Any HUD Developments?

[jnmeade]

I'd very much like to have AOA on an HUD. Are there any HUD applications planned?

 

[vlittle]

The ASTM stall/spin avoidance workshop being held next week is specifically looking at AoA systems for GA aircraft.

There is a lot of concern about visual indications not being adequate for stall/spin avoidance, particularly for VFR aircraft. Audio alerts are considered superior but not entirely foolproof. Haptic indications such as a stick shaker are being investigated and considered to be the most foolproof. The current use of AoA in military aircraft is to use a rudder pedal shaker but this may not be desireable for GA... Not all pilots keep their feet on the rudder pedals!

[warning: opinion to follow]
So I am not sure an AoA on an HUD is necessarily superior to the audio or haptic indications. I have developed glare shield AoA indicators and haptic indicators. Visual is the least reliable method due to 'target fixation'. Audible can be masked by other alarms or comms. Haptic systems are independent and hard to ignore.

The elephant in the room is that whatever you have, training and practice is advised so that reaction to an immenent stall is immediate and correct.

However, a visual indicator is handy if you want to use AoA for precision manoeuvring, so what Dynon provides on screen is useful and a HUD representation is even better.

Vern

 

[mrdaud]

Not sure of the quality, effectiveness, or reliability of this, but there is a low-cost stick shaker that is supposed to work with Dynon. Can be found at http://store.makerplane.org/swzl-1-stick-shaker/ Any thoughts from the experts?

 

[vlittle]

Not sure of the quality, effectiveness, or reliability of this, but there is a low-cost stick shaker that is supposed to work with Dynon.  Can be found at http://store.makerplane.org/swzl-1-stick-shaker/     Any thoughts from the experts?

Ummm, well.... Full disclosure... I am the designer of the SWZL-1A. This unit is being evaluated by the ASTM.

Vern

 

[lgabriel]

I would really love a standard chevron / donut / chevron AoA indexer.

 

[mrdaud]

Vern - should one wait to buy the shaker until after ASTM review, or are you confident of the product? Thanks!

 

[jakej]

From my experience Vern doesn't release a product unless he is happy with it, after all he is a aircraft builder too and therefore one of us
I'm satisfied that anything he designs is well thought.

Jake J

 

[jdubner]

I would really love a standard chevron / donut / chevron AoA indexer.

You and me both!  I've found that the EFIS main screen version isn't as useable.  The "donut" is quick and easy to interpret without having to focus on it.  I don't want to be looking inside and downward anytime in the traffic pattern.

--
Joe
RV-8A

 

[vlittle]

Vern -  should one wait to buy the shaker until after ASTM review, or are you confident of the product?  Thanks!

The product has been available for almost a year... A rep for the ASTM purchased one for the workshop and tried to get Bendix-King (Honeywell) to use it in conjuction with their visual AoA, but I'm not sure what became of that. The device was designed to be driven by a D10xx or a SkyView but also has an analog demo mode and a stall vane input.

This is an open source hardware device, readily hackable by those that like to muck with PIC microcontrollers. There is nothing unusual about the hardware except that is designed for harsh environments. All of the magic is in the firmware.

The supplied motor and stick clamping is fine for small aircraft, but it can be upsized if required. The algorithm to drive it is a progressive interrupted shake that increases its urgency with increasing AoA, similar to Dynon's audio alert.

To answer your question... The Experimental world is leading the pack on AoA technology, the ASTM is just trying to convince the FAA to allow it for certified aircraft. If you want wait for the FAA to make a decision, then it may be a while.

Vern