Alternate Screen Layout Ideas

[MTBehnke]

I'm hoping to begin work on my RV within the next few months - but until then I've been studying a lot of panel options.  The D10A or the D180 will likely take center place on my panel.  Despite the fact that it will be 2-3 years before I fly, I'd still like to throw in a few suggestions on the screen layout.  I'd really like to use it for IFR (with appropriate steam gauges).  IMHO the info from the standard 6-pack should be very prominent and other info placed where it will be less intrusive.

My thoughts:

- I'd like to see the airspeed and altitude display boxes moved down to mid-height to where the arrows are on the tapes.  Obviously this is important info and it seems out of place tucked up in each corner.  It's also redundant to the speed/alt tape info.

- I'd like to see the VS readout replaced with a bar similar to the AOA readout, with an arrow pointing to the current VS.  The digital readout right at mid-height is distracting and the specific value is not critical info, although a general idea of the value is important.

- I'd like to see the various display data placed across the bottom, such as OAT, TAS, VS (number), Density Altitude.  These are non-critical numbers but currently appear right at mid-height in the display areas and are distracting.  At the bottom the menu bars would temporarily cover these displayed values when opened, but allows that screen space to be used the rest of the time.

- Eliminate the MPH and FT unit display, but include the units in the displayed values across the bottom (e.g. TAS 130 KTS, D ALT 3500 FT).  This would be a convenient way to display units without taking much screen space (same units used for all displayed values).

These changes would place all critical flight info mid-height on each side and top and bottom.  It would also free up some space in the upper corners for future use if (when?) you integrate it with a GPS.  I could see wind direction and speed (with arrow) in the upper left corner and Ground Speed displayed in the upper right.  Another nice add would be a diamond or other shape showing ground track in the heading bar.

Perhaps an alternate screen layout could be an option on the menu.  I've done a mock-up of these suggestions, but don't have a clue how to add a picture to a post if it's even possible.  Would be glad to email to you if interested.

Otherwise, the D10A and D180 are clearly outstanding products and can't wait to get behind one.

Mike

 

[Thomas_Schaad]

Mike,

I 100% agree with your suggestions. Specially the fact that the Speed- and Altitudeboxes are not aligned with the bug on the tape looks strange to me, as I am used to fly "the certifed EFIS" where the tape goes trough the boxes. We could also consider to change the color of the boxes into black and the numbers into white, as most of the systems do.
I would higly appreciate to see this changing on our Dynons eventually.

Rgds

Thomas

 

[dan]

I respectfully disagree.  While I do agree that on a larger screen, having the "boxes" where the "arrows" are is more intuitive, on the smaller screen of the D10[A], putting those boxes in the middle of the tapes would inhibit legibility of the HORIZON.

I have nearly 800 hours behind an EFIS-D10, some of which has been in the clouds (probably to the chagrin of Dynon Avionics).  Regardless, DO NOT IMPINGE on my horizon indication. By placing the boxes in the middle of the tapes, it would reduce the width of the horizon when it's level. It would greatly reduce the visual cues you get with slight bank changes. One wouldn't notice bank changes as easily as you can now. Do not "hide" any of my horizon, please.

I suspect this was the rationale that Dynon had for putting the digital readout boxes in the upper corners.  Just a guess.

In any case, please count my vote AGAINST centering those boxes.  Please keep 'em where they are.  If there's any semblance of "democracy" about what changes are made, I would ask that Dynon please "weigh" votes differently based on whether the user is actually flying behind an existing unit or just imagining his or her panel years in advance...  I hope you don't take offense to this, MTBehnke.

)_( Dan
RV-7 N714D (760 hours)
http://www.rvproject.com

 

[Thomas_Schaad]

Dan, no offence at all and your argument is absolutely valuable. Maybe Dynon could also offer a setup option to "either have them".

What I basically am not so happy with, is having the bug in another location than the box. Those screens having the boxes more to the middle, drive the tape trough the box. On the Dynon the box is aside the tape. I would prefer here as well the tape going through the box. This would also move them a bit more to the edges and give you more horizon picture. Try to immagine, a tape going trough the box gives you on the altitude side a clear picture of your 3-dimesnional situation, somewhat I can't see on any onther alimeter. If you immagine, flying on the ADI and having the actual altitude going trough the horizon is a feature I really love.

What I would love to have is an option to have the bugs for speed and altitude aligned with the boxes. Keeping in mind that on the Dynon the bugs are located slightly higher than the horizon I don't see a problem. If Dynon offers us not only to have them, or not, but also an option in location, I guess it helps all of us.

 

[Bob_Ellis]

My vote is for value boxes in the middle, its where most airline instruments have them. If professional pilots like them there surely that should be good for all pilots?  Best of both worlds though would be to make the display customised then everyone would be happy.  Another facility to set the Dynon apart from the competitors?

 

[Canadian_JOY]

Hmmm, interesting topic... I'll cast a vote in here too, in hopes that DynonSupport is listening.

Keep in mind that I refer primarily to the D100 in this discussion, but believe the same should apply to the D10 display.

I am fully supportive of moving the digital data box to the middle of the tape where the bug is. The current format is at the least idiosyncratic, and at the most, misleading. I have to look in two different places to get the same information - this is not good. I'm about to order a D-100, after having flown a D10 for a while. I'll admit that while flying the D10 I NEVER looked at the tape because I found the information it displayed to be useless. The digital info was much larger, much easier to read, and therefor the data that I picked up more easily on the instrument scan.

I know there will be those who will continue to say "don't mess with my horizon", and they are absolutely right. But the current implementation of digital altitude and airspeed can be done in a MUCH better fashion in the middle of the tape. If you want to see what it looks like on a small display, go to the Lowrance Avionics site and download their AirMap1000 or AirMap2000c simulators. Their altitude and speed tapes are VERY legible, and are included on a display that's smaller than either the D10 or D100, with enough room for a moving map in between them. Having played with the AirMap1000 which is a monochrome display, I can honestly say that its altitude and airspeed information is far more legible and meaningful than that presented on the D10, and by extension, on the D100, even though these units have the advantage of being colour displays.

Just as a suggestion for those who don't want to lose the length of their horizon line, if the digital data were in the middle of the tape, the background of the digital data (currently set to white) could actually be part of the horizon display and use white numerals. This way the horizon bar would appear to run through the digital data box, but you wouldn't lose the "blue up, brown down" colour coding.

BTW, the first EFIS that I flew was a small, experimental unit based on an early ruggedized CRT. It was only 3" square and still had plenty of horizon for me to maintain control of the aircraft in a full "head down" mode. And it presented the digital data in the middle of the tapes...

Now, for the next item... heading information. We need to work on either a larger heading bug or a similar digital data box as described above, because it's pretty easy to loose the heading information with all that white info pasted up at the top of the screen (turn rate bugs etc).