Scout vs. Stratus 2S

CC268

Final Approach
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CC268
The other thread about the newly released Scout had me thinking. I have never used a Scout, Stratus, Stratux, etc so quite frankly I have no real world usage.

For those of you who HAVE used these devices. Do you or would you ever use the extra features of the Stratus 2S (features that the Scout or Stratux DON'T have)? Do you feel the extra features are worth the extra $700?

Thanks

EDIT: Stratus 2S is $100 of for Oshkosh special...not much but it might be enough for me to order one.
 
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I have a Stratus-2S and have been very happy with it. I love getting ADSB traffic and weather info in the cockpit. The Stratus also provides GPS and attitude information, which it doesn't sound like the Scout does. I like that the Stratus records the flight track and automatically transfers it to Foreflight as well. The Stratus contains a rechargeable battery, so you don't need to run a power wire for all but the longest flights. I think the Scout will give you what is really wanted, which is the traffic and weather, but you have to decide if the other features of the Stratus are worth the extra money to you. If I was making the decision now, the price of the Scout is awfully tempting!
 
Stratus 2S and very happy with it.... for my needs and desires and features offered, the price delta is worth it.
 
Former stratux (single band, no gps, powered by cig adapter) user, current Stratus ESGi user. Traffic and weather are nice. AHRS and yet another GPS do not currently add any value for me. If I didn't have the ESGi, I'd buy a Scout in a heartbeat.
 
Very always something I could hint to the wife about. The list gets bigger....:)
 
Just FYI I noticed Stratus 2S is $100 off from Sporty's right now...might be enough to sway me to buy one lol.
 
So uhh...I just ordered the Stratus 2S...woops
 
I guess they could of made it a little bigger and thrown a GPS chip in it and charge $225. Then they would of had a winner.

Of course they could have!!! And the mfg knows that very well. But the intent is to sell a $200 item without cutting into the sales of the already existent $800 item.

Wait till next quarter when they introduce the "Scout 2s" that includes gps chip for $349. We'll all say, "if only it had AHRS and a battery".
 
Don't need the GPS and I'm VFR only so the synthetic vision is useless. I currently have the Stratux so no need for either but if I had to choose it would be the Scout hands down.
 
Scout has no GPS...no sale.

You can add external GPS for about $50. $100 if you want it wireless. So, call that $300 instead of $200 if you want GPS, too.

I have a Stratus 2. It was stupid expensive, but in every other regard, it does exactly what was advertised. I don't use the AHRS much, and probably should have skipped that option. The GPS, ADS-B, and battery all work great. I get about 7-8 hours out of the battery. One thing the Stratus does that the Stratux generally doesn't, and isn't mentioned much, is internal logging. Your flights are actually logged on the Stratus, and can be pulled into FF. That has been another item that has been surprisingly informative.
 
You can add external GPS for about $50. $100 if you want it wireless. So, call that $300 instead of $200 if you want GPS, too.

I have a Stratus 2. It was stupid expensive, but in every other regard, it does exactly what was advertised. I don't use the AHRS much, and probably should have skipped that option. The GPS, ADS-B, and battery all work great. I get about 7-8 hours out of the battery. One thing the Stratus does that the Stratux generally doesn't, and isn't mentioned much, is internal logging. Your flights are actually logged on the Stratus, and can be pulled into FF. That has been another item that has been surprisingly informative.

I am excited to try to the Stratus!
 
I am excited to try to the Stratus!

By far, the most illuminating new thing I got out of it was traffic display. In the Bay Area, I'm always inside someone's "hockey puck", so traffic is fairly reliable. As you get away from populated areas, be aware that the traffic may be missing even if you have the ADS-B light lit. It's additional information, not the only source for traffic, no matter where you are. But...it's fantastic info.

Weather is the second thing. I'm a VFR pilot for now, so if you're routinely IFR, that may change. I like that the METAR is pushed up automatically, allowing FF to know which runway to plan for, often long before I can receive the ATIS or AWOS. I'm not a heavy user of the radar imaging, but, again, that's because I don't fly when and where it's most useful.

Like I said, AHRS...maybe if I flew IFR. VFR, it's a parlor trick most of the time. Maybe it saves my bacon one day, but probably not. If I fly into IMC unintentionally, I probably won't have the time or energy to bring that screen up, especially if I don't have the iPad in the yoke mount. (I often don't fly with it on, pulling it out just for chart work.)

Big battery and effective fan mean that it has only complained about heat once or twice. The 2S has a much better USB port than mine. I don't have the pressure sensor in mine, so I can't comment on that. WiFi connection is dead reliable, far more so than any Bluetooth-based device I've ever used.

