optional aviation weather when used with a compatible XM satellite radio receiver (neither the PCAS or XM receiver is included).

Garmin GPSMAP 696

Control Vision Anywhere Map Quadra
www.anywheremap.com
Control Vision’s $595 Anywhere Map Quadra is small enough to be held in the palm of your hand, but offers full EFB features including GPS moving map, optional XM weather, and even sectional charts and approach plates on its 4.3-inch touch-screen display. The $1,795 Anywhere Map Duo adds a seven-inch diagonal touch-screen display, 32 GB solid-state disk drive and compatibility with Zaon’s PCAS XRX for traffic awareness. Both the Quadra and Duo require subscriptions to keep their charts and databases up to date—pricing depends on specific features selected by the user.

Garmin GPSMAP 496

Garmin GPSMAP 696
www.garmin.com
Garmin’s GPSMAP 696 adds a seven-inch portrait-format display and electronic charting to the already rich feature set offered by the previous top-of-the-line GPSMAP 496. Both units provide a complete aviation database with terrain, navaids, obstacles, airports, instrument procedures, taxiway diagrams and AOPA’s airport directory. The GPSMAP 696 adds an IFR map mode offering a display similar to standard en route charts, and includes approach plates. Like its smaller sibling, the GPSMAP 696 also includes a built-in XM satellite radio receiver for aviation weather, support for TIS traffic if you have a compatible Mode S transponder (not supplied with the unit), turn-by-turn ground navigation with a wide range of predefined points of interest, and GPS-based simulated instrument panel for emergency use that updates five times per second. The smaller Aera 500 series of touch-screen GPS units offer many of the same features in a 4.3-inch touch-screen form factor. Pricing ranges from $875 to $3,595.

Bendix/King AV8OR ACE

Bendix/King AV8OR series
www.bendixking.com/AV8OR
This shirt-pocket-sized GPS navigator features a 4.3-inch LCD touch-screen display and includes an aviation database with terrain, navaids, obstacles, airspace, georeferenced airport diagrams and a GPS-based “portable glass panel” for emergency use. On the ground, an automotive database provides street-level maps, turn-by-turn navigation and a wide range of points of interest. It typically sells for $599 with North and South American database coverage. The larger AV80R Ace with a seven-inch display is aimed at instrument pilots, adding FAA IFR en route charts, approach plates and airport diagrams (with your current position). It sells for about $1,200 more than the smaller unit. Both models can display aviation weather data from an XM satellite radio receiver (not included with the unit), display images and video, and function as a hands-free kit for Bluetooth-compatible cellular telephones.

Spidertracks

Spidertracks Aviator S3
www.spidertracks.com
This portable flight-tracking device automatically sends position reports every minute or so, using the Iridium satellite communications network. In an emergency, the system can automatically send a web-based SOS message that doesn’t depend on whether the unit survives a crash—unlike portable beacons that must be activated manually. It sells for $995 and requires a subscription (plans start at $10 per month).

Spot

SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger
www.findmespot.com
SPOT is a five-ounce, palm-sized, battery-operated device that sends position reports to a network of satellites in low Earth orbit. The latest model allows you to send a range of messages, including SOS/emergency and nonemergency requests for help, check-in/OK and custom messages to friends and coworkers, along with standard position reports. It costs $169 plus a $99-per-year data service subscription.

Stenbock & Everson Chartbooks

Stenbock & Everson ChartBook-S
www.flightprep.com
This Tablet PC has a 10-inch touch-screen display and EFB functions that include in-cockpit weather (when used with a compatible XM satellite radio receiver), GPS moving map, digital charting including all U.S. sectional, terminal area, WAC, low/high en route charts, approach plates and taxi diagrams, traffic (with an optional Zaon XRX receiver) and even GPS-based synthetic vision with Highway in the Sky (HITS). Pricing starts at $1,195. A subscription is required for chart revisions.

Zoan XRX

Zaon PCAS XRX
www.zaon.aero
Zaon’s $1,495 portable collision-avoidance product has an integrated display that gives relative position for up to three transponder-identified targets, prioritized by risk of collision, and shows you which way to look. When used with a compatible EFB or GPS navigator such as the Garmin Aera or FlightPrep Chartbook, the XRX can provide MFD-like traffic displays at much lower expense than panel-mount products.

Aviation And The iPad
Apple’s iPad is a runaway hit in many applications—and aviation is no exception. Aviation iPad apps run the gamut from weather and navigation to flight simulation, and several vendors are working on apps that promise full EFB functionality. Here are a few of many useful apps out there.
AccuWeather.com: Weather for pilots and passengers; $99, www.accuweather.com. AeroWeather: Free METARs; www.aeroweather.ch. Air Navigation Pro: Simulated HSI with moving map; $37.99, www.i-flyte.com. ASA: Private Pilot checkride questions, aviation dictionary and written-test prep books; $9.99 each, www.asa2fly.com. Beacon North America: Georeferenced charts and approach plates; $249, www.zivosity.com. Coradine LogTen Pro: Electronic logbook; $79.99, www.coradine.com. Flight Control: ATC video game; $4.99, www.firemint.com. Flight Guide iEFB: Georeferenced charts, approach plates, weather images, and airport information; $9.95, www.flightguide.com. FlightPrep’s iChart: Allows you to view VFR and IFR charts and approach plates for the continental U.S.; $49.95 per year, www.flightprep.com. ForeFlight Mobile 3 HD: Full EFB software including flight planning, weather, moving map and approach plates; $74.99 per year, www.foreflight.com. Garmin: An iPad version of their Pilot My-Cast weather app; $9.99 per month, www.garmin.com. Hangar B-17: Developing an iPad app that will provide emergency primary flight display (PFD) functionality based on GPS input; price not available at press time, www.hangarb17.com. Hilton Software WingX Pro7: Moving map, DUATS, weather, airspace depiction, terrain awareness, charts and airport diagrams; $99.95 per year, www.hiltonsoftware.com. i-FLYTE TC: Flight time (computed from GPS) and customizable checklists; $7.99, www.i-flyte.com. Jeppesen Mobile TC: Allows you to view approach plates on the iPad; pricing varies depending on coverage ($775 per year for full U.S. charts), http://jeppdirect.jeppesen.com/legal/charts/ifr_jepptc.jsp. King Schools: A full range of educational apps; $29.99 each, www.kingschools.com. Logbook Pro: Electronic logging that synchronizes with Logbook Pro on your desktop computer; $29.99, www.nc-software.com. MyRadar Pro: NEXRAD weather viewer; $1.99, www.flightwise.com. Sporty’s: E6B flight computer and flight reviews apps; $4.99 and $29.99 respectively, www.sportys.com. X-Plane: Cirrus Jet simulator; $9.99, www.x-plane.com.

Portable VHF NAV/COMs
If the alternator fails in controlled airspace, there’s no substitute for voice contact with air traffic control, and access to VORs and localizers can be a lifesaver. All three products in this section offer NAV and COM functions, including five-watt transmitter power (the maximum legally available) for voice communications. Icom IC-A24 www.icomamerica.com The IC-A24 offers VHF NAV/COM functions including a duplex feature that allows you to talk using the selected COM frequency while the unit displays a digital CDI showing deviation on the selected NAV channel. Other features include flip-flop recall buttons for the last 10 channels, 200-channel memory, a dedicated 121.5 emergency button, an external power jack, and optional rechargeable battery packs. The IC-A24 retails for under $325. Sporty’s SP-400 sportys.com Sporty’s SP-400 is the first portable VHF NAV/COM to offer full ILS (localizer and glideslope) functionality. It also offers 8.33 KHz frequency spacing, 20-channel memory, NOAA weather band compatibility, CDI display with OBS function, and external microphone, speaker and power jacks. Eight standard AA batteries provide up to 15.4 hours continuous operation. Vertex Standard’s VXA-300 Pilot III www.vertexstandard.com Vertex Standard’s VXA-300 Pilot III offers VHF NAV/COM and FM weather radio receiver functions. It runs off a rechargeable battery pack (an overnight charger comes with the unit). Other features include a dedicated 121.5 MHz emergency channel button, 150-channel memory, scanner mode, CDI and optional public address function. The VXA-300 retails for under $270. The VXA-710 adds FM broadcast band reception and business radio band (BRS) functions for under $300.

