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  #1  
Old 11-05-2009, 11:40 AM
tdhanson tdhanson is offline
 
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Default Comparisons AFS, Dynon, or Garmin?

I'm trying to decide between the features and such of:

Advanced Flight Systems Advanced Deck

or

Dynon SkyView

or

Garmin C3X or G600 or G900


Opinions?
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  #2  
Old 11-05-2009, 11:42 AM
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Brantel Brantel is offline
 
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Mods get ready with your close button!

Their all focused on different areas of the market so it is hard to compare them at all. Skyview is not even real yet or at least most of the promised features are not.
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Last edited by Brantel : 11-05-2009 at 11:47 AM.
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  #3  
Old 11-05-2009, 11:51 AM
tdhanson tdhanson is offline
 
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Can you give me more information? Which markets are each targeted for?
Thanks
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  #4  
Old 11-05-2009, 12:20 PM
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Oh man, the Dynon is...

Just kidding.
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  #5  
Old 11-05-2009, 12:56 PM
jtrusso jtrusso is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tdhanson View Post
Can you give me more information? Which markets are each targeted for?
Thanks
That's a tough question to answer but I'll give it a shot. Keep in mind this is coming from a guy who flies a 30+ year old 172 with a G400 and steam gauges...so take it for what it's worth. I've been reading/studying/dreaming about these avionics for a few years though so I feel like I can offer some insight. The people who are actually flying behind these systems I'm sure will chime in with insight into how they use their systems and why they chose them.

Dynon - focused on the low cost end of the market. They provide a lot of functionality at an impressive price. From what I've gathered from the opinions expressed here on VAF (I'm generalizing) is that it is a system more suited to VFR than IFR. This is mainly due the lack of the ability to integrate with other avionics. For instance, Dynon can not send GPS steering commands to another company auto pilot. Also, in the past (this has been updated in the latest software release) the attitude display was dependent upon having pitot data. If you lost the pitot tube for some reason (icing, debris, etc) you would lose accurate attitude information. The system now uses GPS ground speed data as a backup so the attitude indicator doesn't go TU if you lose the pitot data.

The Skyview system is not reliant on pitot data for attitude solution and if the pitot is lost then reverts to GPS ground speed and the attitude information is still good. They are working on developing GPS steering commands their own autopilot and should be available in a future version of Skyview.

Grand Rapids - Based upon the opinions I've read here this seems to be the preferred avionics for IFR flight. Search for "GRT and Ironflight" in the archives and you'll find some excellent write ups from Paul Dye (aka Ironflight) on his experience with his GRT system.

The GRT system is about double the price (maybe a bit more) than a Dynon. It's advantages are it's ability to integrate with a lot of different boxes from a lot of manufactures. It can take the flight plan and GPS info from a 430 (or even the 39X/69X handhelds) and feed GPS steering commands to your autopilot. It takes traffic information from a Xanon or GTX transponder and can overlay the traffic targets on the moving map. With an XM weather receiver you can dispaly weather info on the moving map.

The attitude information is not dependent on the pitot data for the solution which makes people feel more comfortable about flying it IFR.


Garmin - The highest priced route but you get the comfort of buying from a "major" manufacturer with certified experience. Keep in mind none of these systems from Garmin are certified though.

The G3X stuff - the low end of Garmin's offerings. The price seems to be equivalent (maybe a bit more) than a full GRT system. However this system doesn't have the equivalent level of functionality of a GRT system. I don't think (someone please correct me if I'm wrong) that a G3X can provide GPS steering commands to an autopilot. Obviously it does integrate very well with other Garmin products.

The G600 - I don't really see how the G600 is different from the G3X stuff. It appears to have about the same functionality but the price is much higher, about double the G3X. Someone who knows this better can elaborate.

