mistergerf
Active Member
I've had a Garmin 496 driving my Dynon D100 and it's autopilot pretty much since the plane first flew in 2007.
I just bought and installed the Aera 500 to replace it - same wiring same NMEA out etc ...
It started when I noticed that the D100 was constantly displaying a 50kt X-wind. It took me by surprise, not in a good way, when I happened to glance at it on descent into my home airport SQL. Whoa !! I quickly realized that the plane was tracking the centerline just fine.
So I went up and tracked a Victor Airway from a VOR to an intersection and confirmed that I was tracking the Airway precisely. I then compared the D100's magnetic heading with an alternate GPS - I'm bang on the airway - so I know what the track should be - it's on the chart. Sure enough the Aera is displaying a track +14 degrees (and there's that 50 knt X-wind again).
Another example is displayed in the attached pic. There was a little left x-wind hence the magnetic heading is a little off from the track according to the 496. Check out the Aera 500 - it's +15 degrees off.
I'm at a loss as to why this is, and how to fix it. Using the Aera to drive the autopilot in NAV mode - it tracks just fine between waypoints - but the indicated track is always wrong - ~+15 degrees.
Any suggestions would be very welcome.
Gerry
RV9/N696WG
I just bought and installed the Aera 500 to replace it - same wiring same NMEA out etc ...
It started when I noticed that the D100 was constantly displaying a 50kt X-wind. It took me by surprise, not in a good way, when I happened to glance at it on descent into my home airport SQL. Whoa !! I quickly realized that the plane was tracking the centerline just fine.
So I went up and tracked a Victor Airway from a VOR to an intersection and confirmed that I was tracking the Airway precisely. I then compared the D100's magnetic heading with an alternate GPS - I'm bang on the airway - so I know what the track should be - it's on the chart. Sure enough the Aera is displaying a track +14 degrees (and there's that 50 knt X-wind again).
Another example is displayed in the attached pic. There was a little left x-wind hence the magnetic heading is a little off from the track according to the 496. Check out the Aera 500 - it's +15 degrees off.
I'm at a loss as to why this is, and how to fix it. Using the Aera to drive the autopilot in NAV mode - it tracks just fine between waypoints - but the indicated track is always wrong - ~+15 degrees.
Any suggestions would be very welcome.
Gerry
RV9/N696WG
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