Chart Viewers
For decades, chart cases with approach plates in loose-leaf binders have been standard equipment for instrument pilots. Today, electronic book viewers provide a lightweight digital alternative. It’s now possible to store every U.S. approach plate (indeed, most world-wide approach plates) on a device that weighs about one pound.
PilotPlates www.pilotplates.com PilotPlates from Flight Level Publishing runs on a Sony PRS-505 eBook viewer, and offers electronic versions of FAA approach plates for the entire U.S. in eight regional downloads covering from three to 14 states each. Because of the small display, plates may be viewed smaller than life size, or you can zoom in on specific sections. A lifetime subscription to PilotPlates costs $249 (the eBook viewer isn’t included—it typically costs under $400). Reader Plates www.readerplates.com Reader Plates runs on a variety of eBook viewers including Sony’s PRS-505, -900, -950 and Amazon’s Kindle. A single download from Reader Plates contains FAA approach plates for the entire U.S. for $9.95 per month. SolidFX FX8 www.solidfx.com The FX8 offers digital versions of Jeppesen approach plates on a customized eBook viewer that sells for $1,595, plus a chart subscription for the area of your choice. A wide range of coverage options are available—48-state U.S. coverage costs $710 per year, while worldwide coverage costs a whopping $10,025. Single-issue “trip kit” coverage is available, as well. Special pricing is available for JeppView customers.

The post Aviation Handhelds appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

Avidyne Entegra Release 9

The world of panel-mount avionics has changed almost beyond recognition in the past 10 years, with glass panels and digital displays rapidly taking over from the “steam gauges” of the 20th century. Color displays are now common, and integrated systems that combine many functions in a single instrument are becoming the rule rather than the exception. In this buyer’s guide, we profile products that range from simple VHF COM radios and backup attitude indicators to complete aftermarket panels and even upgrades for those with older glass.

Aspen Avionics‘ Evolution EFD1000 Pro displays provide full glass-panel PFD/MFD functionality in a 2.6-pound, 3.5×7-inch bezel backed by a 4.2-inch cylindrical “can” that fits in a standard three-inch instrument-panel hole. This allows virtually any aircraft to be upgraded from steam gauges to an up-to-date glass panel. The $9,995 EFD1000 Pro PFD functionally replaces the attitude indicator, airspeed indicator, altimeter, rate-of-climb indicator, horizontal situation indicator and radio magnetic indicator, and provides an autopilot interface that supports GPS steering when used with a compatible GPS navigator. The $7,995 EFD1000 MFD has a moving-map display with optional traffic and weather inputs, plus backup attitude and heading reference. Contact: Aspen Avionics, (888) 992-7736, www.aspenavionics.com.

Aspen Avionics EFD1000 Pro

Avidyne is offering a special deal for prospective owners of late-model Cirrus aircraft: Under the G3-R9 program, if you purchase a late-model, low-time SR20 or SR22, it can be upgraded with full Entegra Release 9 glass-panel functionality for between $39,500 and $72,800. Older SR20s or SR22s with Entegra panels can also be upgraded to Release 9, which offers dual fully interchangeable flight displays, each of which can be configured to provide PFD or MFD functions, page and tab user interface, and an integrated flight management system. Optional features include synthetic and infrared enhanced vision, traffic and weather displays. Contact: Avidyne, (800) 284-3963, www.avidyne.com.

Bendix/King By Honeywell KFD 840

For those seeking an autopilot, the Century 4000 from Century Flight Systems provides roll and pitch control with heading hold, NAV intercept/track and coupled approaches (including ILS and localizer back course). Additionally, it’s ARINC 429 GPS roll-steering compatible. Optional features include automatic trim, a flight director offering true three-axis functionality and a yaw damper. Pricing starts at $14,995. Contact: Century Flight Systems, (940) 325-2517, www.centuryflight.com.

With a lineage tracing directly to the FAA’s Capstone Program in 2001, the FlightLogic EFIS from Cobham PLC (formerly Chelton Flight Systems) offers a PFD with synthetic vision, highway in the sky (HITS), level-A digital air data, a solid-state attitude heading reference system, an IFR-certified TSO-C145b Class Beta GPS/WAAS receiver, optional MFD with moving map and terrain, and optional remote heading and altitude bugs. It’s compatible with many existing avionics and autopilots. Pricing starts at $51,540 for a single-screen (PFD-only) installation.

Century 4000

In the 20th century, general aviation autopilots were mainly single axis, tracking heading or a simple NAV signal. Some offered altitude hold, but advanced features like vertical speed selection were limited to high-end units mainly found on commercial aircraft. Not any more! System 55X from Cobham PLC (which acquired S-Tec) is a true rate-based, two-axis (roll and pitch) autopilot with advanced features including vertical speed hold, control wheel steering and altitude preselect. It also incorporates a GPS steering module. Options include a flight director, remote annunciator, slaved HSI and automatic pitch trim. Contact: Cobham PLC, (817) 215-7600, www.cobham.com.

FlightLogic EFIS from Cobham PLC

Electronics International’s MVP-50P is an engine analyzer and systems monitor with a full color display. The unit can monitor parameters including volts, amps, fuel flow, rpm (two inputs), pressure (six inputs), temperature (17 inputs) and fuel level (four inputs). A bar-graph display shows EGT/CHT for each cylinder. The unit also offers graphical weight and balance, customizable checklists and data recording with the ability to download through a front-panel USB connector. Pricing starts at $4,995 for a four-cylinder model. Contact: Electronics International, (541) 318-6060, www.buy-ei.com.

While glass-panel PFDs and MFDs have updated the presentation of flight and navigation data, even on the most up-to-date airplanes, it’s still common to use steam gauges for primary engine instruments. The AuRACLE CRM2100 from Flightline Systems (acquired from Xerion) offers an alternative: full engine performance and status shown on a bright five-inch active-matrix LCD. Engine parameters monitored by the CRM2100 include manifold pressure, rpm, fuel flow, TIT, CHT, EGT, oil pressure and temperature, computed horsepower and percent power. The CRM2100 meets a wide range of TSO specifications and is STC’d through an approved model list for a wide range of makes and models. Prices range from $6,995 to $7,495. Contact: FlightLine Systems, (585) 924-4000, www.ultra-fei.com.

Forward Vision EVS-100

Forward Vision’s EVS-100 is an infrared enhanced-vision system that can almost literally turn night into day, offering a view of terrain, runway obstructions and other hazards in total darkness. The system includes an infrared camera that can be mounted on the wing or fuselage of the aircraft, and either a panel-mount or portable display device. The EVS-100 is STC’d for some 160 different makes and models, including most Cessna singles, the Cirrus SR20 and SR22, and several helicopters. Pricing varies with installation. Contact: Forward Vision, (814) 757-5476, www.forward-vision.net.

Garmin G600

Garmin has upgraded its $29,995 G600 aftermarket glass panel with synthetic vision and an adaptor that provides an autopilot heading reference. These are in addition to the existing G600 features, which include dual 6.5-inch displays providing PFD and MFD functionality in a single instrument bezel. Used in conjunction with a Garmin GNS 400- or 500-series GPS navigator, the G600 offers full glass-panel functionality, including attitude, heading, airspeed, altitude, rate of climb, simulated HSI/RMI and moving map.

Electronics International MVP-50P

Options include electronic approach plates, traffic and in-flight weather displays. The G600 supports over 800 makes and models of Class 1 through 3 airplanes (maximum takeoff weight of up to 12,500 pounds) through an approved model list, and Garmin expects to add an option for TAWS-B compliant terrain and warning in the near future. Owners of singles and light twins in Class 1 and 2 (maximum takeoff weight of up to 6,000 pounds) have a less expensive option in the $15,995 G500, which offers similar features for more than 600 aircraft. Synthetic vision and the autopilot heading reference are optional in the G500, and the TAWS-B option won’t be offered in the lower-cost model. Contact: Garmin, (913) 397-8200, www.garmin.com.

