I got mine this past week and spent a couple of hours this morning putting it in. Unfortunately the 40kt winds discouraged me from trying it out. I'll try to have a PIREP for you tomorrow as soon as I get it in the air.
I can say that the install is pretty straight forward. Connect power, ground, serial GPS, pitot and static. You can also connect a dimmer. The manual was a little sparse on what the dimmer would do, so I connected it to the dimmer which controls lighting on my round gauges. Sure enough, when I turn on the panel lights the Gemini brightness is then controlled by my dimmer. Neat. I'll have to see how the brightness compares to the brightness of the other instruments in the panel at night. I don't fly a lot at night, but when I do I like turning panel lights very low so I can see better outside.
Construction is good and the unit is very nice and polished. The pitot and static ports are on the rear of the unit at the lower corners. The housing is plastic and given the lack of material around those holes I suspect that we will see some folks breaking the cases by inserting their fittings too tightly in the holes. Trutrak had this issue a while back with plastic blocks for pitot/static on their AP heads and people kept cracking them so now they're brass -- so I was a little surprised to see that they went with the plastic route on the Gemini. [edit: I was wrong on this point -- it's aluminum -- keep reading this thread for more info]
The display is beautiful and the capacitance touch screen is nice -- even if what you can do with the touch screen is somewhat limited (it's a simple device).
As soon as I get it in the air I will report back.
"The housing is plastic and given the lack of material around those holes I suspect that we will see some folks breaking the cases by inserting their fittings too tightly in the holes"
Are you sure?, you might want to double check. I played with one at Sebring for 3 days and I am sure it is Aluminum Anodized black with a Laser cut logo.. I was very impressed with the Gemini and plan on getting one for my RV-10.
"The housing is plastic and given the lack of material around those holes I suspect that we will see some folks breaking the cases by inserting their fittings too tightly in the holes"
Are you sure?, you might want to double check. I played with one at Sebring for 3 days and I am sure it is Aluminum Anodized black with a Laser cut logo.. I was very impressed with the Gemini and plan on getting one for my RV-10.
Rob is right, we did away with the plastic. You are also right, we ran into some issues with the plastic in the past. Gemini is all aluminum and shouldn't have the cracking issues we saw with the plastic. We actually experimented with several bezel types on Gemini and the aluminum, while costing more, looked and performed much better!
Rob is right, we did away with the plastic. You are also right, we ran into some issues with the plastic in the past. Gemini is all aluminum and shouldn't have the cracking issues we saw with the plastic. We actually experimented with several bezel types on Gemini and the aluminum, while costing more, looked and performed much better!
Ha! I knew that you or Lucas would set me right -- even on a Saturday. Now I feel even better about my purchase. The excellent machining of the unit and the great anodized surface threw me off! Yes, the unit looks that good. I thought it was ABS or something.
Usually it would be Lucas...he is much better about keeping an eye on it than me!
I agree, the bezels are VERY beautiful! As it turns out they are machined in the good ole USA, by a fellow RVer even!
Glad you are pleased with it so far...Maybe I shouldn't say it this way, but I am VERY proud of what we have done on the Gemini. It has been a personal labor of love for a long time.
Is Gemini Data Input Only from GPS and Pitot System?
I really like the appearance and 'form factor' of this instrument. My aircraft is now GPS, pitot system and (chuckle, chuckle) mag compass for navigation. I've got an empty hole in my panel and the TT Gemini would fit perfectly, but I'd like AHRS (and digital compass) as added navigation capability. Any plans to connect the Gemini to an AHRS box? Thanks.
I really like the appearance and 'form factor' of this instrument. My aircraft is now GPS, pitot system and (chuckle, chuckle) mag compass for navigation. I've got an empty hole in my panel and the TT Gemini would fit perfectly, but I'd like AHRS (and digital compass) as added navigation capability. Any plans to connect the Gemini to an AHRS box? Thanks.
The Gemini has an ADAHRS internally (technically minus the H part since it's GPS ground track and not mag heading). We will be adding pitch attitude as an option in an upcoming software update. Right now, it displays velocity vector like our mechanical ADI, only without the mechanical display limitations. The ADI is available now. The PFD will be availalbe in April. Thanks!
The Gemini has an ADAHRS internally (technically minus the H part since it's GPS ground track and not mag heading). We will be adding pitch attitude as an option in an upcoming software update. Right now, it displays velocity vector like our mechanical ADI, only without the mechanical display limitations. The ADI is available now. The PFD will be availalbe in April. Thanks!
Appreciate the fact that if I get a Gemini I will have alternate attitude information from GPS and pitot system data. What about that last piece of the puzzle...what do I do for heading information if the GPS "system" takes a dump? (Don't tell me I have to rely on my mag compass (lol)!) Is there a chance that Gemini will accept heading data input from something other than GPS? If so, it would be the "bees knees".
I will likely acquire one anyway because I have to replace an older attitude system I have in my aircraft and the Gemini looks 'pretty sweet'. A redundancy to GPS (with a digital mag heading input) would give me the last excuse I need to say "sold"! Thanks!
The DG will function as an actual DG if the GPS source is lost. I.e. you will need to slew it to the correct heading using a compass. There is no magnetometer in the unit itself.
Nice panel and photo of your 8.
Which GPS unit did you feed the gemini with , your 430 or the 496? Also I am curious what happens if the GPS signal is lost in flight. Does the unit still display a heading from inertial changes after the signal is lost?
The Gemini ADI is fed its GPS from my Garmin 420 and also has Pitot and Static input. It displays a GPS track direction along the bottom. TruTrak says if the GPS signal is lost the bottom direction banner can be slewed by finger touching the screen to match the Whiskey Compass. Have not tried turning off the GPS to try that yet. The small horizontal white climb/descend reference lines do not show until it senses groundspeed and act as vertical velocity references inflight (ie put the airplane on first line up/down and it gives 500 ft/min. It lags actual attitude by just a slight amount but can be used to fly IMC okay.
I've got the original ADI installed as a backup Attitude Indicator for my GRT Horizon. I've been considering upgrading to the new ADI but I'm not sure if there is much to be gained (I also don't know what it would cost).
I'd be interested in hearing from anyone that has used both the old and new ADI.
I don't use the GPS input on my existing ADI (I've got GPS course in at least 3 other places) but I like the idea of the independent "compass" that Stu mentioned.
I have a few few flights in now with my Gemini ADI. I really like it.
The only thing I can find wrong with it is the polarized screen (of course this is as much a problem with my prescription sunglasses as it is with the ADI). I can see my Dynons perfectly with my sunglasses. If I tilt my head at 90 degrees the Dynons go dark.
The ADI is seemingly polarized at 45 degrees. So looking at it with my sunglasses it is quite dark. If I tilt my head 45 degrees to the left it brightens up, 45 degrees to the right and the display goes dark.
My next pair of prescription sunglasses will not be polarized.
Now I feel even better about my purchase. The excellent machining of the unit and the great anodized surface threw me off! Yes, the unit looks that good. I thought it was ABS or something.
