ADS-B

[Charles Schefer]

Garmin just started shipping their GDL-84 solution. It's 978 but supports dual band in for display on an iPad vis their bundled flight stream 110 adapter (I think it's called). It's upgradable to GDL-88 if you want display on panel mount Garmins (sadly not the 480). L3 also just announced a new line of products. Not sure if any of these would be STCed for your Aztec.

For me personally I'm still aiming towards a GTX330ES for out, hoping that they add support for the 480 as the WAAS source, and for in I will get another solution.

- Charles

[JIMICS2452]

In reply to an inquiry I sent this week Field Service Engineer, Terry Clair responded that the software is complete and that they are waiting for permission to release the Service Bulletin. "It is currently scheduled for release before the end of March".

[Charles Schefer]

[Zach Grant L1011jock]

I will have an L3 Lynx in a couple of weeks. I will report back. The Ipad simulator looks awesome.

[Charles Schefer]

Zach, I've been looking at that unit with keen interest. Looking forward to hearing what you think of it. On the topic of the iPad I'd really like to see a move towards more open architecture. It's frustrating to be locked into a specific app based on hardware.

- Charles

PS - I believe the L3 unit is 1090-ES which I very much prefer the idea of vs 978 UAT

[Charles Schefer]

For those interested the software update for the GNS-480 / CX-80 that will allow it to work as a WAAS source for the GTX-330 / 330-ES transponder became available in April 2015.

- Charles

[JIMICS2452]

I have been involved in upgrading 3 GNS480/CNX80's. It should only take about an hour. 15 minute to plug 2 different card into the data card port and let them upload the upgrades, 15 minutes to pull the radio out of the rack and mark the appropriate box on the back of the radio to show the upgrade has been done and 30 minutes to do the paperwork and print the logbook entry for the upgrade along with the bill. Garmin recommends a 1 hour charge.

[Charles Schefer]

Good to know Jim thanks!

- Charles

[BobPicker]

I would like to pass on what we accomplished during our annual this month (Feb 2017), we added ADS-B to our aircraft. We installed an Apparro Stratus ESG for out and Stratus 2si for ADS-B in. With the Stratus 2si it gets its power and info from the Stratus ESG. I then interface to everything on my iPad. On my side everything worked very well. Only had a minor setting issue, that I did not know when it took off for the test flight profile to complete the requirements to get the $500 FAA rebate. Seem our avionics shop did not reset the units status to normal after they completed the install. For testing, they have to place it in a mode that always shows the aircraft as being in the air. The tech said that he new it was not reset to normal, but I pulled it out of the hangar for the test flight while he had his head down working on another aircraft. He said he looked up and the plane was gone. When I returned and put the aircraft back in the hangar, he immediately corrected the issue in less than 3 minutes. Sure enough, the report from the FAA showed I was in the air all the time rather than indicating on the ground and in the air differently. The second attempt will wait for week or so to get good enough weather and time to re-fly the ADS-B profile and hopefully have it register correctly. Then request the report from the FAA again.

So far I like the Stratus ESG unit very much. Looks great and very easy to work.