Sky view vs Advanced 5XXX

[pr1malr8ge]

Hello all;

In my research I cannot find any feature comparisons of the sky view advanced EFIS systems.

Can anyone link me to a side by side comparison and for others to view

[rleffler]

Dynon has a chart comparing their products on their site, but I don't think there is one that would compare them to the AFS product line.

Let me start by stating that I may be somewhat biased. I have three AFS screens in my panel and many of my peripherals are now Dynon. I just recently upgraded my panel after flying for five years.

The peripherals are a wash. They're the same regardless of which screen you choose. They appear to be very collaborative. It appears that many of the software features have cross pollinated over the last several years.

I think that Rob's user interface is a little more mature. I also like that the AFS has more buttons and knobs, which greatly flattens the menu tree.

Both companies have good support. I've been working with AFS for over five years and less than a year with Dynon. My experience is that AFS is much more responsive to support issues and provides more personalized and direct support. I've had AFS walk me through issues at night and weekends while I'm seated in my RV. I haven't seen that yet with Dynon, but I've also not installed any of their EFIS either.

Either one is a good choice.

[RONSIM]

Before I upgraded my panel, last summer, I explored, and played with, all of the options/brands. The option-driven menus of the Garmin, the GRT, and the Dynon HX convinced me that the AFS 5600T was the best choice, for me. The support that AFS has provided has been superb! I am sure I made the right choice.

Ron

[Jesse]

As Bob said, all of the remote modules are the same, so the features are very close in those regards. The screens are the difference, and there are big differences there, but not in features. They us a very different philosophy in interface, which is fairly complicated to describe, and really doesn?t make much difference in my opinion, as you will get used to whichever you choose.

Some differences I will note here:
- Compatibility versus stability. Much like apple products, which are sometimes less feature rich, but are very stable and dependable, because Apple controls the hardware, software and app approval, the Dynon is a little less buggy and more stable because they mainly just work with their own products, so they make sure everything works with everything else before they release the software and hardware out of Beta testing. AFS, on the other hand, is very cross compatible with 3rd party products, so the software has a few more bugs in it.
- Support. Both have great tech support and wonderful product support. When I call AFS, I rarely have to leave a message, and I usually talk to the same person, and there are 2 others I sometimes talk to, one is the main software guy and one is the head of the company. They are very knowledgeable and friendly and helpful, and as Bob said, I can even get Support after hours if necessary. Dynon often requires me to leave a message, but they always get back to me in reasonable time. At the same time, my calls to Dynon are less frequent and are usually due to a hardware problem that I need replaced, and AFS is usually a software question, which refers back to the first difference I mentioned. When compared to the big vendor out there, both are much quicker to respond, much more knowledgeable and much quicker to admit a software bug or hardware problem when there is one, as has been demonstrated recently, but I won?t get into details here.
- Flexibility. AFS is a much smaller company (or company?s group), so when I talk to them and request a feature or change, I sometimes get a software update with that feature within a couple of days. Dynon adds feature requests to their list, and they do often show up, but never as quickly.

In summary, and in practical use, for a new panel from scratch, they are pretty much a draw. You will be happy with whichever you choose. I have installed many of each an de have rarely had a customer who wasn?t very happy with their choice. For panel upgrades, the AFS is often a cheaper option because you can keep more of your existing equipment (auto pilot, engine monitor, etc) and the AFS will work with it.

[krw5927]

Only Advanced has an ADSB-in solution that you can actually purchase and use today. Dynon took theirs off the market many months ago due to problems that remain unresolved. Advanced lets you hook up an inexpensive Stratux.

[Larco]

Everyone that I know at my airport with the Skyview likes what they have and I have The AFS 5000 series and love it. I think it has better graphics and optional buttons to use if needed in turbulence. Really it is a matter of getting used to using the EFIS you install, They are both good units. The crew at AFS rocks. :-)

[Don Jones]

Originally Posted by krw5927

Only Advanced has an ADSB-in solution that you can actually purchase and use today. Dynon took theirs off the market many months ago due to problems that remain unresolved. Advanced lets you hook up an inexpensive Stratux.

Actually, the problem has been resolved with the ADSB 472 module and it is back in production and shipping. We are working through the back log and getting them into our customers hands as we speak.

[Jpm757]

Having designed and installed a complete electrical and avionics system for my -6, the AFS quick panel looked very tempting. I decided to fly out to PDX and meet the gang at AFS. They had several panel simulators set up for me to play with (Skyview & 5600). As others have stated, with the exception of the displays, most of the hardware is Dynon. I decided on a Quick panel with dual 5600 displays. The Advanced Control Module (ACM) is a nice integrated unit that everything plugs into and makes for a nice compact installation. The fit and quality of the panel is superb, as well as the harnesses and accessories. Don?t leave this stuff sitting on the shelf too long as the AFS warranty is 1 year from date of delivery, Dynon components are warrantied for 3 years. Customer support has been excellent on both sides, Can?t say enough good things about Rob, Jen and Shawn at AFS. Software updates are always in the works and easily downloaded. The Seattle Avionics chart subscription is a real deal at $100/year. The AFS/Dynon ?marriage? seems to be going well.

[Bicyclops]

Skyview HDX is the only Dynon EFIS that will display the engine monitor at the bottom of the screen instead of a vertical split. When I bought my Advanced, this was the deal breaker for me. The Skyview systems that are not HDX still display that way.
I'm very happy with my AFS 5600T. I like the shallow menu structure - lots of buttons and knobs.

Ed Holyoke

[Jpm757]

Sorry about the 3 posts. New computer.