Weather Displays ?

I am fairly sure I want a weather display overlay on an MFD. I liked BlueMountain(BM) up until the posting may-lay. So I have looked at Direct2Avionics (D2A) and Grand Rapids (GR).

GR has the S-mode overly but I can not find anything about if they have weather overlays. help?

D2A EFIS-Pro they mention S-mode and Weather capabilities.

What other weather/s-mode displays are out there ? Since I plan to fly 3-4hr trips, I think it wise to alteast have a weather radar available to me for my trips.

For those of you with weather displays, are they useful beyond looking cool

Thanks

GRT has added WX Weather as an option to their EFIS, anticipated to be available later this year. I have a three panel GRT EFIS ordered with two EFIS One's full systems and one GRT Sport EFIS. I have ordered all the options, which includes WAAS GPS, ARINC 429 Bi-Directional Interface to interface with my SL-30, EIS 6000 Option for my six cylinder IO-540, Fuel Flow, WX Weather, Fuel Pressure, Manifold Pressure, and OAT.

With the GRT Sport EFIS I have a completely self contained backup system with it's own built in AHRS unit and it's own external magnetometer, giving me the equivlant of a six pack plus electric backup system all in one glass cockpit unit. I am installing a seperate battery backup for the GRT Sport EFIS as well in case of total electrical failure.

It is also my understanding that GRT has plans to add full-color terrain-based moving map to it's current moving map system, as a software upgrade at no extra charge maybe as early as next year.

Since the GRT interfaces with my TruTrak I anticipate my RV-10 panel will be close to a state of the art system when I get it flying early next year. Plans are to fly my RV-10 to Oskosh 2006.

Russ Daves
#40044 (N710RV Reserved) Tailcone attached to Fuselage, almost ready to go on the gear.
N65RV (RV-6A Sold)

Heard the Same...

Speed,

I heard the same thing from the GRT reps at SWRFI a couple of weeks ago. They are expecting both terrain and XM WX interface will be available for the GRT system by the end of the year.

They also spoke about expanding the capability of the TruTrak interface. I don't fully remember what the guys told me, but it had to do with controlling the flight plan and autopilot from the GRT and not the external GPS system.

I for one am sold on the GRT system after seeing it at SWRFI. I could read it very clearly in direct sun with polarized sunglasses on, it has the larger displays, and you can split screen the displays if you want to. TRULY REMARKABLE!!!

The only downmark I give the GRT is resolution. I think this is something they can enhance for relatively low cost if they would research it. But eventhough I say that, I still believe the GRT is the best complete EFIS system out there. (ADI, Moving Map, and EIS) The Dynon is a great system for the money, but according to the SafeAir guys, they are a long way from moving map.

Mike

RV-7A Empennage (Just started)
http://websites.expercraft.com/ltmikey/

Weather

The only flaw I could find in the GRT solution is that due to processor limitations of the displays, you can only have a 'North Up' orientation. This was an issue for me, maybe not for others.

Otherwise it looked good. You should probably dedicate a display for weather as overlaying it on top of the other information might be a processor issue and certainly a clutter issue!

I have XM feeding my Avidyne EX500. There is no better MFD on the market as far as I'm concerned. With the XM feed it's absolutely unbeatable!

Regards,

David Schaefer
N142DS RV6a "GeekOne"
http://home.kc.rr.com/n142ds

is the "north up" only for the xm wx display? Their website shows moving map displays oriented "track up".

SL-30 interface and XM

[ ARINC 429 Bi-Directional Interface to interface with my SL-30,
Russ Daves
[/QUOTE]

Russ,
The SL-30 does not need the 429 interface, it uses RS-232 and can be wired up direct. You will only need the 429 is you have a GNS-430 or 530.

On the XM weather, I don't think anyone will want to try to pick there way through CBs with XM. The 5 minute time delay is not much but things can change fast when your up close to building storms. It is a great tool for staying well clear. This is the reason they are only showing XM on a north up plan map. This is the same thing Collins is doing on there Proline 21 displays on biz jets. XM is a great tool for planning but if your going to tangle with anything that makes a lot of noise you want real time data.

There have been stories that Garmin is going to be coming out with a XM handheld along the lines of the 296, I think this is the way I will go so I can bring it with me and use it other places. I'm also hoping that they will provide an audio output and interface to select radio channels. XM provides you access to the radio when you have a aviation subscription but none of current hardware for aviation takes advantage of this.

XM weather in plane

"On the XM weather, I don't think anyone will want to try to pick there way through CBs with XM."

I disagree. I believe alot of us will use XM weather to pick the way through a line of TBs. I know from reports on other forums, others are already using XM weather to do this. "Most" of us will only do this when flying below the cloud deck to ensure the heavy stuff has not moved since last 5 min radar update. Several twin flyers flying machines with radar, strike finders, and xm weather displays report a close correlation between the three.

I have been flying with XM weather on a tablet pc since last Sept. My experience has been good. One example is with XM weather in the plane, we were able to find a 10-20 mile gap in a line of TBs in west Texas and easily make it back to Granbury, Tx, with hardly a drop of rain on the plane. This was one of those lines of TBs from north Tx border to south Tx border. A second example occurred last Friday flying across Pa toward NH, when we reached several lines of TBs, lots of red and yellow on radar. We stopped in Williamsport, Pa and ended up spending the night. The XM weather clearly showed trying to pick our way through, there were no gaps, was not the flying experience I wanted.

If you are going to do many cross country trips, in my opinion, XM weather is the one essential item to display in your panel. Now, like many other RV builders, what is the best display for an RV? I hope to figure out the answer to that soon.

Tom Lewis
RV7a builder
Granbury, Tx

agreed

I run XM weather on a Sony VGN-U750P and absolutely love it. I would not trade it for anything....well worth $50 a month. I have been able to pick myself thru areas of thunderstorms and feel very comfortable as I can tell how the storms are building and speed and direction of movement. We have many isolated thunderstorms move thru western KS usually about the time that I am returning from a business trip in the late evening and XM weather has proven very useful. I use the Sony in conjunction with a Bluetooth GPS receiver, a Bluetooth XM weather data receiver, and a Bluetooth infrared mouse which I can use on my leg to point and click instead of touching the screen or using the pressure button mouse on the Sony. The winds aloft has also been neat to use... punch in your altitude see what the winds are and check higher or lower altitudes for a more favorable wind to conserve fuel. I believe the secret to enjoying this sort of software is to have a high resolution screen to display it on. Mine shows up same as radar on your desktop computer.....I have seen some displays which are blocky and very unattractive. There are many tablet pcs available as well at very attractive prices. I have my customer contact database and all of my office work in my Sony and when I am waiting for weather to clear at a airport I pop the Sony out access wireless internet (where available) and do some office work. My Sony is used as much out of the airplane as in so it was easy for me to justify the price of it.

Where to mount tablet in RV?

Vince, how do you mount your Sony tablet in the RV? Got any pictures to share with us?

thanks
Tom Lewis

Sony mount

I made a little plate that mounted off of the two bolts that hold the front windscreen roll bar. The mount comes from www.airgator.com The Sony fits much better in a RV (I also have and tried a tablet PC...awsome screen but too big)