Honeywell‘s glass-panel PFD upgrade offering is the $16,995 Bendix/King KFD 840, which replaces a standard “six-pack” of steam-gauge instruments with a single 8.4-inch bezel that has a full-width simulated horizon, integrated attitude and heading reference, vertical altitude and airspeed tapes, separate course and heading knobs, and menu-driven “hybrid keys.” It’s designed to interface with a wide range of existing avionics, but if you want to replace those too, then the $13,995 Bendix/King KNS 770 offers IFR-certified TSO WAAS/GPS navigation, a 5.7-inch MFD and 10-watt standard (16-watt optional) VHF NAV/COM with options including electronic charts, weather radar and embedded terrain. Contact: Honeywell, (877) 712-2386, www.bendixking.com.

Insight G3

Color glass-panel displays may draw more attention, but 21st-century technology makes a difference in even single-function avionics, as illustrated by Icom’s IC-A210. According to the company, it’s the first panel-mount COM transceiver with an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, offering “many advantages in brightness, vividness, high contrast, wide viewing angle and response time compared to a conventional display.” Other features include 760 VHF COM channels plus 65 receive-only NOAA weather channels, “flip-flop” tuning between active and standby frequencies, dual-channel monitoring, 10-channel memory and eight-watt transmitter power—all in a compact rack-mount case that’s less than two inches high. The IC-A210 retails for under $1,500. Mobile and base-station versions are also available. Contact: Icom America, (800) 872-4266, www.icomamerica.com.

J.P. Instruments EDM-730

Insight Avionics offers the next-generation G3 GEM (graphic engine monitor) with a color-coded bar-graph display that shows engine condition at a glance with red/yellow/green traffic light–style coding. Beyond the color-coded display, the unit offers graphical leaning, built-in temperature-probe diagnostics, a prop-balance function (which, among other things “is a good detector of prop ice,” according to the company), engine-vibration analysis, data logging on common SD data cards, and a turbulence display showing vertical and horizontal G-loads and periodic temperature vibration. Pricing starts at $3,000 for a four-cylinder unit, and upgrade pricing is available for owners of older GEM-series products. Contact: Insight Avionics, (905) 871-0733, www.insightavionics.com.

J.P. Instruments‘ EDM-730 and EDM-830 upgrade the company’s earlier EDM-700 and EDM-800 products with rectangular color displays that may be mounted in vertical or horizontal orientation and fit in a standard 3.12-inch instrument-panel hole. Both units offer bar-graph displays for EGT, CHT and TIT, along with rpm, manifold pressure and a wide range of other engine parameters. The EDM-830 adds a percent-power display. Both units offer a front-mount USB jack that simplifies connection to a

PS Engineering PMA8000B

notebook PC for downloading recorded performance data or upgrading system firmware. Pricing starts at $1,695 for a four-cylinder EDM-730 without fuel flow. Upgrade pricing is available for owners of EDM-700 and EDM-800 units (the new devices are pin-compatible). Contact: J.P. Instruments, (800) 345-4575, www.jpinstruments.com.

AuRacle CRM2100

While glass-panel PFDs offer pilots unparalleled ease of use and situational awareness, the backups used in case of PFD failure are typically conventional steam-gauge instruments, often in less than optimal locations. L3 Avionics offers an alternative in its new Trilogy ESI-1000 electronic standby instrument, which basically puts the top half of a glass-panel PFD on a single 3.7-inch display that fits in a standard 3 ATI instrument cutout. The display provides a simulated horizon with airspeed, altitude, heading and barometric pressure, and is a completely solid-state device that, according to the company, “installs easily and outlasts conventional spinning mass and vacuum instruments.” The ESI-1000 has received TSO authorization and is STC’d for “most Part 23 aircraft.” Pricing starts at $15,000. Contact: L3 Avionics, (800) 253-9525, www.l-3avionics.com.

Flying with partial-panel instruments in a 20th-century steam-gauge panel is challenging at best and dangerous unless it’s regularly practiced. FAA Advisory Circular 91-75 authorizes an electric attitude indicator as a replacement for old turn and bank or turn indicator instruments, and Mid-Continent’s 4300-series Lifesaver gyro goes beyond the basic specification with a built-in battery backup that makes the instrument completely independent of outside power sources. Even in the worst-case scenario of a combined vacuum and electrical failure, you have a fully functioning attitude indicator to keep from losing control—with built-in lighting, so you won’t need a flashlight to see it at night! Pricing starts at $4,770. Contact: Mid-Continent Instruments, www.mcico.com.

Narco NAV122D/GPS

Narco has updated its discontinued (but popular!) NAV122 in a new version as the NAV122D/GPS. It’s a fully functional VHF NAV receiver built into a standard-sized CDI, with features that include 200 NAV channels, 40 glideslope channels, localizer and glideslope indication, and autopilot left/right and up/down interface, plus it’s GPS-compatible. Prices for the NAV122D/GPS start at $3,500. Contact: Narco Avionics, (800) 223-3636, www.narco-avionics.com.

Even the humble audio panel gets a makeover for the 21st century. PS Engineering’s PMA8000B, priced at $1,895, combines a six-place intercom; dual COM radios (with COM1/COM2 functions so that the pilot can talk on one channel and the copilot on another); easily configurable dual music inputs; a “smart” front-panel interface that can be used with portable entertainment devices, cell phones or audio-alerting devices; pilot-configurable controls; patented “IntelliVOX” automatic microphone level setting; and a built-in digital recorder. An alternate intercom mode allows passengers to talk among themselves without distracting the pilot from critical communications. And it’s “plug and play compatible” as a replacement for Garmin’s GMA 340. Contact: PS Engineering, (800) 427-2376, www.ps-engineering.com.

L3 Avionics Trilogy ESI-1000

ometimes 21st-century instruments offer functions that aren’t obvious. Looking at a photo of Sandel’s SN3500 primary navigation display, most people would probably assume it’s a radar display. And this is one thing it does—but look closer, and you’ll see traffic and GPS-based navigation data and heading. The SN3500 offers many of the features of an MFD in a package small enough to fit a 3 ATI instrument cutout. And with the optional reversionary attitude option, it can offer one feature that most MFDs do not: With the press of a button, it provides PFD-style simulated horizon, heading, airspeed and altitude. The SN3500 sells for $10,990 and requires a remote compass input. Contact: Sandel Avionics, (760) 727-4900, www.sandel.com.

Mid-Continent Lifesaver Gyro

One huge advance in the modern instrument panel is the broad availability of satellite-based weather. WSI’s InFlight offers graphical “NowRad” precipitation; extended lightning detection that includes North America and offshore locations; graphical METARs, TAFs, SIGMETs and AIRMETs; pilot reports; winds and temperatures aloft; and graphical TFRs. InFlight requires a WSI AV-300 satellite weather receiver, which typically sells for less than $5,000, plus a compatible MFD or other display device and a subscription. Various plans are available starting at $29.95 per month. Contact: WSI, (800) 872-2359, www.wsi.com.

By far, the most popular option for in-cockpit weather today is XM WX, a service of XM Satellite Radio that broadcasts U.S. NEXRAD precipitation radar, lightning, cloud-top images, METARs, winds aloft, freeze level and other data to compatible weather receivers. Install one (such as Garmin’s $3,500 GDL 69) and a compatible MFD or other display, and you’ll be ready to receive. XM WX is sold on a subscription basis, with plans starting at $29.95 per month. Contact: XM WX Satellite Weather, (202) 380-4000, www.xmwxweather.com.

The post 21st-Century Technology For Every Cockpit! appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

Favorites & Bookmarkers
Federal Aviation Administration: www.faa.gov
It includes real-time airport status (mainly Class B airspace), graphical TFRs, current regulations and advisories, NOTAMs and restrictions, aircraft registration and forms. It includes links to a wide range of external sites, including flight schools and aviation universities, weather information, national registry of aircraft, licensed pilots, instructors and mechanics.

NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate: www.aero-space.nasa.gov This is the home page of NASA’s Aeronautics Research Directorate, with tons of information on topics ranging from X-planes to the upcoming Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS).

