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onwards

Pattern Altitude
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onwards
Anyone check out the Aero Glass?

I signed up for the beta and ordered the avionics package yesterday - looks like I'm one of the first 200.

This looks to this VFR pilot like one of the best bang-for-the-buck safety investments I can ever make.

Anyone else signed up for the beta?
 
Just another way to take the beauty out of flying.

Do you like big brother watching everything you do?
 
That's awesome. If they come anywhere close to the concept video, I want.

Big brother? How so? I didn't see anything in that video at least, that would require a downlink.
 
Cpt_Kirk said:
Just another way to take the beauty out of flying.

Do you like big brother watching everything you do?
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Not sure I understand this comment.

I think it's really awesome that I can have things like weather, traffic and airspaces right there in my field of vision. I would argue that it takes much of the guesswork out of flying, leaving me more relaxed and able to enjoy the scenery, not to mention feeling safer, both because the chance I'll do something dumb is smaller, AND the ability to recover if I do something dumb being higher.

I do prefer to always use flight following and have ATC on radio even if I fly in golf, if that's what you mean.
 
MtnMarcus said:
What does it cost?
Click to expand...

During the beta phase - which they say is limited to 200 people, but I think they might allow to go over a bit - it's $1000 for the basic package, $2000 if you add the iLevil SW, or $2200 if you add the iLevil AW (so basically the iLevils are discounted $200 from their MSRP).

The basic package includes the Epson Moverion BT-200 ($700 retail), and a lifetime software subscription, which they say will not be available ever again.

Shoot, my bloody headset cost me a grand, and the other three (for pax) cost another grand or so between them. The amount of additional safety I will be gaining is staggering; my plane does not have anything beyond a 430W, and certainly not synthetic vision with weather and traffic and airspaces painted in the air for me. Yes, just buying the iLevil SW ($1200 by itself) will give me this info in WingX - on my iPad. Having it as a 360 HUD is definitely worth the extra cash IMO.

And FWIW, it's not like the Epson glasses can't be used for other purposes.

But what really clinched this for me is the portability. I own my plane, true, but I also sometimes fly others planes, and now I will be able to carry my synthetic vision package with me no matter what I fly. Whoa.
 
So if I'm reading this all correctly, it will basically be a software package running on Google Glass, Epson Moveria, etc.

I don't know that I'd use it all the time, but if it's using Google Glass that's not a huge concern as the screen for Glass sits above and off to the side of your normal field of vision. You'd only see it when you've made a concious decision to look at it.

I'll probably keep an eye on it, but until Glass comes down in price (currently $1500 on top of what Aero Glass will charge) I can't justify it.
 
Fredbob711 said:
So if I'm reading this all correctly, it will basically be a software package running on Google Glass, Epson Moveria, etc.

I don't know that I'd use it all the time, but if it's using Google Glass that's not a huge concern as the screen for Glass sits above and off to the side of your normal field of vision. You'd only see it when you've made a concious decision to look at it.

I'll probably keep an eye on it, but until Glass comes down in price (currently $1500 on top of what Aero Glass will charge) I can't justify it.
Click to expand...

Yes, it will work on Google Glass too. They started that way, but decided that they wanted to proceed in the augmented reality direction, and because Google Glass is only to the top right, they chose the Epson, which are full glasses. I think you actually lose from not having it as a 360-HUD.
 
wo - this looks amazing!
 
Mistake Not... said:
Big brother? How so? I didn't see anything in that video at least, that would require a downlink.
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Yeah, I don't get this either.

It's not any more big brother than carrying my cellphone and 4G iPad with me on the plane, which I do every time.
 
Pretty sure I have played that game at Dave & Busters!

...although it only took a D&B game card...not an FAA PPL Card!
 
Cpt_Kirk said:
Just another way to take the beauty out of flying.

Do you like big brother watching everything you do?
Click to expand...

Well, when weekend warriors bust TFRs, airspace and altitudes, bringing a product to mass market that can give some situational awareness is great for those that have to share airspace with those who suck at flying.
 
Video looks cool, but I think it's a ways off.

