[Bill Dicus]

Just when entering phase 2 on my RV-8, the AFS 3400 failed ? my fault. Attempting to change the clock battery, I dropped one in the unit. This was eventually recovered. However the unit was tumbling and would not recover. Tricia at AFS was super pleasant but had no loaners and no suggestions for an alternate. Without engine instruments I cannot fly. Spent $45 to ship it to AFS in 2 days. This worked, but in ten days thereafter it had not been touched and two other customers EFIS's were still ahead of me. Discouraging, but good lessons about electronic obsolescence and service. If anyone has a 3400 removed during a panel upgrade I'd like to buy it if affordable - both for use until mine is repaired and as a back-up for future failures. Mine is a 6.5" screen. Thank you in advance for any help or suggestions. Am considering a GRT Mini as a workaround, but would require some sensor changes and re wiring. Dynon and AFS didn't have any great alternatives for me at OSH. Somewhat discouraged....

 

[N402RH]

I just got back in the office from Oshkosh and it looks like it is repaired and will ship back to you today. It was also upgraded to the "S" CPU with Synthetic Vision.



Rob Hickman

 

[Bill Dicus]

AFS 3400

LARGE THANKS TO AFS.
Rob: Thanks for letting me know! Apparently I got my previous communication wrong. Tricia called me today to report the unit was virtually ready to be packaged and shipped back to me. AFS was able not only to repair the damage I caused by dropping a clock battery inside the unit, but found an "S" CPU to upgrade the EFIS. This means it now has synthetic vision and approach plates (not possible with old processor) and is faster. OS and map software were updated too. The price for all done was less than I thought possible. And... all this was accomplished over Airventure time. AFS people returning to Oregon from KOSH were slowed by a failed truck and those flying rather than driving a truck actually had to double back to a previous stop. Then a new truck's windshield was broken by a rock - Murphy was at work on them! Hope all that is correctly reported. It turns out the extra postage to get the 3400 to AFS quickly was really worth it (despite my negative tone in the earlier post).
HUGE KUDOS TO AFS!
They saved me despite my unit being somewhat obsolete. The whole thing made me acutely aware that putting all eggs in one basket (as far as engine instruments in one EFIS) makes you very vulnerable, so am still looking for some back up for any future failure of my EFIS. It will eventually be truly too old to fix if it fails. Meanwhile I love my AFS 3400, even before the upgrade, and can't wait to fly the upgraded version. Someday the whole panel will need to be replaced. Could be fun but I sure hope to fly the current one a few hundred hours before that day comes. Thanks again to AFS for their excellent support. I feel much better.