NOAA National Weather Service Aviation Weather Center: http://aviationweather.gov
It’s the official source for aviation weather. It includes AIRMETS, SIGMETS (domestic and international), prognostic charts, PIREPs, surface observations, RADAR and satellite imagery—all free of charge. New products include icing and turbulence forecasts. It also has links to an Aviation Digital Data Service (ADDS) experimental site with products including combination radar intensity and cloud tops chart, graphical METARS, TAFS and PIREPs, convective forecasts and more.

NOAA NWS AWC Aviation Digital Data Service: http://adds.aviationweather.noaa.gov
It’s one of the best, aviation weather sites, offering text, digital and graphical forecasts, and weather analyses. It’s a joint effort of NCAR Research Applications Program (RAP), NOAA Forecast Systems Laboratory (FSL) and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Aviation Weather Center (AWC).

National Transportation Safety Board: www.ntsb.gov
Get accident reports, analyses, safety recommendations and legal matters.

CSC DUATS: www.duats.com
This is the site for Web-based preflight briefings. File and change flight plans online. It also includes basic flight planning and weather graphics—including current conditions, NEXRAD radar, satellite imagery and aviation forecasts. It also offers TFRs and NOTAMs, available in both text and graphic form.

National Aeronautical Charting Office: www.naco.faa.gov
Do you use NOS charts, including sectionals, WACs, IFR en route and approach plates? They’re cheaper if you order direct from the source. View an online catalog before ordering by mail (online ordering is scheduled for early 2005), and download selected items, including current U.S. terminal procedures, airport diagrams and VFR chart bulletins for free. A catalog of worldwide charts from the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency and nautical charts from NOAA also are available.

Nonprofit Aviation Organizations
Experimental Aircraft Association: www.eaa.org
It’s the premier organization for experimentals and homebuilts, and includes excellent online flight planning and information on autogas STCs. This also is the home of the annual AirVenture at Oshkosh, Wis., (and the best source for flight planning if you fly to Osh!).

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association: www.aopa.org
This site gives excellent weather information, free aircraft valuator, airport information and U.S. terminal procedures for AOPA members. It also hosts AOPA’s Air Safety Foundation (ASF), which provides online courses, analysis of aviation accidents, CFI renewal courses, safety seminars and type-specific safety publications.

National Business Aviation Association: www.nbaa.org
This is the online home of the NBAA. It offers extensive information on aviation safety, security, administration, taxes, finance, insurance, maintenance, airports, airspace, communications and international operations. An online library offers document packages on aircraft acquisition and leasing, an airport handbook, automated flight-deck training and best practices for aviation safety, among several other things.

National Association of Flight Instructors: www.nafinet.org
This excellent Website includes everything you want to know about flight instructors, from general news to databases of instructors and master instructors all over the nation.

Commemorative Air Force: www.confederateairforce.org
If you like vintage warbirds, this is the fold who keeps ’em flying. Its mission is to preserve and keep in flying condition a complete collection of combat aircraft that were flown by all military services of the United States in World War II.

Build A Plane: www.buildaplane.org
Join an international effort to bring aviation into the lives of high-school kids. Learn about the program and its many successes, view projects that already are underway, or sign up to start a new one!

Be A Pilot: www.beapilot.com
It’s the easiest way to share aviation with someone interested in learning to fly. The site offers directions to sign up for an inexpensive introductory flight.

News And General Information
AVweb: www.avweb.com
This is a lively site with news and discussion of aviation topics from the folks who publish Aviation Consumer. It includes columns from experts in fields ranging from flight instruction and aviation law to avionics and maintenance issues. It also contains regularly updated news stories covering aviation accidents, product announcements and other events of interest. You can even get flight tracking for $10 per month.

Aero-News Network: www.aero-news.net
It contains extensive online news reporting that covers aerospace, commercial, military and sport aviation, as well as GA.

Landings: www.landings.com
This site includes a huge collection of aviation databases, articles and discussion forums. It can be difficult to navigate this Website, mainly due to the sheer volume of material. But it offers a gateway to databases, including aircraft registrations (U.S. and worldwide), regulations and accident reports. It also offers a vast array of weather data, including worldwide satellite imagery. It has an extensive listing of aviation-related products, including insurance, medical examiners, parts, tools, engines, avionics, sales, valuation and so much more.

Airframes
Adam Aircraft: www.adamaircraft.com
This is the home of the much-talked-about A500 and A700 AdamJet.

American Champion Aircraft Corporation: www.amerchampionaircraft.com
Makers of Citabrias, Decathlons and Scouts.

Aviat Aircraft Incorporated: www.aviataircraft.com
See the Husky, Eagle and Pitts online.

Cessna Aircraft Company: www.cessna.com
Everything Cessna—from C-172s to Citations.

Cirrus Design Corporation: www.cirrusdesign.com
Check out the latest high-tech aircraft craze, the SRV, SR20 and SR22-G2.

Commander Aircraft Company: www.commanderair.com
Lots of information on the Commander 115 series.

Diamond Aircraft: www.diamondair.com
Read about the Evolution to the D-Jet.

Extra Aircraft: www.extraaircraft.com
Check out the EA-300L, EA-400 and EA-500.

Lancair: www.lancair.com
Choose from certified aircraft, the Columbia 350 or 400, or kit aircraft, from the Legacy FG to the ES.

Liberty Aerospace: www.libertyaircraft.com
Learn all about the XL2.

Luscombe Aircraft Corporation: www.luscombeaircraft.com
See the 11E, the newest revamp on the age-old classic.

Maule Air Inc.: www.mauleairinc.com
The site for Maule’s 19 standard models of its STOL aircraft.

Mooney Airplane Company: www.mooney.com
Everything you need to know about the Ovation, Ovation2 DX and GX, and Bravo DX and GX.

New Piper Aircraft: www.newpiper.com
The most famous low-wing site, including information about Piper aircraft, from the Warrior III to the Meridian.

Raytheon Aircraft Company: www.raytheonaircraft.com
All the information you need to know about the Beechcraft family of aircraft.

EADS Socata: www.socataaircraft.com
Read up on the latest Socata aircraft developments, from the TB9 GT to the TBM700, in cyberspace.

WACO Classic Aircraft Corporation: www.wacoclassic.com
Relive the history and take a virtual tour of the new-production YMF Super.

The Department of Treasury’s Seized Aircraft Auctions: www.treas.gov/auctions/customs/planes.html
Let the buyer beware, but the aircraft seized by the federal government often are resold at substantial savings over normal book values. Airplanes frequently come without logbooks or any history of maintenance, but for the informed shopper, government aircraft auctions are worth the extra attention.

LoPresti Speed Merchants: www.speedmods.com
These are modifications to speed up a wide range of single- and twin-prop aircraft. Products include replacement cowls, wheel pants, gap seals, wingtips, fairings, strobe lights and wheel covers.

Engines
Franklin Aircraft Engines: www.franklinengines.com
This site has information on its 220-hp performance conversion as well as a couple of other engine models.

Textron Lycoming: www.lycoming.textron.com
This engine-manufacturer leader showcases its plethora of new and rebuilt engines.

Pratt & Whitney: www.pratt-whitney.com
Learn all about Pratt & Whitney’s offerings in several sectors of the aviation industry.

Rolls-Royce: www.rolls-royce.com/northamerica
Turbofans, turboprops and turboshafts from the world-renowned car maker.

Rotax Aircraft Engines: www.rotax-aircraft-engines.com
The official Website of everything Rotax, including non-certified two-stroke and four-stroke engines, and certified four-stroke engines.

Superior Air Parts: www.superiorairparts.com
Offers FAA-approved replacement parts for Continental and Lycoming aircraft engines as well as its new venture called the Vantage Engine.

Teledyne Continental Motors: www.tcmlink.com
Read about this supplier’s product offerings and services, including powerplants for manned and unmanned aircraft, new and rebuilt engines and airplane parts for GA aircraft.

Thielert Group: www.thielert.com
Makers of the Centurion 1.7 engine—all the way from Germany.