Demoing at tier booth was "interesting" but it's a long way from that to what they show in he video.
 
Hopefully a vendor like this will also support the Recon Jet, as that's the one I'm patiently(heh) waiting to arrrive at my doorstep.
 
The problem I observed at the booth is that once you moved your head around a bit, the gyros thought that "level" was a different position than it was originally.

I think the concept it great and it will be do-able, but not sure if the hardware is quite there yet.
 
I'm heading to Oshkosh tomorrow and I am looking forward to checking this out.
 
It looks cool to me, but it's just too soon in the development phase for me to bite on right now. After competition ramps up, prices come down, and features are improved, I might consider it.
 
...I'm giving that at least 10 more years before something like that is functional and cost effective (and I don't mean cheap). I'm not paying a kings ransom to play with a beta while I fly. Honestly, I think all the detail would annoy the hell out of me.

...and I thought foreflight was enough of a video game for me in the cockpit. :)
 
This looks really amazing, but also really distracting. Not sure I could land safely with all that green in my face. What about the guy that does not show up on the traffic screen? Taking off with a glide-path seems like a bad idea unless it is adjusting the angle for your airspeed. Love how it shows the airspace around you. Anyhow, very cool technology. I'd sure like to see it evolve.
 
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Looks a little soon to commit. Their timeline seems unrealistic
 
JasonM said:
This looks really amazing, but also really distracting. Not sure I could land safely with all that green in my face. What about the guy that does not show up on the traffic screen? Taking off with a glide-path seems like a bad idea unless it is adjusting the angle for your airspeed. Love how it shows the airspace around you. Anyhow, very cool technology. I'd sure like to see it evolve.
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+1
They're close, but not quite. How are you going to scan the skies for other aircraft and not be drawn into the google glass? If it was somehow projected on the front windshield and didn't move with your every move, I think it would be less distracting. Personally, it would help me to be able to look away from it from time to time.
 
Yeah, I stopped by their booth and spoke with them. I'm a big gadget guy but they are NOT CLOSE to having the features in the video. The demo unit I tried on had GPS altitude and AHARS info and that was it.

The hardware is sound, but the software is not even close. I expect a long painful process. They also couldn't tell me a shipping date if I plopped down 2k.

So I bailed because:

1) could not demo the advertised features
2) no shipping date
3) self financed (meaning the $ will run out quicker )

:no:
 
Datadriver: Good report!

My other concern is... Big this glasses separating my headset from my head defeating ANR/PNR...and that it may just hurt after a while.
 
TazzyTazzy said:
Datadriver: Good report!

My other concern is... Big this glasses separating my headset from my head defeating ANR/PNR...and that it may just hurt after a while.
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Well, I wear glasses already, so I'm used to something sticking behind my ear. My bigger issue is how well the Epson's would fit over my glasses, and whether the insert would hold my prescription (which is pretty high).

As for the state of the device and software... I've been chatting with these folks behind the scene quite a bit, and I am not sure what datadriver saw (I have not been to Oshkosh), but I am confident in saying that it is certainly is at a more advanced state than I am interpreting from his post.

Anyway, they have my $2K, I'll let you know my experience when after I get the kit!

As a side note, I guess I'm more comfortable because I work around SW dev environments every day.
 
onwards said:
As a side note, I guess I'm more comfortable because I work around SW dev environments every day.
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So do I...and that's what scares me. My title is "Software Engineer" for a fortune 100 company (good and bad). I'm amazed at what they have already and kudos to them. I can only imagine after 3-5 more years. Better glasses, better processors, better cameras, better batteries, more data available for display.
 
onwards said:
... I guess I'm more comfortable because I work around SW dev environments every day.
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:D

I've been in SW dev professionally for 30 years and I am totally amazed every time I get a dial tone when I pick up the phone. (if you don't then it's a hardware problem. :wink2:)
 
Met the guy making them and also got to play with a pair that a friend won. They don't fit well over glasses and I suspect they're going to really mess up ANR headsets if you try to cram both them and glasses on at the same time. They apparently have prescription lenses available which would be a must for me.

