Skyview Cost Comparisons - its cheaper!

Interesting cost comparisons.

The original single-screen D180 package with G495 (no XM, not 496) and autopilot was $14,635.

The Single screen Skyview with autopilot (also no XM) is $15,610.
That's $975 more for the new system - but that's not the whole story. (Note that it ALSO includes the Dynon Mode S ADSB-out transponder. The original avionics had the Garmin GTX-327 which was Mode C, not Mode S ADSB-out. Not doing any price calcs on this capability difference though.)

But the Single Screen Skyview has more than the combined screen area of the D180 and optional D100. The D100 was a $2350 option. (A Skyview 10" screen is 43.75 in2, a single D-180 or D-100 is 20.25 in2, thus 40.5 in2 for both.)

So the single Screen Skyview with AP is $15,610.
The Dual Screen D180/100/495 with AP is $16,985.
That's $1375 more for the old system.

But the old system had a Garmin 496 option with XM weather for an additional $575 (plus the cost of the subscription.) Dynon hasn't yet released an ADSB receiver yet for in-flight weather. Dynon's forum says ADSB-in receiver in 2012. Their forum has posts from Dynon itself on questions like these. Note that ADSB weather has no subscription fee (but is also not as good as XM in some ways.)

You can therefore make the case that this new system has more screen area and much additional capability for $1375 less than the comparable old one (D180/D100/495 combo). That's a pretty good value.

Adding a second Skyview screen can be about $2700 (7 inch) or $3,600 (10 inch) - nothing more needed than the displays and an interconnecting cable, although you can also add redundant GPS receiver and ADAHRS if you want - not much sense in that for VFR.

Used Garmin 496s have been on Ebay recently for $800-1100 as an FYI.

Airgizmos now has a Garmin 795/796 panel dock for $200.
Requires a 6.25" by 8" tall hole - not know if that will fit in the new center section of the panel - kinda doubt it. That is the same size hole that they used for the Garmin 695/6 although the 795/6 is taller.

Bill H - final system on order! Hoping to fly in March!

Comparisons...

The cost comparisons don't tell the whole story. The Dual D180/D100 panel has, I think, important redundancy because the D180/D100 each have their own built in ADAHRS. The D100 also has it's own dedicated tube connections, as well, to the static and pitot systems. In other words, if the D180 goes dark, you still would have a functioning EFIS with airspeed, attitude and altitude but without compass and no engine data. The engine is probably capable of taking care of itself for a brief time in an instrument emergency.

Also remaining would be the GPS, Transponder, and the radio.

If the all-in-one Skyview should go dark (which it probably never will), what is left? The radio.

I love the fantastic Skyview, but probably will not want to upgrade from my dual screen setup for the single Skyview for these reasons and also the cost of having the pretty screen and other related panel improvements would be significant and buy a lot of gas.

Tony

Also, as the D1XX system is end-of-life, at least as far as active development of new features goes, investing in a Skyview system now will give you several years of free "new-feature" updates with nothing more than a magic firmware update...

Good point Tony. A second ADAHRS is $800, a second GPS Antenna/receiver is $200 - add those to a second Skyview screen for total redundancy if desired. That gets into risk management philosophy and alternatives. Dual everything wont solve a big bug smashing into the pitot! (I had a huge juicy bug strike on the windshield at 9000 feet one day.) A handheld GPS, for example, would provide some emergency redundancy and basic GPS-derived instruments. And of course, compare that to typically non-redundant steam gauges. Thousands of options and reasons! If I already had your beautiful plane as it is I don't know that I would change a thing. The 180/100 is amazing compared to my old Bonanza panel.

Bill,
Are you the guy who came to OKC (Twin Lakes, 2OK2) a few years ago to look at my brothers' RV9A? I know it's only been................? years, but, I forget some things sometimes.

When you said Bonanza, I looked at your location, and I sort of sounded familiar.

Marshall Alexander

No, not me. I lived in Houston for ~30 years and was partners in a Bonanza there. Moved here to the Ozarks in 2004 and had to sell my interest in the Bonanza at that time.

bigbill25 said:

Also, as the D1XX system is end-of-life, at least as far as active development of new features goes, investing in a Skyview system now will give you several years of free "new-feature" updates with nothing more than a magic firmware update...

Click to expand...

From the Dynon "hands-on" Skyview class at Sebring. All data/obstacle/chart updates will be free AFTER paying a one-time licensing fee of $500. fyi.

I think somebody posted that the price includes the synthetic vision and mapping charge.

I am pretty happy with my D180/496 with XM. I would'nt consider a changeover to Skyview even if extensive mods were not necessary. The only thing that interests me about Skyview is the synthetic vision feature. I have heard I can achieve that using an Ipad (cost $600 or so) in the cockpit. Anyone know if that is factual?
Dick Seiders

dick seiders said:

I am pretty happy with my D180/496 with XM. I would'nt consider a changeover to Skyview even if extensive mods were not necessary. The only thing that interests me about Skyview is the synthetic vision feature. I have heard I can achieve that using an Ipad (cost $600 or so) in the cockpit. Anyone know if that is factual?
Dick Seiders

Click to expand...

Sort of. To get true synthetic vision with the iPad you would need to add an attitude device like the one from Levil Tech. here: http://www.aviation.levil.com/AHRS_mini.htm
Then purchase wingX pro with synthetic vision. I would estimate an additional $1000 over the cost of the ipad.

Bill_H said:

No, not me. I lived in Houston for ~30 years and was partners in a Bonanza there. Moved here to the Ozarks in 2004 and had to sell my interest in the Bonanza at that time.

Click to expand...

OK, just wondering.

Marshall

Bruce, thanks for the feedback on my syn. vision question (Ipad). Very interesting, but a significant additional expense. In view of fact I would need syn. vision only if I made a major error (stumbling into IMC) I believe I will rely on my autopilot 180 feature instead. Failing that while the 496 is not certified I believe the approach feature would get me to the runway in good form in a visibility emergency.
Dick Seiders

Dick.. not to get too far off topic but I don't think the iPad can compare to Skyview in terms of visibility in the plane in flight either. I have just been flying with the 796 side by side with my 496 and iPad and the 796 brightness is so much more viewable/usable in the air. The 796 has pseudo syn vis but also don't have an AHRS unit. I just went through the Skyview class at Sebring and I really liked what I saw and used.

Carl

Thanks, Carl. I've not tried an Ipad in the plane so I don't know if it would be easily operated if bouncing around up there. Visibility I'll take your word for it. You know it would have been nice of Dynon to design programablility into the 180 that would have permitted such changes (syn.vision) to the existing unit. However as I mentioned earlier the s/v feature is not worth fussing over in a VFR only aircraft anyway. It just bugs me I guess when you get a brand new toy, and a year after you start flying it's already an old model.
Dick Seiders

It just bugs me I guess when you get a brand new toy, and a year after you start flying it's already an old model.
Dick Seiders[/QUOTE]

Hey Dick, Looks like my SKYVIEW may be obsolete within a year by the time Vans decides to allow me to have one.

Look on the bright side Larry, maybe Skyview II will be available then and we can benefit from this!

skydiverlv said:

It just bugs me I guess when you get a brand new toy, and a year after you start flying it's already an old model.
Dick Seiders

Click to expand...

Hey Dick, Looks like my SKYVIEW may be obsolete within a year by the time Vans decides to allow me to have one.[/QUOTE]