R

rexbaker

Member
I am just curious if anyone out there is flying around with a bluetooth AHRS using a tablet as a PFD? I have seen some of these products floating around out there, but have yet to run into anyone who has any knowledge or experience with them.

Let me know!

Rex
 
Also looking at Bluetooth or wifi ahrs

I'm thinking about using an ahrs from theses guys: http://www.aviation.levil.com/

Coupled with this software: http://www.x-avionics.com/xavion/

The xavion software seems impressive and runs on an iPad or iPhone.

My thought is to use it as a back up pfd (currently planning garmin g3x for primary).

The software was originally developed to run on the vertical power vp400. It has a really slick emergency landing function. I saw a demo of it at Sun n Fun and was hooked.
 
Note that Levil's products use WiFi, not Bluetooth, just in case that was an important part of Rex' question.

I'm looking at Levil's products for my panel upgrade too, but am considering it for Primary flight display (alongside a Dynon 10A as backup).
 
Good point regarding wifi vs Bluetooth.

Please post some info if you end up using an Ilevil product.

I have at least a year before I would purchase anything.
 
What is the difference, at least as far as the avionics set up, between bluetooth and wifi? Is there anyone that is actually flying with this right now?
 
wifi vs. bluetooth

My personal experience with consumer devices is that wifi is a bit more reliable that bluetooth, but I don't have any "real" data to back that up. One major difference is the power levels between bluetooth and wifi - wifi being quite a bit stronger.
 
Does anyone out there actually have one of these installed now? I am considering it as not really a panel upgrade but something to have some more horizon info for night vfr flying. It would cost about the same as it would to install a digital adi like the trutrak gemini, so just floating options...
 
rexbaker said:
Does anyone out there actually have one of these installed now? I am considering it as not really a panel upgrade but something to have some more horizon info for night vfr flying. It would cost about the same as it would to install a digital adi like the trutrak gemini, so just floating options...
Click to expand...

I have an e-GYRO-BT http://www.pcflightsystems.com/news.html
I couple it to an old ipaq HX4700 and run Mountainscope on it.

If you are strictly vfr, then maybe. I really like mountainscope for the great terrain and always pointing at the nearest airport. I would not want to rely on it for attitude indicator though. Maybe it is due to my old old hx4700 hardware. Maybe it is due to the e-GYRO. Maybe it is due to the bluetooth coupling. I do not know. I can say mine occasionally loses connectivity between gyro and display. Maybe these other companies hardware would be more reliable. Maybe.
 
@Forane, i'm not sure if you've seen what the latest iPhone can do, but apart from the air data, I would be very confident in saying that the iPhone running one of the current EFIS programs (AirNavPro, WingX, iHud, etc) would blow the eGyro out of the water. No slight intended against eGyro, but based on the fact that it connects to an iPaq, i'd say it was designed many moons ago... While it likely made the best of the technology at the time, it's not likely to be much of a match for the current MEMS based gyros in your average smartphone.
 
Snowflake said:
@Forane, i'm not sure if you've seen what the latest iPhone can do, but apart from the air data, I would be very confident in saying that the iPhone running one of the current EFIS programs (AirNavPro, WingX, iHud, etc) would blow the eGyro out of the water. No slight intended against eGyro, but based on the fact that it connects to an iPaq, i'd say it was designed many moons ago... While it likely made the best of the technology at the time, it's not likely to be much of a match for the current MEMS based gyros in your average smartphone.
Click to expand...

Yes, I agree. The e-GYRO was designed years ago and I have been running it for years... long before some of the newer players hit the market. It is compatible with Windows XP, 7, etc tablets also. Unfortunately it is not iphone or android compatible. Still, I would be apprehensive about any wireless solution for primary flight display.

The other issue with mine (which may or may not be an issue with current generation equipment) is the PIA factor. When I turn it off after a flight, I have to shut down the program before shutting off the ipaq. Then when restarting I have to restart the ipaq, restart mountainscope, agree to the legal disclaimer, and select gps. If i just shut off the ipaq, mountainscope will be on at restart but will not reconnect bluetooth / gps.

I have not seen the latest iphone; I am an android guy with a samsung note. I also run anywhere map on an Asus TF700 which is nice but also has the PIA factor. The internal gps in the TF700 is not as accurate as an external WAAS, so I use an external bluetooth gps. I have to turn on the TF700, slide to clear the screensaver, click a program called bluetooth gps, click connect, click homescreen icon, start anywhere map. Point is, it is not just a matter of turning on the master switch.
 
Does anyone have any idea of the usability and logistics of mounting an iPad into a panel? Maybe there is or will be app available that integrates with this software and will turn on whenever power is applied in the airplane???
 
ALOT of people have done that. Or fly with it on their knee. There are a ton of apps buitl for aviation, I like WingX Pro.
 
technically, bluetooth would be the easier, cheaper, more reliable/straightforward and less battery drain way for such an application IMHO.

from what i was told, the reason these units are using wifi is because the company with the bitten fruit in its logo won't give programmers / device manufacturers access to the bluetooth stack for reasons we can only speculate. another case of technological dictatorship in its own universe.

wifi, they can't restrict really without hindering the customer experience in a way without upsetting them massively.

never worked with any of these units yet, however impression from trade shows appears quite good.
 
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