snopercod
Well Known Member
Today I test flew my CrazedPilot Bluetooth Headset Interface that I purchased from ACS for $46.95. This little gizmo uses Bluetooth to broadcast the audio from your iPad to your headset or intercom system. My iPad/ForeFlight/Stratus2 is my primary means of navigation. ForeFlight sends audible warnings to the iPad speaker but, until today, those warnings were inaudible in the cockpit. Now I can hear them in my headset!
It comes with a 12" USB charging cable and a 12v cigarette lighter to dual USB adapter:
The unit is intended to hook up in series with your headset, but I just plugged the male end directly into the passenger's headphone jack with no headphone connected. I fly with my Intercom enabled so I can dictate comments into my Garmin Virb video recorder as I fly. The Virb audio interface is connected in series with the Pilot's headset.
The unit worked really well, although I had to bump up the sidetone level in my Icom A-210 radio, and turn down the iPad volume to get everything balanced. Here's what it sounded like:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ro8sid1wxsim0ze/2017-2-24 Bluetooth checkout_0230.mp4?dl=0
There's an On/Off slide switch on the gizmo, as well as a blue and a red LED. When first turning the unit on, the red LED blinks until the unit is "paired" with the iPad bluetooth. Then the red LED goes off and the blue LED blinks occasionally. The iPad shows that the Bluetooth is paired with "H166" and you're good to go.
The ForeFlight audio alerts are Runway Proximity, Cabin Altitude, Traffic (if you have ADS-B out), Approaching TFR, Sink Rate, destination weather frequency (e.g. ATIS) and 500' AGL (terrain). The only alert I heard today was the runway proximity. I should have heard the 500' but that may have to do with the "priorities" of my setup. If something is being received on the COMM radio, it inhibits the secondary audio, including both the Intercom and my AoA warnings. Not good, but it is what it is.
The unit seems to work well, but one small downside is that now I have one more piece of equipment to verify powered up on my pre-flight checklist, and one more battery to charge after flight. As a bonus, you can play music from your iPad on those long cross-country flights. The battery is supposed to be good for 4-6 hours.
It comes with a 12" USB charging cable and a 12v cigarette lighter to dual USB adapter:
The unit is intended to hook up in series with your headset, but I just plugged the male end directly into the passenger's headphone jack with no headphone connected. I fly with my Intercom enabled so I can dictate comments into my Garmin Virb video recorder as I fly. The Virb audio interface is connected in series with the Pilot's headset.
The unit worked really well, although I had to bump up the sidetone level in my Icom A-210 radio, and turn down the iPad volume to get everything balanced. Here's what it sounded like:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ro8sid1wxsim0ze/2017-2-24 Bluetooth checkout_0230.mp4?dl=0
There's an On/Off slide switch on the gizmo, as well as a blue and a red LED. When first turning the unit on, the red LED blinks until the unit is "paired" with the iPad bluetooth. Then the red LED goes off and the blue LED blinks occasionally. The iPad shows that the Bluetooth is paired with "H166" and you're good to go.
The ForeFlight audio alerts are Runway Proximity, Cabin Altitude, Traffic (if you have ADS-B out), Approaching TFR, Sink Rate, destination weather frequency (e.g. ATIS) and 500' AGL (terrain). The only alert I heard today was the runway proximity. I should have heard the 500' but that may have to do with the "priorities" of my setup. If something is being received on the COMM radio, it inhibits the secondary audio, including both the Intercom and my AoA warnings. Not good, but it is what it is.
The unit seems to work well, but one small downside is that now I have one more piece of equipment to verify powered up on my pre-flight checklist, and one more battery to charge after flight. As a bonus, you can play music from your iPad on those long cross-country flights. The battery is supposed to be good for 4-6 hours.
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