Portable collision avoidance system recommendation

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IlyaK18

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IlyaK18
Hello all !

I passed my private pilot checkride a couple weeks ago. I will be flying alot around the NY long island area, where there is usually a bunch of traffic, and approach does not always do the best job of notifying until that traffic is right on the wing ( had that happen a few times) . So I am considering getting a PCAS , and just wanted to see if anyone knows any that are out there ,other than the ZAON, maybe something under $500 or so. Thank you !
 
Zaon went out of business a couple years ago, but you can pick one up on ebay or other places. I'm still using mine until the hassles with ADS-B get worked out.
 
murphey said:
Zaon went out of business a couple years ago, but you can pick one up on ebay or other places. I'm still using mine until the hassles with ADS-B get worked out.
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Same here...Zaon in the plane every flight, the company is out of business so there are a few units on ebay as people make the jump to ADSB solutions.

If you do purchase one on ebay, you should calibrate it before your first flight with it, I re calibrate mine every six months
 

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Scrabo said:
Same here...Zaon in the plane every flight, the company is out of business so there are a few units on ebay as people make the jump to ADSB solutions.

If you do purchase one on ebay, you should calibrate it before your first flight with it, I re calibrate mine every six months
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There are 2 units from Zaon, the high-end version can be calibrated, not the low end.
 
TCAS only works if all other airplanes are transmitting a transponder code. Not all airplanes have transponders. Your eyes are your best anti-collision tool.
 
Stewartb said:
Your eyes are your best anti-collision tool.
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Another reason why adsb is a good thing. Half the time I don't see them but have them on the iPad and the 430.
 
Stewartb said:
TCAS only works if all other airplanes are transmitting a transponder code. Not all airplanes have transponders. Your eyes are your best anti-collision tool.
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I don't know, my eyes have missed plenty. The daughter usually picks traffic out way before I do. Seems to me anything that would help avoid a bump is a good thing. Yes, not all planes have transponders, but a lot more than ADS-B out.
 
Morgan3820 said:
I don't know, my eyes have missed plenty. The daughter usually picks traffic out way before I do. Seems to me anything that would help avoid a bump is a good thing. Yes, not all planes have transponders, but a lot more than ADS-B out.
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Yes. Also bear in mind that the ol' Mark Ones, as good as they may be, can't pick up the traffic that's about to ram you from behind, or climb/descend into you from below/above. Sure, you can fly in constant clearing turns, but I'd like to see anyone doing that on a long cross country, and even that still leaves blind spots. And of course in IMC, forget about seeing traffic busting VFR minimums.

So the best approach is to use every practical tool at your disposal: PCAS/TCAS, ADSB, ATC (FF if VFR), passengers, *and* your eyes.
I have had plenty of cases where only one of the above worked. :hairraise:
 
I have the mode S TIS, a Zaon PCAS, almost always IFR or FF, and usually not only my sets of eyes but also my wife who is an experienced pilot as well looking out the window.

There are still a number of cases of crashes that result from mutual failure for two sets of pilots to see and avoid. I'll use all the resources available to me at the time.

When I picked up my plane from having the panel reworked I learned the value of this. I was flying solo and departed KPVG. It was a hazy but legal VFR day. I immediately called the local (Norfolk) approach control and was receiving services. The TIS showed a target coming towards me at my altitude. No warning was received from approach and I was looking carefully for the traffic. Not being able to spot them in the haze and with less than 1 mile of distance and still converging according to TIS, I decided to climb. A few seconds later I saw the target pass 500' below me. I doubt he saw me either. Had I not climbed we would have certainly collided or come very close.

No I won't ignore any of the information available to me.
 
Since not everyone is ADSB and most aircraft do have transponder I think at this point the only 99% guarantee is: Use flight-following, Zaon XRX (or Monroy etc) for transponder traffic and Stratus or GDL for ADSB traffic. The reason for 99%... there will always be somebody who is flying blind without a transponder, ADSB out and just not looking out. No equipment will help you with that guy.
 
I use a Navworx setup with WingX. Would probably rather use ForeFlight but they have an exclusive with Stratus.

That said WingX has a pretty cool dual view function... so I like to have two sectional chart views, one zoomed in <5NM so I can see really close traffic.
 
TWinter said:
Since not everyone is ADSB and most aircraft do have transponder I think at this point the only 99% guarantee is: Use flight-following, Zaon XRX (or Monroy etc) for transponder traffic and Stratus or GDL for ADSB traffic. The reason for 99%... there will always be somebody who is flying blind without a transponder, ADSB out and just not looking out. No equipment will help you with that guy.
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Not everybody needs to be ADSB for it to be effective. The TIS-B just requires that the ground station be able to see the traffic (which it can do without a transponder, though it will not get altitude then or ADSB on the other aircraft).
However, I'm still waiting for the ADSB and related technologies to settle down, I'm not standing in line to be an early adopter (I've got friends with the GDL90 boat anchors).
 
I agree..I've considered the GDL88, but I'm in no hurry to spend another 6K. I think there will be other options coming soon. I am anxious to clear my dash of Stratus, XRX etc...
 
flyingron said:
I have the mode S TIS, a Zaon PCAS, almost always IFR or FF, and usually not only my sets of eyes but also my wife who is an experienced pilot as well looking out the window.

.... A few seconds later I saw the target pass 500' below me. I doubt he saw me either. Had I not climbed we would have certainly collided or come very close.
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I run Zaon and TIS as well. Zaon saved me a couple of weeks ago on a long XC. Was denied FF for the last leg to Austin. Zaon picked up traffic at my 06:00 closing slowly (started at 2.0 miles). Watched it countdown and made a descending left turn when it hit 0.1 . I rolled back on course about 10-15 seconds later and saw a Saratoga pilot head down in the cockpit. I'm sure we would've met in the air and not been a close call if it werent for the Zaon.
 
TWinter said:
I agree..I've considered the GDL88, but I'm in no hurry to spend another 6K. I think there will be other options coming soon. I am anxious to clear my dash of Stratus, XRX etc...
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Thomlinsons did mine for $5k. I was shocked how many planes were around me I never saw. Worth the money to me.
 
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