SMA: www.smaengines.com
Includes information about its latest development, the SR 305-230 and a C-182 upgrade package.

Avionics
Avidyne Corporation: www.avidyne.com
Makers of the FlightMax all-glass panel.

Honeywell Bendix/King Avionics: www3.bendixking.com
Now a part of the Honeywell family, Bendix/King’s avionics include communication and navigation, flight-information services, flight controls, weather radar, Integrated Hazard Avoidance Systems (IHAS) and multi-function displays for the general-aviation, experimental and light business aviation communities.

Chelton Flight Systems: www.cheltonflightsystems.com
Singular makers of true “highway in the sky” technology.

Garmin: www.garmin.com/aviation
This is the online home of Garmin’s aviation products. It offers free firmware updates for portable GPS receivers and database updates for $35 (one-time fee), as well as free simulators for ground-based training before using the 400- and 500-series panel-mount units in flight.

Insight: www.insightavionics.com
Makers of a variety of cockpit enhancements, including TAS and Strikefinder.

L-3 Communications: www.as.l-3com.com
Makers of high-end flat-panel avionics, situation awareness enhancement, traffic alert and collision avoidance systems, Stormscope and more.

Meggitt/S-TEC: www.s-tec.com
It offers primary flight displays, navigation displays, engine display units, (ADAHRS) and S-TEC autopilots.

Narco Avionics: www.narco-avionics.com
This is one of the world’s oldest general-aviation avionics manufacturer, offering nav/coms and transponders.

Ryan International Corporation: www.ryaninternational.com
It’s one of the industry leaders for TAS, TCAD and multi-hazard displays.

Sandel Avionics: www.sandel.com
Makers of electronic HSIs, now featuring TAWS, weather and EFIS capabilities.

Eastern Avionics International: www.avionix.com/guide.html
Yes, these guys sell radios and GPS receivers, but they also provide a valuable service with overviews and tips. The company also covers older models as well as state-of-the-art stuff. If you’re looking at old radios and trying to decide whether or not to upgrade (and to what), this site can be a big help, whether or not you buy from them!

Jeppesen Sanderson Inc.: www.jeppesen.com
This is a key site for users of Jeppesen charts and nav data. Database updates are available online, along with subscription services and free aviation weather.

Planning And Playing
TerraServer USA: http://terraserver-usa.com
Enter a street address or enter a location on a map. If you’ve ever tried to find your house from the air, this is a big help!

Cockpit GPS and Basic GPS Navigation: www.cockpitgps.com
Two online how-to books on GPS, written by an airline pilot. They go well beyond what’s found in your owner’s manual, covering practical aspects of using GPS for VFR and IFR navigation. It includes topics such as loss of signal, collision risk, using the simulator and demo mode to learn a GPS on the ground, using a handheld GPS with Microsoft Flight Simulator, common errors, legalities of using a GPS for navigation, how GPS works and selecting a GPS. It includes reviews of a wide range of GPS receivers by Garmin, Magellan, Lowrance, C-Map and various PDA- and laptop-based solutions. If you already own a GPS, this site will help you get the most from it. If you don’t own one yet, the site will help you pick the best one for the kind of flying you do. Download the books (or read them online) for free. The author asks for a $5 donation if you find them useful—and that has to be one of the best bargains in aviation today!

FlyteComm FlyteTrax II: www.flytecomm.com/products/flytetrax.html
It’s an online graphical flight-tracking site with weather and other information from any Web browser. A free trial is available.

AeroPlanner.com: www.aeroplanner.com
This site provides online flight planning with views of VFR (basic) and IFR (premium service only) charts. It prints customized “triptick” charts showing the airspace under your route. A free “Quick Plan” feature provides basic direct-to routing with a graphical view of TFRs and controlled airspace linked to a profile showing terrain clearance. Click on the profile for a look at the kind of sectional coverage offered in the paid basic and premium-service packages. It also offers aviation weather, NOTAMs, TFRs and an online electronic logbook feature.

The One Hundred Dollar Hamburger: www.100dollarhamburger.com
It’s an online guide to fly-in restaurants, with listings for all 50 U.S. states and 18 overseas destinations. It includes reviews of the restaurants—plus 100LL fuel prices, ground transportation and reviews of fly-in hotels.

Microsoft Flight Simulator Century Of Flight: www.microsoft.com/games/flightsimulator
It’s the home page for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 and includes free product updates, articles on tuning for best performance, comparisons between flight simulations and real airplanes and links to the extensive community of flight sim product developers and enthusiasts.

X-Plane v7: www.x-plane.com
This is an absolutely amazing desktop flight simulator that’s largely the work of one man. Fly pre-defined airplanes or design your own. This product has been used by engineers in the development of actual experimental airplanes and as the software for a low-cost, FAA-certified, full-motion simulator. A free demo is available on the site, along with updates, tricks and tips.

Museums
Airline Pilot’s Historical Society: www.oncealoft.com
This Website is now available to collectors for a limited time. It includes cockpit and aircraft artifacts, ranging from the DC-3 through the Boeing 747.The Airline Pilot’s Historical Society is a nonprofit, charitable foundation whose purpose is to educate people through the preservation of aircraft parts and components. Control wheels, throttle quadrants, instruments, oxygen masks and life vests are used to provide hands-on experience to schoolchildren to stimulate interest in aviation. It also provides financial assistance to children’s hospitals and organizations that specialize in the needs of children. All are genuine airline, military or corporate parts as removed from salvaged aircraft.

National Museum of the United States Air Force: www.nationalmuseum.af.mil
This is the online home of the former U.S. Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB outside Dayton, Ohio. The site includes extensive photos and information on the museum’s collection of historical aircraft, missiles, engines, weapons and other artifacts. Among the many unique exhibits are one of each type of presidential aircraft, from Franklin Roosevelt’s Sacred Cow to the VC-137C that carried JFK’s body back from Dallas.

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: www.nasm.si.edu
This site is the home page to one of the most revered museums in the world: the Smithsonian. It includes extensive collections of photos and text on a wide range of aviation and space topics, some of which include unique Web-only features (currently, there’s one covering the Army Air Corp’s transition to a separate Air Force in the late 1940s).

The post Aviation‘s Top Websites appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

If you own an airplane, using the right oil and knowing when change it are some of the most significant things you can do to keep an engine running to (or beyond) the manufacturer’s recommended TBO.

Figuring out which oil to use requires understanding a few concepts—notably, the type of oil (straight mineral, ashless-dispersant or synthetic), viscosity and additives. Which type to use also depends on what kind of engine you have and what kind of flying you do. I’m going to start with the traditional horizontally opposed piston engines used in most GA airplanes, and then move on to more exotic alternatives. But first, a warning: Before changing the oil in your airplane, check the owner’s manual! It may specify particular oils. More likely, it will provide general guidance, or refer to a service bulletin (SB) or service instruction (SI) from the engine manufacturer.

Conventional Engines
Most piston aircraft and engine manufacturers approve two major types of oil for use: straight mineral oil and ashless-dispersant (AD) oil. Straight mineral oil is pretty much what comes from a refinery, and it’s a good lubricant, but it won’t keep your engine clean. During break-in, that can actually be a good thing! Ben Visser, a former AeroShell lubrication expert, told me that using straight mineral oil for break-in “goes back to the old hard chrome used to bring cylinders into specification, where you had to actually wear down the parts—the particles worn off work as a lapping compound.”

On the other hand, constantly polishing the inside of the engine isn’t ideal for long life—as you polish, clearances increase, which eventually will lead to oil loss, and debris from polishing has to accumulate somewhere. That’s where AD oil additives come in: Instead of allowing particles of metal to agglomerate (or burn down to ash), AD oils disperse metals (and other contaminants) and flush them out of the engine at the next oil change. So, AD oil is almost always recommended for use after break-in. In some cases, AD oil is recommended during break-in!

