DwightFrye
Active Member
I wanted to share a very positive support experience, simply because I believe good support should be, in turn, supported. I purchased an AFS-5600 a number of years ago, and have had it in the plane for a while waiting for me to finish and get flying. (I'm getting close ... I swear.) Recently I noticed that from time to time the AHRS would not initialize. It would go into a loop of trying to init over and over again. Annoying, and worrying.
I communicated with Rob about this, including sending and getting text messages over weekends. Eventually we decided the first step was to see if the magnetometer might be the culprit (based on some of the behavior) and he sent me a new loaner to check out. No joy. He then suggested that the AHRS could/should be switched out as a next step.
As it turned out I was scheduled to fly to the Portland area to get my transition training from Mike Seager last week (another story about a good experience in its own right) and it was suggested I could just bring the EFIS with me. I managed to fit it into my carry on luggage easily enough, and we were on our way. (I'll note as an aside that not once did the TSA even blink at the large lump of electronics buried in my baggage. I was kinda surprised.)
I met Rob at the AFS offices last Tuesday, and he put the EFIS on the bench. The determination was to swap the AHRS, and he thought that while it was there they might as well tweak a few other things too. I left it with him and by Thursday I got a call saying it was ready.
I could have driven from Vernonia to Canby to pick it up, but Rob offered to meet us at an airport if Mike was game to fly in that direction one day. He was, and we ended up flying into the airpark at Rob's place and having him hand-deliver the unit to me. It was returned with tweaks done, AHRS replaced, and an invoice with zero balance due. Fabulous.
While we were there Rob also showed me the prototype touch-screen AFS unit they are currently flight-testing in the RV-10. Very cool, and very nice. What a tease. I might have to upgrade. *sigh*
Anyway, this is the kind of hands-on, personal, top-flight support that gives someone like myself a warm and fuzzy feeling about a vendor. Particularly when I've given said vendor a large lump of money. I know my story isn't unique, but I wanted to share it as yet-another-data-point illustrating superb service. Thanks to Rob and all the other fine folks at Advanced. The support is very much appreciated.
I communicated with Rob about this, including sending and getting text messages over weekends. Eventually we decided the first step was to see if the magnetometer might be the culprit (based on some of the behavior) and he sent me a new loaner to check out. No joy. He then suggested that the AHRS could/should be switched out as a next step.
As it turned out I was scheduled to fly to the Portland area to get my transition training from Mike Seager last week (another story about a good experience in its own right) and it was suggested I could just bring the EFIS with me. I managed to fit it into my carry on luggage easily enough, and we were on our way. (I'll note as an aside that not once did the TSA even blink at the large lump of electronics buried in my baggage. I was kinda surprised.)
I met Rob at the AFS offices last Tuesday, and he put the EFIS on the bench. The determination was to swap the AHRS, and he thought that while it was there they might as well tweak a few other things too. I left it with him and by Thursday I got a call saying it was ready.
I could have driven from Vernonia to Canby to pick it up, but Rob offered to meet us at an airport if Mike was game to fly in that direction one day. He was, and we ended up flying into the airpark at Rob's place and having him hand-deliver the unit to me. It was returned with tweaks done, AHRS replaced, and an invoice with zero balance due. Fabulous.
While we were there Rob also showed me the prototype touch-screen AFS unit they are currently flight-testing in the RV-10. Very cool, and very nice. What a tease. I might have to upgrade. *sigh*
Anyway, this is the kind of hands-on, personal, top-flight support that gives someone like myself a warm and fuzzy feeling about a vendor. Particularly when I've given said vendor a large lump of money. I know my story isn't unique, but I wanted to share it as yet-another-data-point illustrating superb service. Thanks to Rob and all the other fine folks at Advanced. The support is very much appreciated.