The G900 - in my opinion this is the Cadillac of avionics. Nice big screens and a truly integrated system. You get the radios, transponder and GPS all in one package and it works very well together. The G900 will send the steering commands to an external autopilot as well. However this is very expensive, about $60K from what I can tell (again someone please correct me if I'm wrong). This would be an excellent system for IFR work with as close to certified hardware as you can get (it's basically the same system just without the paperwork) and has been proven as a good IFR platform on literally 1,000's of airplanes.
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Last edited by jtrusso : 11-25-2009 at 09:45 AM. Reason: removed coment about Dynon needing pitot data
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  #6  
Old 11-05-2009, 12:59 PM
penguin penguin is offline
 
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Default What do you want it for?

Could I suggest that before making a list of features you think carefully about what want the box to do? All 3 manufacturers are in different price brackets, so will give you different capabilities. VFR or IFR, cruising or aerobatics? What's your attitude to reliability? Do you want a system that's based on certified software & hardware? What kind of autopilot integration?

If you can afford a G900 then why look any further?

If you don't know what you want, then you won't be satisfied with what you get!

Pete

PS Looks like our posts crossed, I'd still suggest you figure out what you want the system to do for you. Also Advanced Flight Systems offers equipment that is equal, and perhaps better than, GRT at comparable prices.

Last edited by penguin : 11-05-2009 at 01:03 PM. Reason: added PS
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  #7  
Old 11-05-2009, 01:24 PM
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Auburntsts Auburntsts is offline
 
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Another data point: the G600 is TSOd for certified installations and has SV which is why it costs so much more than the G3X.
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Last edited by Auburntsts : 11-05-2009 at 01:35 PM.
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  #8  
Old 11-05-2009, 01:31 PM
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Ironflight Ironflight is offline
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Hello Tracy,

I see that you just joined the VAF forums today - welcome aboard!

one of the great things about the forums is the amount of history they have accumulated in the five years or so they have been around - you can take advantage of them to read hundreds of threads about all of the various systems out thee - just peruse the "Glass Cockpit" area of the forum - settle back and have hours of reading enjoyment.

That might help you to generate a more specific list of questions that haven't yet been addressed. Your question is a bit unfocused right now - sort of like walking up to a group of builders at Oshkosh and asking "what's the best airplane?"

Paul
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  #9  
Old 11-05-2009, 01:56 PM
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rv7boy rv7boy is offline
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Default Observation and Suggestion re: EFIS's

It's interesting to me that Tracy didn't even ask about the GRT and he got a reply. His original request was about AFS, Dynon and Garmin. As Paul said, there's a lot of information in these files. One caution, avionics seem to evolve every 6 months. So if you're reading something in the archives that's over two years old, well, it may be out of date. I was so proud to purchase my 396 at Oshkosh at show price a few years ago, because the 496 had just come out. This last month, I learned the 396 is being discontinued.

My suggestion, if you're interested in seeing how they work, is to either get some rides with some pilots who have the EFIS's (or is it EFI? - my Latin teacher would flunk me now!!!) of the brand names you're interested in or possibly go to a show like Airventure or Sun'n Fun or perhaps a closer one depending upon where you live.

Paul gave me a ride in the Val a couple of years ago, and it was awesome to see his GRT's alive and well while flying over the bay. That was the first time I had seen a living GRT. I was most impressed.
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  #10  
Old 11-05-2009, 02:47 PM
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Brantel Brantel is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jtrusso View Post
1) the attitude dispaly is dependent upon pitot information . If you lose your pitot you lose the attitude information on the EFIS...obviously very bad if you're in the clouds. .
I must correct this piece of out of date information. The current firmware can fail to the GPS even on the Legacy Series of gear.
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RV-10, #41942, N?????, Project Sold
---------------------------------------------------------------------
RV-7/TU, #72823, N159SB
Lyc. O-360 carbed, HARTZELL BA CS Prop, Dual P-MAGs, Dual Garmin G3X Touch
Track N159SB (KK4LIF)
Like EAA Chapter 1494 on Facebook

Last edited by Brantel : 11-01-2012 at 08:47 AM.
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