Both straight mineral and AD oils are rated for viscosity—a measure of resistance to flow, or in practical terms, the “thickness” of the oil, which depends on temperature. Viscosity is expressed by the “weight” of the oil, measured on either of two scales—the familiar Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) or the commercial aviation scale (the latter is basically double the former). Typically, you’ll use a higher-viscosity oil at higher ambient temperatures. For the Continental O-470 in my Skylane, Cessna recommends SAE 50 (or 100W) above 40° F, SAE 30 (or 60W) at lower temperatures.

There also are variable-viscosity oils, which are thin at low temperatures but thicken at high temperatures. A 10W-40 oil is an oil that acts like SAE 10 at room temperature, but like SAE 40 at operating temperature. That’s ideal for pilots who live in the snow belt; you don’t want to try starting the engine at below-freezing temperatures with an SAE 40 oil. On the other hand, the SAE 10 oil that’s good for starting won’t do a good job of protecting your engine on a long cross-country.

Variable viscosity oils start with a low-viscosity base oil (for a 10W-40, starting with an SAE 10 base oil) with viscosity modifiers (VMs) added. Think of VMs like small balls of yarn. At low temperatures, they have no real effect on the overall viscosity of the oil, but as the temperature rises, the yarn (actually polymers, basically, plastics) unroll, and as they do so, the oil thickens. Most variable-viscosity oils are built on natural mineral base oils, but there also are fully synthetic lubricating oils that offer several advantages over mineral oils (among other things, longer oil change intervals). They’re not used in piston-aircraft engines because the lead from aviation gas can interact with the oil to produce sludge, which needs to be removed by changing the oil.

Other types of engines, particularly turbines, don’t use leaded aviation gas and can use synthetic oils. Which brings up a big difference between synthetics and conventional mineral-based oils: Conventional oils can be freely mixed. If you’re flying a piston-engine airplane on a long cross-country and find yourself a quart low, you don’t have to top up with the exact same oil—any aviation oil with a viscosity approved for your engine will be fine. Not so for turbine engines. Different manufacturers may use completely different synthetic chemicals, and mixing them can have unpredictable results. Even oils from the same vendor may be incompatible. Another significant difference is oil-change interval. For piston-engine airplanes using mineral-based AD oil, the interval is usually listed as 50 hours (if you have a replaceable oil filter) or half that (for older airplanes that only have an oil screen). But the oil manufacturers add an additional limit: You should change the oil at least every four months, regardless of how many hours have been flown. Why? Because oil picks up water and acids. According to ExxonMobil, “Changing your oil on a calendar schedule as well as a flight hour schedule helps ensure you get contaminants out.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION

AeroShell www.aeroshell.com

Exxon/Mobil www.exxonmobil.com/lubes/ exxonmobil/emal/pages/ general/general.html

Phillips 66 www.phillips66aviation.com/ lubricants.aspx

To get rid of water, you need to run the engine, and not just at idle power. An oil temperature of at least 180° F is required to drive water out of the engine. Getting the engine that hot will require flying it, at least for a couple of touch-and-goes. Visser also warns that many analog oil temperature gauges are poorly calibrated—just getting the needle into the green may not be enough. He recommends having a mechanic calibrate the temperature bulb and add a paint mark to show exactly where 180 degrees is on the gauge (those of us with digital oil temperature indicators, on the other hand, don’t need to do this). If you can’t get the oil temperature that high, check with your mechanic to see if a winterization kit is available, which will block some airflow to the engine.

If you won’t be flying an airplane at all for an extended period, consider switching to a preservative oil, such as Phillips 66 Aviation Anti-Rust 20W-50 or AeroShell Fluid 2F. They’re both fly-away oils that don’t have to be drained out before the airplane is flown, but you’ll want to replace them with regular AD oil after no more than 10 hours of operation. For airplanes flown infrequently (once or twice per month) in high-humidity areas, Phillips recommends mixing up to 10% Anti-Rust 20W-50 with a conventional AD oil (such as Phillips 66 X/C 20W-50) to get a combination of corrosion protection and AD oil performance. On the other hand, ExxonMobil, which doesn’t offer a dedicated preservative oil for aviation use, builds a rust inhibitor into their ExxonElite 20W-50: “Moisture may still diffuse through both the oil layer and the rust inhibitor layer, but it will take longer because of the water-repelling nature of the additive, which offers you greater protection against rust.” Jerry Toenjes, an AeroShell sales team leader, pointed out that his company’s W80 Plus, W100 Plus and 15W50 oils “include Lycoming L-16702 anti-corrosion additive in the proper concentration” that “helps to protect your engine in sporadic, limited use.”

Some engines need additional additives. Lycoming’s O-320-H requires a phosphorus-based “anti-cuffing” agent that reduces cam wear. It’s available alone (Lycoming LW-16702) and is also blended into oils from several major vendors. According to Visser, it may reduce wear on infrequently flown engines.

Other Engines
Now that we’ve covered the ins and outs of conventional piston-engine oils, what if you’re flying an ultralight, light-sport, or diesel engine airplane? The same basic rule applies: Check the owner’s manual. It will recommend an appropriate oil for your engine. AeroShell offers oils for two-cycle and four-cycle engines used in ultralight and light-sport aircraft and a fully synthetic diesel oil for use in engines such as the SMA diesel Cessna now offers as an option in new Skylanes. Toenjes told me those oils use different technology and shouldn’t be mixed with conventional mineral-based aviation oils. He added that AeroShell is using a fully synthetic technology in its diesel oil because lead isn’t an issue for those engines.

One more thing to consider is oil analysis, in which a sample is collected during an oil change and shipped to a lab for evaluation. Phillips 66 Lubrication Engineer Steven Strollo told us: “Oil analysis accompanied by engine oil filter examination for any engine regardless of drain interval is suggested to detect and correct operating problems, recognize poor maintenance or repair practices, identify excessive operating conditions and increase engine life.” ExxonMobil goes further: “Send a sample of your oil to a qualified laboratory every 60 days whether you’ve flown much or not, and ask them to test it for water content. If the lab says you have water in your oil, you may need to raise your sump temperature or change your oil more frequently.”

The post There‘s More To Oil Than You Think! appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

The XRX measures just 3.9×3.6×2.7 inches and has an integrated antenna on top and a display screen on the front. A cigarette lighter adapter provides power; other options are available for airplanes without a cigarette lighter.

Zaon’s PCAS (portable collision-avoidance system) XRX is “the first ever portable, passive, stand-alone collision-avoidance system for general aviation to offer direction from within the cockpit.” After flight-testing one at four busy airports one recent Sunday afternoon, I can confirm that it does exactly what Zaon claims.

Physically, the XRX is a small (3.9×3.6×2.7 inches) device that will fit on top of the glare shield. It features an integrated antenna on top and a display on the front that’s small but contrasty (I had no trouble seeing it, even in direct daylight). Audio jacks on the XRX allow you to plug in your headset, with which you’ll hear audible alerts. A cable runs from the back of the device to the cigarette lighter in your airplane (there are other options available for late-model airplanes that lack a cigarette lighter). Plug the unit in, turn it on and you’re ready to go.

The XRX operates passively, receiving signals from transponder-equipped aircraft in the vicinity and estimating range based on the strength of the transponder signal, just like other portable collision-avoidance devices. Where the XRX breaks new ground is that it can indicate direction as well as distance. It does this based on a sophisticated antenna array housed in a large, vaguely pyramidal shape on top of the unit. The array includes multiple antenna elements. By comparing the strength of the signal received by each element, the XRX can estimate from which quadrant a transponder is transmitting. This gives it one huge advantage over any other portable collision-avoidance device: It tells you where to look.

The XRX displays a maximum of three targets, prioritizing them based on its estimate of which ones present the greatest risk of collision—a very close target that’s moving away is considered less of a threat than a more distant target headed right in your direction. The unit also knows relative altitude for targets equipped with Mode C, altitude-encoding transponders. By default, the XRX unit ignores all targets that are more than three miles away and/or separated by more than 1,500 feet in altitude.

Particularly in congested airspace, traffic-avoidance technology adds an extra layer of safety to any flight. However, it shouldn’t be a substitute for looking out the window.

