Dynon Pocket Panel as backup, Thoughts?

[AdamZ]

So I am enjoying our new to us Bo but one of the upgrades we want to do is to add an back up electric AI. Right now its not quite in the budget but we have been considering a Dynon Pocket Panel. http://www.chiefaircraft.com/avionics/dynon/efis-d2/dynon-d2.html

Yes I know its not for installation in a certified plane but it can be used in the plane with various mounting methods which are not considered installation. Frankly the purpose is to save our bacon as a back up if need be and if it can do that in the event our primary goes to hell who cares.

Does anyone have any experience with this unit? What have you experienced. If its a piece of junk I'm not interested but if its a good unit and can tie us over till we can get a certified back up electric AI then I'd think its a worth while investment.

 

[Turningfinal]

I've heard good things about the Dynon D1/D2. I wouldn't hesitate to put one in a plane I owned for use as a backup.

A lot of the experimental guys are putting them in as a second source backup.

 

[Henning]

So I am enjoying our new to us Bo but one of the upgrades we want to do is to add an back up electric AI. Right now its not quite in the budget but we have been considering a Dynon Pocket Panel. http://www.chiefaircraft.com/avionics/dynon/efis-d2/dynon-d2.html

Yes I know its not for installation in a certified plane but it can be used in the plane with various mounting methods which are not considered installation. Frankly the purpose is to save our bacon as a back up if need be and if it can do that in the event our primary goes to hell who cares.

Does anyone have any experience with this unit? What have you experienced. If its a piece of junk I'm not interested but if its a good unit and can tie us over till we can get a certified back up electric AI then I'd think its a worth while investment.

Yes you can, the trick is in how it is held in place whether it is legal to install as "additional information". There is a member on this board who holds an A&P and used to work for the FAA who had a Green Mountain unit IIRC legally in his Cherokee Six.

 

[Velocity173]

Just used mine about 2 hrs ago. Works great. Today I had problems with signal strength on satellite reception so my GS and ALT was dropping off periodically. Never had that problem before. It's mounted without the external anntenna and a glare shield is directly above it so its amazing I get a signal at all.

Never any problems with the AI. It's easy to set up on your kitchen counter. You can fine tune it once it's mounted in the aircraft. I don't use the optional aircraft power source so the battery lasts about 4 hrs on a charge. I just do short hops anyway so I've flown it about 6 months now on a single charge. No real complaints. Just wish I would've waited for the version 2 to come out so I'd have the G meter.

 

[hfalkner]

... Today I had problems with signal strength on satellite reception so my GS and ALT was dropping off periodically...

Was the attitude affected during the GPS dropout? Like the OP, AdamZ, I'm looking for a backup AI.

Wish it would fit in a 2" instrument hole. And wish it didn't rely on GPS. But the new lower price (just under 1 Aircraft Unit (tm) of money) is appealing.

 

[Henning]

Was the attitude affected during the GPS dropout? Like the OP, AdamZ, I'm looking for a backup AI.

Wish it would fit in a 2" instrument hole. And wish it didn't rely on GPS. But the new lower price (just under 1 Aircraft Unit (tm) of money) is appealing.

Mounting the air data computer will require an installation from the maintenance fairy unless maybe you use a twist lock type testing tap to get into the pitot static system unless you use a certified air data computer. Maybe install a back up P-Stat system completely unconnected to the factory system.

 

[Velocity173]

Was the attitude affected during the GPS dropout? Like the OP, AdamZ, I'm looking for a backup AI.

Wish it would fit in a 2" instrument hole. And wish it didn't rely on GPS. But the new lower price (just under 1 Aircraft Unit (tm) of money) is appealing.

If the GPS signal becomes intermittent like I had today, GS and ALT drop off and you'll get a warning to cross check horizon. You'll still have an AI but it won't be as reliable without the GPS signal. Kinda strange since it uses its own internal MEMs gyros but it still says it needs a GPS signal. Today, it still appeared to be accurate during the times I lost the signal.

It comes with a standard 3 1/8 "pinch mount." All I did was remove the old unreliable vacuum standby AI I had and mounted this in its place.

I will clarify, I fly EXP as well. This is not a TSO'd device.

 

[Henning]

If the GPS signal becomes intermittent like I had today, GS and ALT drop off and you'll get a warning to cross check horizon. You'll still have an AI but it won't be as reliable without the GPS signal. Kinda strange since it uses its own internal MEMs gyros but it still says it needs a GPS signal. Today, it still appeared to be accurate during the times I lost the signal.

It comes with a standard 3 1/8 "pinch mount." All I did was remove the old unreliable vacuum standby AI I had and mounted this in its place.

I will clarify, I fly EXP as well. This is not a TSO'd device.

TSO not required for the application as long as primary systems remain.

 

[jesse]

So I am enjoying our new to us Bo but one of the upgrades we want to do is to add an back up electric AI. Right now its not quite in the budget but we have been considering a Dynon Pocket Panel. http://www.chiefaircraft.com/avionics/dynon/efis-d2/dynon-d2.html

Yes I know its not for installation in a certified plane but it can be used in the plane with various mounting methods which are not considered installation. Frankly the purpose is to save our bacon as a back up if need be and if it can do that in the event our primary goes to hell who cares.

Does anyone have any experience with this unit? What have you experienced. If its a piece of junk I'm not interested but if its a good unit and can tie us over till we can get a certified back up electric AI then I'd think its a worth while investment.

Personally I'd rather have Foreflight SV and a Stratus 2. Main thing is to make sure the Stratus 2 can't ever run out of juice and is mounted in the airplane in a way to where it's always fixed. The battery lasts about 8 hours itself....

In my Flybaby, I just popped two holes in the side of the plane and bolted a ram mount there. My stratus stays perfectly fixed and can be powered by the ship.

With that setup, I could easily takeoff into 200 foot overcast, fly a perfect pattern, and land on the runway again with nothing more than my iPad and that Stratus. Your whole panel vacuum and electric could fail you and you could fly to a runway even on a low IFR day.

Would I do that? No. But it's damn nice knowing that I can get to a runway and the SV is great for avoiding towers since I rarely fly over a thousand feet.

The trick to the Stratus is that it needs to be mounted in a really good way that doesn't move around and won't fall off for the attitude information to be accurate.

Some pics in action...

Short final:

Low pass over runway at 50 ft AGL:

Headed towards some towers that could easily ruin my day:

 

[James331]

Personally I'd rather have Foreflight SV and a Stratus 2. Main thing is to make sure the Stratus 2 can't ever run out of juice and is mounted in the airplane in a way to where it's always fixed. The battery lasts about 8 hours itself....

In my Flybaby, I just popped two holes in the side of the plane and bolted a ram mount there. My stratus stays perfectly fixed and can be powered by the ship.

With that setup, I could easily takeoff into 200 foot overcast, fly a perfect pattern, and land on the runway again with nothing more than my iPad and that Stratus. Your whole panel vacuum and electric could fail you and you could fly to a runway even on a low IFR day.

Would I do that? No. But it's damn nice knowing that I can get to a runway and the SV is great for avoiding towers since I rarely fly over a thousand feet.

The trick to the Stratus is that it needs to be mounted in a really good way that doesn't move around and won't fall off for the attitude information to be accurate.

Some pics in action...

Short final:

Low pass over runway at 50 ft AGL:

Headed towards some towers that could easily ruin my day:

Way better bang for your buck.

 

[CJones]

Have one clipped do the glareshield on the -10. Seems to work pretty well.

 

[CT4ME]

'Love Dynon stuff... BTW the Pocket Panel just dropped 27% in price... now only $1095