J

JRo

Well Known Member
I'm about to flight test my RV-12. Down loading & archiving flight data is called for, beginning with Test Card #1. Can't find much info in the Dynon Manual or Acceptance Procedure. I have the small flash drive that Dynon provided, and I see the USB port(s) on my SkyView 1000.

I'm not especially computer literate, so need step-by-step instructions. Anyone know exactly where I should look?

Open to any/all suggestions on flight test. I plan on very small steps, short 1 st flight.

Thanks.

Jim R.
N448JR
 
Couldn't live without that download! That feature was released shortly before my first ops - I've downloaded every flight (over 100) and also my ground and taxi tests before first flight.

I upload them to Savvy and analyze them for free

https://www.savvyanalysis.com/home

I also upload into Excel for analysis of data in more detail or the parameters Savvy doesn't cover (it's primarily an Engine Monitor.)

To download, go into the Setup Menu (Press keys 7 & 8 together.)

Toggle right at the first line item - System Software; then scroll down to Export User Data Logs - Toggle Right and you'll be given a screen to give the data a Title - I just put in the date.

Click OK - she'll download to your Dynon thumbdrive - when finished - just press Done. Take her home, upload to your PC and also Savvy, then analyze your data and look at your flight path on a map.

You can select the data frequency - more frequent means less data recording time. Every download also includes a Black Box Data File - last 15 minutes at 16 data points per second. The investigators will use that to figure out why you wound up in a smoking hole - hence its name (they're not Black, BTW - I have three in my basement - they're bright orange.)

You'll also use your thumbdrive to update the SV firmware, and update the Nav Databases every 28 days.

And -- you'll also want to download your Settings - that way, if your unit goes bad, you can re-create all your layouts and settings in just a few seconds. I do this every time I make any changes.

Now -for the best part - instead of trying to fly your new airplane, look for traffic, talk to the tower, etc etc, while also reading Vans checklist and recording all those data points by hand - temps, rpms, altitudes, vertical speeds on and on and on. What I did - and you can do - is make a short list of the test maneuvers to be flown - go out and fly the mission - download, go home and read out all your data - more accurate and in more detail than you could ever get by hand - even if you had a co-pilot - even if you had 10 test engineers in the back.

I luv it, luv it, luv it!!!

Bob Bogash
N737G
 
Bob!

You da man! I'm gonna print your response!

Sounds like you just saved me tons of time & work, and provided me with a very valuable resource.

22 years with the airlines, and I learn new stuff every single day building this plane and reading this blog. (I did, however, know the box wasn't black LOL).

Thanks again.

Jim R.
N448JR
 
Bob,

Thank you very much! I think you just saved me tons of time & work, and made me aware of a very valuable resource.

Thanks again.

Jim
 
My thanks too

Thanks Bob! I too am in the test phase and trying to fly and record data has been a challenge and likely not very accurate. BTW what did you use for ballast?
 
Ballast? er, how do you spell that?

Better search the threads on ballast - there are various "solutions" to that 'problem'. Sand bags, cement bags, iron weights, water barrels, are mentioned as I recall.

Don't get pulled out of that smoking hole with all those water barrels wrapped around your neck......

I didn't say that...

Bob Bogash
N737G
 
Hi Bob,

Thanks for you post explaining how to do the download. I have down loaded and managed to upload the information onto the Savy site. Do you get the information analysed by Savy as well?

I wonder if you could write a simple explanation of how to get the latest version of skyview uploaded into the plane. This is not something I have wanted to try to do.

Cheers

Julian 120316
 
It's really pretty easy.

First! Download your Settings file so if something goes wrong, you can recreate your system easily.

Second - I do these Firmware updates using External Power hooked up - I'd hate for the length of time the system is powered to run the battery down below some critical voltage and have the system crash and abort the update. The upgrade can take some time.

Third - Download the Firmware Update from the Dynon website and transfer to your thumbdrive.

Fourth - With Skyview powered up - insert the thumbdrive - press keys 7 and 8 to go to the Setup Menus. Toggle the left control knob to the right and select the top item - System Software. BTW - that top item is shaded out unless your have a thumbdrive installed.

Fifth - The first item after toggling right will be:

UPGRADE SYSTEM SOFTWARE

Select that item by toggling right.