One complaint is that the rubber power button can get lodged under the case. If it gets stuck there, the device flashes all red. It recovers easily, just by jiggling the button. However, it is exactly the same display as overheat, so there have been times I've moved it off the glareshield thinking it was overheating, only to find it still unhappy 10 minutes later. Check that stupid rubber button if you're having trouble. (Unless they changed it for the 2S. Box looks the same, but I haven't actually handled it.) You'll understand what I mean once you get the box.
 
By far, the most illuminating new thing I got out of it was traffic display. In the Bay Area, I'm always inside someone's "hockey puck", so traffic is fairly reliable. As you get away from populated areas, be aware that the traffic may be missing even if you have the ADS-B light lit. It's additional information, not the only source for traffic, no matter where you are. But...it's fantastic info.

Weather is the second thing. I'm a VFR pilot for now, so if you're routinely IFR, that may change. I like that the METAR is pushed up automatically, allowing FF to know which runway to plan for, often long before I can receive the ATIS or AWOS. I'm not a heavy user of the radar imaging, but, again, that's because I don't fly when and where it's most useful.

Like I said, AHRS...maybe if I flew IFR. VFR, it's a parlor trick most of the time. Maybe it saves my bacon one day, but probably not. If I fly into IMC unintentionally, I probably won't have the time or energy to bring that screen up, especially if I don't have the iPad in the yoke mount. (I often don't fly with it on, pulling it out just for chart work.)

Big battery and effective fan mean that it has only complained about heat once or twice. The 2S has a much better USB port than mine. I don't have the pressure sensor in mine, so I can't comment on that. WiFi connection is dead reliable, far more so than any Bluetooth-based device I've ever used.

One complaint is that the rubber power button can get lodged under the case. If it gets stuck there, the device flashes all red. It recovers easily, just by jiggling the button. However, it is exactly the same display as overheat, so there have been times I've moved it off the glareshield thinking it was overheating, only to find it still unhappy 10 minutes later. Check that stupid rubber button if you're having trouble. (Unless they changed it for the 2S. Box looks the same, but I haven't actually handled it.) You'll understand what I mean once you get the box.

Great thanks for the review! I'm VFR now but will be starting my instrument rating in September or October!
 
For those of you who HAVE used these devices. Do you or would you ever use the extra features of the Stratus 2S (features that the Scout or Stratux DON'T have)? Do you feel the extra features are worth the extra $700?

I got a 2s not long after they came out. So I've been flying behind it for a couple of years. I'm very pleased with it. I still prefer the XM Nexrad but the traffic, AI and no subscription easily makes up for it.
 
Stratux. Well worth it if you don't mind putting it together. It works very well. The only thing it doesn't have is an integrated battery.

It does have AHRS, but it doesn't work in foreflight (on the public builds, there's an experimental build where it does), but it does work with other apps, I'm told.
 
I got a 2s not long after they came out. So I've been flying behind it for a couple of years. I'm very pleased with it. I still prefer the XM Nexrad but the traffic, AI and no subscription easily makes up for it.

How does XM weather work? Do you need another receiver for that?
 

Take a USB memory stick (it approximates the size/weight/build of the Scout) and drop it from shoulder height. Do the same with a Stratux. Which one took damage?
 
Take a USB memory stick (it approximates the size/weight/build of the Scout) and drop it from shoulder height. Do the same with a Stratux. Which one took damage?
Depends entirely on the case.
 
How does XM weather work? Do you need another receiver for that?

XM requires a different device plus a monthly subscription. It's a slightly better weather product than ADSB, but not sure it's worth the subscription price.
 
Um....isn't that a "different device" than the receivers we were discussing??
Well, yeah. But it wasn't clear whether you meant "different device from ADS-B in general" or "different device from Stratus/Stratux/Scout".
 
Take a USB memory stick (it approximates the size/weight/build of the Scout) and drop it from shoulder height. Do the same with a Stratux. Which one took damage?
Why are we dropping these?
 
Why are we dropping these?

It's like flying a retract and landing gear-up. Either you have, or you will. It would be nice to know what happens before it happens.
 
It's like flying a retract and landing gear-up. Either you have, or you will. It would be nice to know what happens before it happens.
By that logic, you should never use an iPad. Only paper charts because you'll eventually drop it.
 
By that logic, you should never use an iPad. Only paper charts because you'll eventually drop it.
No, my iPad can survive a fall from that height because it's in a tough case.

Also, AppleCare.
 
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