I tested the XRX during a “poker run”—in this event, sponsored by the Modesto Airport Pilots Association, a half-dozen airplanes each flew a route from Modesto, Calif., (MOD) to Gustine (3O1) to Merced (MCE) to Turlock (O15) and back to Modesto (a total of 1.8 hours’ flying time) in a Piper Warrior with the unit on the right side of the glare shield. The XRX manual mentions silicone feet, which help to prevent the unit from slipping. These were missing from the test unit provided by Zaon, so I improvised using some of the foam packing material from the shipping box to wedge the unit in the corner of the windshield, as nearly level as possible. The unit powered on with no trouble, and audible signals were heard in both headsets once I plugged in the proper cables.

By default, the XRX shows what Zaon calls a “Mode A” display, with the display divided into three sections. The largest (on the left) shows the most threatening target, giving distance and relative altitude, and using a four-segment compass rose to indicate direction. Smaller displays to the right show the next two most threatening targets, in this case indicating direction by an arrow. I personally prefer the optional “Mode B” display, which replaces the two small secondary displays with a Stormscope-style display that shows relative position of targets with respect to the aircraft (though this sacrifices altitude information on the secondary targets). Both display modes are available in regular and 45-degree variations. The latter is used if you choose to mount the unit at an angle so that it can easily be seen from the opposite seat.

With the default three-mile-range limit, I found the XRX useful, but a little disconcerting because it indicated no traffic until we were ready to enter the pattern at each airport and then would quickly indicate multiple targets. It did pick up most of the traffic I could see, and in at least two cases alerted me to traffic before I picked it up visually. In one spectacular case, it caught a Bonanza that turned out to be passing me less than a mile to my left. In several cases, it indicated traffic behind me that would have been all but impossible to detect visually. The XRX manual warns you that not all traffic will be detected, and I found that to be true: An ex-Army Air Force L19 flying in the poker run wasn’t equipped with a transponder, and was thus invisible to the XRX.

When entering the pattern at busy airports, I found the audible alerts obnoxious, at which point the mute switch came in handy. Fortunately, once you land and cycle the power, the unit enters a standby mode and doesn’t issue alerts until you reach 200 feet AGL.

A cable connection on the back of the XRX allows it to supply traffic information to a wide range of portable GPS and electronic flight bag (EFB) devices. Visit Zaon’s Website to see if your device is included. The site also allows you to download the nicely designed, fully indexed, 68-page XRX manual. The Zaon PCAS XRX retails for $1,795. For more information, browse www.zaon.aero or call (800) 496-9430.

The post Zaon PCAS XRX appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

According to AEA president Paula Derks, the top questions that avionics shops get from pilots today are related to automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B), and of those questions, the most common is: What good is ADS-B Out, and why is the FAA adding a requirement for it?

I have a simple answer for that: traffic.

In primary flight training, we’re all taught to watch out for other airplanes: “See and avoid.” That’s one of the keys to safe flying. In good weather—the only kind you’re allowed to fly in during primary training—that means looking outside for other airplanes. As we move on from primary training and start flying in less-than-perfect weather conditions, it becomes more difficult to see other traffic. On cross-country flights, most pilots ask for “flight following,” so that ATC will monitor your flight and call out traffic. That system has been used for decades, and most of the time it works pretty well.

It’s important to remember, though, that ATC’s primary job is to provide separation services to aircraft on IFR flight plans; “See and avoid,” really isn’t an option in clouds. If you fly in congested areas, like Los Angeles or New York, you may find that controllers won’t be able to provide flight following—they’re simply too busy calling out traffic to IFR flights.

Suppose there was a way to have traffic called out for you without ATC’s help?

Pilots of airliners, executive jets, and some particularly well-equipped piston singles and twins, have that today—using traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS), which electronically interrogates transponders on nearby airplanes and displays their position on a cockpit display. TCAS also automatically calculates the course of nearby targets, and in case of a conflict, provides an audible alert. Those alerts have saved many lives.

Unfortunately, TCAS is expensive—typical installations cost tens of thousands of dollars. Even if it were cheap, it wouldn’t work if every airplane in congested airspace used it. At any given time in the Los Angeles area, there may be from several dozen to well over 100 airplanes operating. If all of them tried to interrogate each other’s transponder, nobody would get any useful reports.

That’s where ADS-B comes in: Instead of interrogating transponders, each airplane continuously transmits its position, course, speed, N-number and other information. Other airplanes nearby can receive those position reports and do what TCAS does—but without interrogating each other’s transponders. Ground stations receive those reports and provide them to air traffic controllers, and also relay reports between airplanes using different kinds of ADS-B systems (for technical reasons, there are two).

Many of us already benefit from this system to some extent—several companies sell portable ADS-B receivers, which display traffic and weather on portable devices. I use one myself. Having live weather information in the cockpit is a huge help on cross-country flights, and that’s available to anyone with a working ADS-B receiver.

Here’s the catch: The receiver only shows traffic from other aircraft equipped with ADS-B Out transmitters (and in some cases, Mode-S transponders). Most of my flying is in central California. My receiver frequently shows high-altitude traffic, mainly heavy jets well above me. It rarely shows any low-altitude traffic because most people don’t have ADS-B transmitters.

Several months ago, I was able to fly with an uncertified portable ADS-B Out trans­mitter. With that turned on, my portable receiver started showing lots of traffic—because nearby ADS-B ground stations knew where I was and relayed traffic reports to me generated from ATC radar. It was an eye-opening experience: The system pointed out quite a bit of low-altitude traffic that I wasn’t seeing with the Mark-I eyeball.

…to fly in controlled airspace after January 1, 2020, you’ll need a working ADS-B transmitter.

There are lots of other reasons why ADS-B Out is a good idea, especially for instrument pilots. It’s more accurate than radar. Radars fail, and when they do, it can be impossible to get an ATC clearance on routes (that has happened to me in the Los Angeles area). Once ADS-B is fully deployed, radar outages will be a nonevent.

On the other hand, I’m sure that ADS-B ground systems will fail from time to time. The FAA is planning to maintain approx­imately half of the existing radars as a backup, which is why you still need a Mode-C transponder, as well as an ADS-B trans­mitter (or an ADS-B compatible Mode-S transponder, which can do both jobs).

ADS-B may also be of critical importance as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) become common. I’m not worried about two-pound quadcopters (provided they keep away from airports), but the time is coming where you’ll see relatively large UAVs used for things like crop-dusting and fire fighting. ADS-B will allow these flying robots to “see” us electronically and also for us to “see” them.

To make these things work requires every airplane to be equipped with an ADS-B transmitter, and that’s why the FAA has published a mandatory equipage requirement. If you want to fly in controlled airspace after January 1, 2020, you’ll need a working ADS-B transmitter. There are exceptions (mainly for airplanes that don’t have an onboard electrical system), but most of us are going to have to be equipped.

In the near term though, from my perspective as a pilot, the best reason to get an ADS-B Out transmitter is getting traffic on my portable device that shows airplanes near me. That’s why I’m talking to my airplane partners about an ADS-B upgrade at our next annual inspection.

The post What Good Is ADS-B Out? appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

Some days, weather isn’t a problem: “ceiling and visibility unlimited” (CAVU). But, if you use an airplane for more than joyrides, there will be other days when getting from point A to point B will require flying over, under or through clouds. There can be bad things in those clouds: severe turbulence, icing and embedded thunderstorms. Today, a wide range of tools are available to help avoid those dangers, but each has limitations that must be understood in order to use them safely.

The most fundamental tool is available to all pilots: It’s the Mark I Eyeball. Most of us have two, and if you’re flying with a copilot or passengers, you may have spares available. It’s easy to use and has just one significant limitation: You have to look outside the airplane. Stay out of the clouds, and you’re almost guaranteed to avoid the worst effects of weather. This is a useful technique not only for visual flight rules (VFR) pilots, but also for instrument flight rules (IFR)—operating on top or between the layers, where you can see, is an ideal way to avoid nasty surprises.

Another tool is available to any pilot with a working radio: Flight Watch, which you can reach on VHF frequency 122.0 (when calling, give the nearest VOR: “Flight watch, N12345, Fortuna”). This will connect you with a flight service specialist who has access to current weather, including radar imagery.