That said, I put them on and looked around from inside my RV trailer and saw Victor Airways over the airport here at OSH and boxes leading to the Appleton ILS. Pretty neat.

I think they need to go to something like a visor to look through that can either have glasses bows attached or attach to a headset, or something like that. The concept is a winner, but the physical mess of two pairs of glasses won't work for me and a lot of pilots.
 
TazzyTazzy said:
Datadriver: Good report!

My other concern is... Big this glasses separating my headset from my head defeating ANR/PNR...and that it may just hurt after a while.
Click to expand...

Well I wish them well and hope it is successful. It just seems a little premature right now. :rolleyes:
 
denverpilot said:
They apparently have prescription lenses available which would be a must for me.
Click to expand...

They come with a prescription lenses insert, and yes, that's the first thing I am going to do - order a set of lenses for the insert.
 
Early adopters (beta is very early indeed) endure expensive, clunky, defective (by definition) products. They place value on being able to use a new technology now and in helping it to evolve.

And this company is very clear that this is a beta product. It is also a beta company in a sense. Often the first to market with an idea is not ultimately the winner in terms of long term commercial acceptance. So you (perhaps we) may be be buying a product that becomes orphaned soon. Those who take this stuff on must accept these things. Obviously it's not for everyone.

Whether one chooses to jump in now or later... Or never, I think these guys are demonstrating a concept that will change cockpit displays in a huge way. The military has recognized the value of HUDs for many decades. Taking the HUD concept into the 3D wearable space hasn't been possible until recently, at least not this side of $millions.

The SA potential is enormous but so is the distraction potential. That will be part of the shake-down process (by these guys and their eventual competitors).
 
I tried them yesterday...I was not that impressed...I hope they can keep advancing the capabilities, but I'll wait for now....I would rather sink the money into a new
GPS/AHRS/ADS-B device at this time.
 
It's great to see the development of new aviation products! I don't know that it's anything that I will ever use, but who knows? :D
 
onwards said:
Not sure I understand this comment.

I think it's really awesome that I can have things like weather, traffic and airspaces right there in my field of vision. I would argue that it takes much of the guesswork out of flying, leaving me more relaxed and able to enjoy the scenery, not to mention feeling safer, both because the chance I'll do something dumb is smaller, AND the ability to recover if I do something dumb being higher.

I do prefer to always use flight following and have ATC on radio even if I fly in golf, if that's what you mean.
Click to expand...

Get all the information you can as easily as you can.;)
 
Wouldn't mind being the military guinea pig on this product! :thumbsup:
 
A bit sarcastic with this comment, but serious also: I am wondering if any paperwork to the FAA is required as the pilot is operating experimental equipment?

God forbid there is an accident and said pilot is unable to speak for himself as to what he saw or didn't see on the glasses prior to said accident. It may be helpful to have some stats as the positive or negative safety effect of this technology.

Otherwise in 10 years PoA will debate "glasses or no glasses, which is safer?"
 
Jaybird180 said:
A bit sarcastic with this comment, but serious also: I am wondering if any paperwork to the FAA is required as the pilot is operating experimental equipment?
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Good comment, I have no idea, but for now am proceeding under the assumption that in my little 91 world, not so. It's not experimental equipment for the plane, per se - just like you don't need paperwork for ANC headphones.

I promise to post more after I get these and start flying with them.
 
Gucci Pilot said:
Wouldn't mind being the military guinea pig on this product! :thumbsup:
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JHMCS does a really good job of putting the info you need (and taking info from where you're looking).

The key to this product (if/when it makes production) will be simplicity. For example, with the amount of crap available on PFDs, MFDs, and GPS devices, what needs to be displayed in an accurate, geo-referenced manner is the stuff that will get us killed or save our lives.

For example, traffic on a collision course or nearest airfield, either/both with a pointer when it's out of screen view.

Also, fixating on the HMI (glasses) will scrap the product, too. Think either HUD-like film on all your windows that shows the symbols (and not the glitzy graphics), or projecting on what you already wear, which is one of the reasons JHMCS works so well.
 
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