Seattle Avionics Strikes Again

[tommylewis]

I purchased a laptop computer last summer to take on our summer travels and I was amazed at how much faster the SA updates took!! I believe it is because the new computer has USB 3.0. So now at home, I update the flash drives on the newer laptop and not the older desktop.

[chrishalfman]

I have had my Skyview for a little over two years now. I'm a VFR only guy, but I download every. Single. Chart. And every other thing that I can. Why? Do you go to a lunch buffet and just eat a small salad when that's really all you need? I paid for it, I'm going to get my money's worth!!!! Ha! Anyway, I download the whole 9 yards that you get for the $99/year. I still almost feel like I'm stealing getting all that stuff for $99/year. My computer has a 20 Mbps download speed (DSL). I am on it almost every day. Have never really had any issues with getting things downloaded.

The only issues I've had are when SA updates their data manager. It's better to wipe the computer and thumb drive clean of the program and data and go back to the website and start over. Was a pain the first time. Only have done it once since then. Perfect? No. Did I mention I only pay $99/year for this stuff? Been a while since I've had to do it. And if $99/year makes you whine, you got the wrong hobby. Take up bird watching.

I also bought a second USB drive so I could have one with the latest stuff on it when I went to the airport since I typically leave the drive in the plane. My first, old, thumb drive took.... hours to copy all the files I downloaded. Hours. Like 3 or 4 hours. I'm sure if I only downloaded stuff I needed.... for just the USA (I did say I downloaded everything ) it would go faster. The second drive was a USB 2.0 drive. Wow. 30 minutes or less and done. If you don't have a new-ish thumb drive that's at least a 2.0 drive, spend the $15 and save your sanity. I haven't bought a second 2.0 drive yet, but have had the computer go to sleep before getting the old drive updated.

And people are talking Garmin. I know of one person that bought lifetime maps for their GPS. A short period of time later, they said they no longer supported that product. No more maps. He vowed to never by Garmin again. I'm guessing if you want to look hard enough, you can find people that have had issues with every company out there.

[RV8JD]

Originally Posted by chrishalfman

And people are talking Garmin. I know of one person that bought lifetime maps for their GPS. A short period of time later, they said they no longer supported that product. No more maps. He vowed to never by Garmin again. I'm guessing if you want to look hard enough, you can find people that have had issues with every company out there.

Garmin defines "lifetime" in their "Lifetime Maps Terms & Conditions":

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/legal/lmdisclaimer

Lifetime Maps Terms & Conditions

If you purchase a n?Maps Lifetime subscription (sold separately) or if your Garmin product comes bundled with a n?Maps Lifetime or other lifetime map subscription, you will receive map data updates when and as such updates are made available on Garmin.com during the useful life of 1 compatible Garmin product or as long as Garmin receives map data from a third party supplier, whichever is shorter. A product?s ?useful life? means the period during which the product (a) has sufficient memory capacity and other required technical capabilities to utilize current map data and (b) is capable of operating as intended without major repairs. A product will be deemed to be out of service and its useful life to be ended if no updates have been downloaded for such product for a period of 24 months or more. Unless otherwise stated, the updates you receive under the subscription will be updates to the same geographic area included with your Garmin product when originally purchased. In some instances, your Garmin product might not have sufficient memory remaining for you to load an update to the map data, in which case you will need to either (a) select reduced map data coverage for your updates, or (b) purchase separately a microSD?/SD? card (if and as applicable to your Garmin product) and load all or a portion of the map data coverage for your updates to the card and insert the card into the microSD/SD card slot contained in your Garmin product. If neither of the measures in (a) or (b) can be used to address your product?s lack of sufficient remaining memory, then Garmin may conclude that the ?useful life? of your product has expired. Garmin may terminate your n?Maps Lifetime or other lifetime map subscription at any time if you violate any of the terms of this agreement or your subscription. Your n?Maps Lifetime subscription or other lifetime map subscription may not be transferred to another person or another Garmin product.

[Dan B]

I have been using the SA database in my Dynon Skyview for more than a year. I have had no problems downloading or otherwise. The subscription renewal was a non-issue. No problems. I am happy with Seattle Avionics.

[f14av8r]

Originally Posted by tommylewis

I purchased a laptop computer last summer to take on our summer travels and I was amazed at how much faster the SA updates took!! I believe it is because the new computer has USB 3.0. So now at home, I update the flash drives on the newer laptop and not the older desktop.

This! I was a vocal critic of SA and their updating software. I was using a Mac and a Windows emulator. Downloads took forever if they worked at all. Finally, I decided to drop $250 on a new Windows laptop just for my SA downloads and a few other Windows-centric tasks. What a difference! I use two 3.0 USB drives. One stays in the airplane, the other in the computer. Updates take less than thirty minutes and consume practically none of my time.

If you have older hardware (computer / drives) or, like me, are using a Mac / Windows solution, I think you'll be much happier with Seattle Avionics if you upgrade your support hardware.

[RV8iator]

For me, using two USB 3 mini thumb drives was the solution. I always leave one connected and leave my plane keys by the USB bus. I take the keys and updated stick with me to fly and brong the other USB drive from the plane when I return home and put it in the USB bus. One is always up to date for travel and if I do happen to forget the newest one the one already in the plane is never more than a few days old.

I watch the Jeppesen database for the 28 day cycle and when I date that card I do both ISB's and I always legal for IFR.

[SmilingJack]

Originally Posted by RV8iator

For me, using two USB 3 mini thumb drives was the solution. I always leave one connected and leave my plane keys by the USB bus. I take the keys and updated stick with me to fly and brong the other USB drive from the plane when I return home and put it in the USB bus. One is always up to date for travel and if I do happen to forget the newest one the one already in the plane is never more than a few days old.

I watch the Jeppesen database for the 28 day cycle and when I date that card I do both ISB's and I always legal for IFR.

I wish I was that smart! I only started doing this 2 months ago

I was worried at first that they wouldnt allow it.

Works like a charm!

[Bob'sRV6A]

This thread lends credence to my view that this site as kinda similar to YELP when it comes to "reviews" of things. I have learned to pretty much exclude the upper and lower comments from consideration. If one were to have no experience with SA and Skyview, and tended to concentrate on the negative, one might be tempted to believe there was a crisis here and a product system to definitely avoid at all costs. I do like to read the reviews here and in YELP, but lately I understand that there are some who are really good at writing scathing accounts. Don't get me wrong, I had some issues with SA and still do but to exclaim that they would give up Skyview (or not buy it again) because the site providing maps and charts doesn't meet their high standards seems a bit over the top to me. Also, as an aside, I am uncomfortable with such attacks on a loyal vendor, a supporter of experimental aircraft and this site, being taken to task in this manner. Just my 2 cents.

[grubbat]

This is kinda like going to a pancake breakfast and the topic at the table starts off with SA but at some point you leave the discussion pissed that Hoover was treated the way he was and somehow you don't remember what the discussion was about so you go back for seconds.

I remember in the old days we only complained how much the steam gauges. Who would have thought that someone would figure out a way to make us pay every month for stuff in the plane instead of once in a lifetime. Amazing.

[scrollF4]

Gentlemen,
I believe the basic points have been made. Let's call this one 'mission complete.'

Merry Christmas to all.