Tell the specialist where you are (“12 miles east of Fortuna on the 260 radial, 6,000 feet”) and where you’re going, and you’ll get current conditions, Airmen’s Metereological Information (AIRMETs) and Significant Metereological Information (SIGMETS) and an outlook for your destination. On cross-country flights, I generally try to contact Flight Watch at least once on each leg—hourly on long legs. More than once, I’ve been alerted to problems in time to take action before a situation became serious.

For IFR pilots, an additional (and very important) tool is whatever ATC facility you’re in contact with—center, approach, departure or a local tower. Most ATC facilities have radar with some weather capabilities. They’re also in contact with other airplanes, which may be flying ahead of you on the same route.

If it’s getting rough, precipitation is increasing and you’re starting to wonder if continuing on your current route is really such a good idea, ask ATC if anyone’s ahead of you—and how it’s working for them—or what the weather looks like up ahead on the radar. If an airliner ahead is reporting a rough ride, or the last couple of airplanes missed the approach, or a suspected thunderstorm cell is moving across your route, it would be nice to know ahead of time!

Beyond the Mark I Eyeball and helpful folks on the radio, a number of devices are available that give the pilot a picture of the weather. Of these, the most common (and least expensive) is data link weather, provided either by satellite or a ground-based system, such as the FAA’s Flight Information Service (FIS), a component of Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS/B).

The timestamp in the upper left corner says this NEXRAD mosaic is only two minutes old—but it can be based on radar data more than ten minutes old.

Data link systems put a wide range of weather products on the multifunction display (MFD) in your panel, or a portable display. Depending on the particular system, this can include the Next Generation Radar (NEXRAD) radar mosaics, or Aviation Routine Weather Report (ETAR). It might also include the Terminal Area Forecast (TAF), in text or graphical form, AIRMET/SIGMET and some very useful non-weather data, such as temporary flight restrictions (TFRs).

But, there’s one big catch: Data link weather is never completely up to date. The service provider receives data from a variety of sources, puts it in a form appropriate to their system and transmits it (via satellite- or ground-based radio link).

The equipment on your airplane receives the signal, decodes it and displays it. The process takes a minimum of several seconds, and in many cases, the data can be tens of minutes old—something that should come as no surprise to any pilot who’s called up the Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) for an airport just before the hourly update.

This limitation (referred to as latency) is a particular problem with NEXRAD radar imagery. Any data link system that displays NEXRAD will show you the time that the mosaic was created, which typically will be about five minutes old—but that’s misleading: The mosaic itself is based on data from a number of different radar systems, which have to be collated together. The actual data on which a NEXRAD mosaic is based can be as much as 20 minutes old, and there’s no way to tell that from the display.

Twenty minutes may not sound like a long time—but thunderstorm cells can build at rates of several thousand feet per minute, and cells in a line can advance by miles in that time. What looks like a safe route between a couple of small cells on a data link display may turn out to contain weather that no airplane can successfully fly through (for more on this topic—including details on two fatal crashes—see “When Using NEXRAD Can Be Dangerous” from the September issue of Plane & Pilot, and the links in this article’s sidebar.)

Because of latency, data link weather should never be used by itself for tactical decision making at short ranges. On the other hand, data link weather is an outstanding tool for strategic decision making at long ranges—if you’re flying a piston single or light twin without onboard real-time weather avoidance gear (and flight into known icing equipment) the best way to deal with a line of thunderstorms is to change your route early and fly around the entire area, giving yourself at least 20 miles of space on the upwind side.

To fly through a line, you need equipment that will show you what the weather’s like in real time: either onboard weather radar or lightning detectors. Each has limitations.

Onboard Radar
Before flying an airplane equipped with onboard radar into active weather, I urge you to take one of the available radar training courses, such as Sporty’s excellent Airborne Radar Training Course, or find a copy of Airborne Weather Radar: A User’s Guide by former Delta captain James C. Barr (it’s out of print, but available from online bookstores). On-board weather radar is complicated.

To use it effectively, you’ll need to understand antenna tilt, attenuation, how the manufacturer maps intensity to color, storm gradient and shape, range settings, gain, how to estimate radar tops and optional features like stabilization, turbulence detection, wind shear detection and sensitivity timing control. Failing to understand these features may result in misinterpreting the radar picture and flying into an area where you really don’t want to be!

One key thing to understand is that any radar, whether airborne or ground-based (including NEXRAD) detects only water. It can’t show clear air turbulence, and also can’t detect ice or dry hail. Tops of thunderstorms at very high altitudes may not be detectable as they consist almost entirely of ice.

Lightning Detection
As a practical matter, onboard radar is available only on multi-engine aircraft and the largest singles. It’s expensive, and radar performance improves with antenna size—the smallest available is generally around 10 inches in diameter. You’re not going to fit something like that on a typical piston single. An alternative technology that can be used on any airplane with an electrical system is lightning detection.

Lightning detectors are essentially sophisticated directional radio receivers that listen for the radio noise emitted by lightning strokes. They estimate distance based on the strength of the noise pulse. The result is a display that shows approximately where the lightning is relative to your aircraft. It has two advantages over radar-based systems: It works whenever there’s lightning, whether there’s water present or not, and it gives you a 360-degree view, showing activity to the sides and even behind you (onboard radar generally is limited to a narrow arc directly ahead).

Just as with data link and onboard radar, onboard lightning detection has limitations. The most significant is that only cells generating lightning are shown. Lightning detectors can’t warn you about heavy rain (or other precipitation) that isn’t generating lightning. This equipment also has a range limit, and there are other issues that vary from one type of detector to the next—you’ll want to study the manual before flying with one in heavy weather.

Practice And Plan
For all types of sensors, practice is essential whether you have radar, data link, lightning detection or some combination of different sensors, you should use them regularly—even on flights where you don’t expect to encounter significant weather. You don’t want to find yourself trying to figure out the fine points of your equipment while in the soup on a rough day!

Before departure on any flight where significant weather is expected, get a complete preflight briefing so that you know what to expect—and make sure whatever weather avoidance equipment you have is working: Preflight inspection of radomes/antennas and ground tests of each sensor are critical before takeoff.

If you’re launching into active weather, turn on whatever sensor(s) you have, but bear in mind that data link weather can be old—if you’re looking at cells, check the age of data and think through how they may have moved/developed.

For on-ship radar, turn the system on and tilt the antenna up to paint any calls on your departure path. If you have a lightning detector, turn it on before taxi. You may also want to advise ATC (ground or tower as appropriate) that you may need extra time on the runway to stabilize the radar or other sensor before rolling for takeoff.

There can be situations where takeoff is possible, but returning to the field won’t be (cells on the approach path). In that case, you may want to identify a takeoff alternate in case problems develop during climbout.

Deviations around active cells can be worked out with ATC, based on information from whatever sensor you have —but if you’re displaying on a multifunction display (MFD) and operating over anything other than flat terrain, you may want to periodically switch between the radar/data link/lightning display and terrain. You don’t want to deviate around a cell and fly into a mountain!

As soon as you think a deviation may be needed, advise ATC, so that they can identify any conflicting traffic and approve or deny your request early.

With on-ship radar or lightning detectors, it’s important to periodically switch to maximum range while working around local cells—otherwise, you might succeed in getting around a small problem and wind up face-to-face with a bigger one.

Thunderstorms are dynamic, and can build at rates of 5,000 FPM or higher. Thus, old data—from any sensor—can be worse than useless, tempting you to fly into areas that look clear, only to encounter a rapidly developing monster. If you’re using data link, the only way to avoid this is to give all active areas a wide berth. With onboard radar, periodically checking shorter ranges may help. Lightning detectors will show any cells developed enough to produce lightning, but may not show building cells that haven’t had time to develop significant electrical activity.

As you plan your approach, use whatever sensor you have to inspect weather not only at the destination airport, but also on your missed approach. If there’s a cell near the missed approach hold you’ll want to know about it and discuss what to do with ATC before beginning descent.

Understand the capabilities and limitations of whatever weather avoidance equipment you have, and you can fly safely when conditions are well below CAVU!

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