It will then find the new Firmware version on your thumbdrive, or display a directory of the thumbdrive files (I can't remember - some selections require you to find the file and some find the file for you.) Better write down the File name in case you have to find it.

BTW - all SV files have to be in the thumbdrive Root Directory.

There will then be some "Are you Sure? safety questions - select - YES, and sit back while it updates. It may take quite a while. I think it may reboot the system at the end - I don't recall.

In any event, when you're done, you'll have the new Version installed and you can enjoy the new goodies.

This is also covered in the Dynon SV Installation Manual - Page 3-10 Rev"O". Also on the Dynon download page:

http://www.dynonavionics.com/docs/support_software_SkyView.html

FYI - Version 7.0 is on the verge of release. It is due for release in September, and I have been checking every day. I want to be the first kid on the block with the new toy (I'm a techno-junkie), and need to be fed these goodies on a regular basis. The new version will add more great features - like Airport Diagrams. My mouth is watering.

Version 6.2 is the current Firmware. I don't know which version you are running - assume it's earlier than 6.0 - maybe 5.0? If so - you might want to download 6.2 and upgrade your system to get the hang of it. Then, when 7.0 gets released you'll be a Pro.

Don't let fear keep you in the past - the new features are really great - and easy to install.

BTW - I installed my USB drive port on the front panel above the Ignition module and I'm really glad I did so. I use my Thumbdrive on virtually every flight - either to Load Flight Plans, Download my last flight Data Files, Update the Nav and Terrain Databases (monthly), or update the Firmware - as we are discussing here. I don't know why Vans installed it on the bottom of the panel shelf.

Hope this helps,

Bob Bogash
N737G
Two more flights today! Weather's good and flying every day.

P.S. Jim R. - the Poestenkill Kid -- I went to school at RPI in Troy! Started flying with the RPI Flying Club out of the Troy Airport (long extinct.) Cessna 172s and Piper Colts. My Logbook shows my first flight was, er..... 11 May 1962........Geez
 
Oh! Forgot the other question - No I don't have Savvy analyze the data for me. It's not that I'm cheap - well, yeah, I am cheap - but I might sign up some day. They really provide a great service.

I review every parameter after every flight - I figure it will be giving me a Heads-Up about something that might be trending in the wrong direction.

I also carefully review all the flight parameters that Savvy covers - like IAS, Altitude, V/S etc. I expand out all my landings to see whether I am making stabilized approaches, what the airspeeds are, what the touchdown speeds are, whether my pattern altitudes are spot on, etc.

I've made 152 RV-12 landings - I can honestly say none was a bad one - none, that is until about two weeks ago - when I had a bad bounce. I did a go-around. When I came home, I examined that data file for hours - both on Savvy and on Excel - to try to understand how it had happened, how low the speed had gotten, how quickly I had applied power, how fast the airspeed recovered, what my vertical speed was and the G loading on the bounce, how well I had executed the go-around, etc.

Savvy does not upload and process all the parameters that Dynon records (but enough to use it for more than just engine purposes.) On my To-Do List is to write Mike and ask if he wouldn't expand to all the recorded params. I would be willing to pay for that. I find Excel very cumbersome.

Bob Bogash
N737G
 
Bob, you're a better engineer than me. When I have a bad landing I just go home and mull it over with my friend, Jack Daniels! :)

Rich
 
You gotta have the avionics master on and the AP switch on to update!!! Those power up the transponder and the AP servos which get new software downloaded into them.
 
Thanks for the help Bob. I will try doing the upgrades once I have my rating and BFR completed.

Cheers

Julian 120316
 
Bill - as always - is right - power up everything when you update.

But! - if perchance you should fail to do that - all is not lost.

After the reboot - you'll see Red "X"'s crossing out your missing pieces - Autopilot, Transponder, VHF Comm.

Just go into your System Setup - navigate to Network Status - you'll see what's missing - or Red messages indicating Firmware Version incompatibility.

You can then Select "Detect" - which will find the missing pieces, and then force a Firmware update (Third selection) which will bring all the missing pieces with the wrong Firmware version back into line.

You gotta snap-the-whip on some of these straying black boxes, or they'll start to think they're in charge.....

Bob Bogash
N737G
 
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