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Vertical Power announcement

Buggsy2

Buggsy2

Well Known Member
Vertical Power sent out this teaser via email:

New Product Announcement at OSH

We'll be announcing a new product in a few weeks that is complementary to the VP-X and the VP-400. But the announcement will be a bit different than our other new product announcements. We'll be announcing it early in the product development cycle to that you can see how we "build" a new product.

There's a few reasons for doing this:
1. Share with fellow airplane builders how avionics that go in homebuilt aircraft are built.
2. Get feedback and ideas.

This will be posted in the electrical systems section of VAF forums and Vertical Power forums. Keep an eye out there in a few weeks.

PS -
If you're thinking of buying a VP-X or VP-400 between now and AirVenture - rest assured those products won't change or be outdated by the new product announcement.
Click to expand...

I'll speculate as to what it could be and hope it is.

VP offers two products that simplify aircraft wiring: the VP-X and the VP-400 (and their variants).

The VP-X does a lot of basic work. Given it has:

* ECB and display on separate EFIS
* Wig-wag automatic operation and warmup for HID lights
* Flap and trim motor control (runaway control, variable speed and cutoff on airspeed, etc)
* More convenient wiring in that no separate wiring to circuit breakers; and wiring to panel switches is low-current, high-gage wires. This latter provides opportunities, see below

It is good value for money.

VP used to sell the VP-200 model until about a year ago, which did what the VP-X does plus a lot more: the VP-200 could replace many hardwired panel switches with its Soft Keys (programmable keys in a special display unit), and reduce pilot workload with its Flight Modes. Neither the VP-X nor the VP-400 offer those, one reason I purchased a refurbished VP-200 last year.

However, it's not necessary to introduce a completely new product to bring back the lost functionality of the VP-200. This is where the wiring of the -X and -400 comes into play. The usual panel switches are controlled by low-power wiring to the VP-X/400 box, which provides circuit breaker etc. capability, and then connects to the aircraft device wiring (lights, flaps, etc). Those low-power physical switches could be replaced by a small, auxilliary hardware device with a small LCD screen and 4 to 6 virtual switches. The LCD screen would provide labels to the virtual switches. If the LCD screen were a touchscreen it would also serve as the virtual switches, otherwise, physical switches in a single unit, similar to the -200, would be necessary.

This auxiliary unit could also have intelligence, enough to detect different flight regimes and operate the various circuits in a user-programmed pattern (again, like the -200).

The nice thing about offering an auxilliary unit is that it could be wired into existing VP-X configurations. The auxiliary unit would be mounted so its screen is in the panel, and additional wires run from the existing physical switches to the new unit. As an auxilliary or additional unit it would not replace installed VP-X/400 units, but simply be a nice supplement to them to provide the missing VP-200 capability.

For new installations, this auxiliary unit would replace most panel switches, like the old -200.
 
my guess goes into the same direction...
maybe some form of "gateway" that controls the vpx and is using an ipad mini or similar as the logic/display/switching device. plus a lot of additional functionality on the tablet / EFB.
only problem then would be reliability/accidental input protection.
i was always critical when they dropped the vp200, we certainly love ours! and besides the ECBs it was really unique in that market segment (and for anything smaller than an A320, really). great to have airliner style flight phases and overall it works exceptionally well :)
so the concept has to come back in one form or another :)

two features that were never really perfected (and i don't think there is going to be another software update for the vp200 :-( ):
- the interactive checklist feature leaves a lot to be desired
- the flight time counter could be a lot better. that's the only thing i have to manually take note of, off block time, airborne time(s), landing time(s) and on block time. (both for the personal logbook as well as the aircraft log). would be great if that would be tracked electronically.
 
Can I just say again how much i love my VP-50?

It got turned into the avionics version of the buggy whip pretty quickly but its simplicity and ability to clear a bunch of real estate from the panel was a big help for working stiffs who can't be spending the kids' college money on a panel.
 
I'd like to see a combination of the VP-200 with flight modes and password ignition, and the VP-400 with the runway seeker.

But in a smaller screen size. The VP400 screen is a strange shape that doesn't seem to match other avionics well at all.
 
flyvans.com said:
and i don't think there is going to be another software update for the vp200 :-(
Click to expand...
This concerns me too. I'm sure VP will supply critical updates for the VP-200, but what about improvements? I'd gladly pay a yearly subscription cost for periodic improvements to the firmware. VP has to make money, users would like the improvements, why not?
 
NovaBandit said:
I'd like to see a combination of the VP-200 with flight modes and password ignition, and the VP-400 with the runway seeker.

But in a smaller screen size. The VP400 screen is a strange shape that doesn't seem to match other avionics well at all.
Click to expand...

I'd like to see the password ignition on the VP-X.
 
Sig600 said:
I'd like to see the password ignition on the VP-X.
Click to expand...

