Skyview vs Skyview Touch

I just upgraded my Skyview D1000 (10" display) to the touch version. Here are a few thoughts.

First, thanks Dynon for offering the upgrade to a touch display at a reasonable price!

When I bought my RV-4, it had a Dynon Skyview D1000 installed. I immediately installed a Skyview KNOBS panel. I spent about a month flying in that configuration and enjoyed the setup greatly. Then, when I had a few weeks of down time (summer vacation) I sent the D1000 back to Dynon for the $800 upgrade (remanufactured version) to a D1000T touch display. I've flown it in the touch configuration for about 10 hours so far.

The touch display is worth every penny. For those of us used to touch displays (iPad and similar), the touch display provides a much more intuitive and effective interface. The implementation of the two multi-function knobs on the D1000 (non-touch) is good but it can not approach the ease of use of the touch display. Zooming, panning, and selecting functions is a lot easier and more natural on the touch display.

There was one surprise. Now that I have the touch display, I find I use the KNOBS panel much less. With the touch display, you can immediately assign the D1000T knobs to most functions simply by touching their corresponding data display location on the screen. Yes, it's one more action but pressing the altitude numeric display and then twirling the cursor knob is just about as easy as finding and twirling the altitude knob on the KNOBS panel. And, taking that action focuses my eyes / attention on the screen area where the data change will be annunciated. All that to say, if you have and properly use the touch display, you may not gain as much benefit from the KNOBS or Autopilot panels as you would with the non-touch D1000 display.

I highly recommend the touch display. I you have a D1000, the $800 reman upgrade is a great value. The reman unit I received was just like new.

I've installed the MGL iEFIS dual system, touch screens. Almost everything now a days is touch screen, so using a touch screen EFIS does seem very intuitive. I recently added a 23" touch screen monitor to my computer system that makes running and writing the EFIS screens on the MGL simulator much nicer.

I agree that the touch display is a great option. It if actually interesting, in the new era of touch displays, that there are so many different thought processes that go into the touch options. I really like the options of the Skyview touch as you describe. I also very much enjoy using the AFS touch display, although the functions are very much different. I look forward to getting to learn the touch process on the G3X as well.

As for the knobs panel and A/P Panels by Dynon, I use them both very much, although not quite as much as I would with a non-touch display. I like to put the knobs close to where I rest my hand that isn't on the stick. Once you are comfortable with which knob is which, you can control those settings, especially in turbulence or when in IMC without looking. The front of my armrest in the RV-10 is a perfect spot. For the A/P panel, close to the knobs, below the engine controls, is a great spot, or on the bottom of the panel close to the center, works really well. That way you can push the buttons without reaching very far or even at all when your hands are on the controls.

Personally, I would rather have the knobs and A/P panel than the touch display, if I had to choose, but having both is the best option.