Me, too! I really like the idea of a password form of security, to prevent engine startup or use of any of the avionics by an unknown person or potential thief! A lot of guys are going without the traditional keyed-ignition switch, and I like the idea of having SOME form of virtual key or security for my plane.
 
I, for one, hope the support for the VP-200 doesn't go away; I just got mine installed and working. Marc, if you notice this thread, I think the VP-200 is awesome and the VP-X is not a suitable replacement, unless you add a VP-200-like display and features. I already have an EFIS, so I don't really an electrical system manager that also has an AHRS (in fact, I already have two - one for the Garmin and one for the Dynon backup). I can't speak to the market demand, but comments I've seen here and on the VP forums lead me to believe I'm not the only person to feel this way. Don't orphan an amazing system without some kind of equivalent upgrade path.
 
i just helped setup and config a vpx...
great product, simplifies wiring just like the vp200 and the network config e.g. is a very cool feature :) also the form factor of the box is even better than the vp200.
it lacks somewhat in the details, e.g. the inability to really organize the pins is a real step back from the vp200.
having panel, engine, backup/shed bus pins all mixed among each other and no way to arrange them logically (short of trying to rename them to a 1.. 2.. 3.. numbering scheme which may or may not work depending on efis) is not user friendly HMI. vp will argue that this is part of the efis software implementation, however i would argue it's because they missed preparing such feature in the config/vpx software. it would be very easy for the efis software devs to either display the pins in the order they are received on the serial stream or with a sort index value that is sent along (but configured on the vpx side).
however no efis dev. will make up his own sort order/settings saving software for an external product. yet the operator experience suffers significantly from it.

kind regards,
bernie

p.s. and yes, the password starter on the vp200 is a really a cool feature :)
other things i most appreciate and should be in a new product:
- softkey to prime the engine, see the fuel pressure rise and softkey for the starter right beside.
- automatic avionics power once the engine is running
- runup feature
- audio callouts
- out of trim warning/check
- freely configurable annunciators (canopy closed in our case)
- overview over amps, system voltage and contactor state
- simple intuitive shutdown, both for avionics off and system shutdown, essentially using the same softkeys that are used for start and most everything else. it gives a "flow" into system operation during a flight, where the next phase is either detected automatically or can be triggered manually on the same softkeys.
- clean, functional and pretty HMI design. Anti-aliased Myriad font for the flight phase e.g.
 
pay for yearly subscription?

Buggsy2 said:
This concerns me too. I'm sure VP will supply critical updates for the VP-200, but what about improvements? I'd gladly pay a yearly subscription cost for periodic improvements to the firmware. VP has to make money, users would like the improvements, why not?
Click to expand...

In that case buy a Garmin :D
I have the Vp-200, it's functionality is fantastic. I'm with the consensus of VP adding back some of that -200 functionality into an improved solution.
A plug for VP- I have a Skyview and they stepped up this week to a BETA "patch" for a EMS standard that Dynon changed over to in a firmware "upgrade". Support and time for a firmware upgrade to product not sold anymore.
Much can be said for a company that takes time to fix a protocol that another vendor changed (and was working fine with the -200 before) try that with a company that charges for a firmware upgrade.. ka..ching!
Now before anyone goes and call VP for this firmware- they stepped up, not released a final version "yet".

Pascal
RV-10 w/ Vp-200
 
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I have been a big fan of Vertical Power from the very beginning. I think we had one of the very first flying VP-200's. I have installed a VP-100 and several VP-50's, as well as at least 4-6 VP-200's. I have yet to understand how a company can bring such a fantastic product to market (the VP-200), and get people to realize the functionality of automatic flight mode switching as well as other features mentioned here, then remove that product from the market without a similar-functioned replacement. Yeah, the VP-300/400 may have some neat information, but I haven't even considered installing them. Seriously, it's like Garmin discontinuing the G1000 because they have a really neat new 3D Audio Panel. Marc, please listen to your customers and bring back the VP-200 or something like it, or a module to add to the VP-X/400 that would give us the Mode Switching and password for starting and stuff like that. I like the dedicated Engine Information, but I can live without that. I can't live without the automatic mode switching. Saying, "We hope to add that functionality to our VP-400 in the future" is not good enough, IMHO. You've discontinued the best production you have ever made, and I include the VP-300 and VP-400 in that list.
We do appreciate the continued software support of the VP-200, but we want to still be able to buy them. I have a hard time believing anyone that has flown behind a VP-200 for any length of time would say that it's no big deal that you can't get them anymore. Any time a company stops making a product, they do so because they have a replacement, or because people just don't want them. We want them. You haven't replaced them.
 
Been checking the vp site everyday and still nothing. Anxious to know whats going on but not a peep since the teaser. Any more tid bits?
 
Totally unexpected by me. I already have my contactors installed, otherwise I might consider this. My getting the last VP-200 available is looking better all the time. I still think VP is missing a small but profitable market by not continuing the VP-200 functionality to their other models.
 
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