Can Seattle Avionics allow earlier plate updates?

[704ch]

Hi Guys,

As of Feb 6 the Plates from this cycle are no longer current. I can not update plates from the Seattle Avionics Data Manager as of current time. (2:05pm PST Feb 4).

I rotate out USB sticks and want to have the new cycle on a stick ready to go so that I can always be current.

Can you talk to Seattle Avionics and tell them to get the next cycle available earlier? I have all my Garmin and Skyview nav data databases updated and ready to go. Not the case with my Seattle avionics plates.

Also, on the last update the Seattle avionics chart updater told me my plates were current when they were in fact not. The updater doesn't replace plates unless they are marked as "changed" from prior cycles. I found plates, for example the KPAE LOC plates that were "changed", yet not updated on my Skyview. I was able to fix this by deleting all data from my computer and downloading all fresh. Seattle Avionics indicated the issue was on their side.

Thx

 

[Dynon]

I'm not sure whether or not they publish in advance, but we're looking into it.

As for the other issue - did they happen to say whether they were going to update the data manager to fix it, or was it a purely "on their end" data issue? (we're also asking about this)

 

[Dynon]

OK, I have some more info. They do publish ahead, but not a full week. In this case, the next cycle data went live yesterday (the day you tried downloading). So you might have hit the server before the new data is posted. I'd try again.

As for plates not being current - here's their explanation:

"If you're checking for valid dates of the plate by looking at the side of the plate, you're being misled. The FAA prints two dates on the side of each plate. Although they look like expiration dates, they are not. They simply represent the print cycle of when that plate was last printed by the FAA. That is, even if a plate doesn't change for two years, every 28 days, it will have a new set of dates on the side. The Data Manager ignores these dates and uses a database that the FAA publishes to download only the plates that really have changed or been added. Thus, even when all your plates are current, you may see 'old' dates on the side. You have to keep in mind that, unlike IFR enroute charts or Sectionals, there is no planned expiration date for a plate -- they just update it when necessary. Thus, it's not possible for them to print an expire date on the plate since they have no idea when it might expire.

Plates do have revision info on them in the lower left corner, however. This revision info remains constant even when the date on the side changes (unless the plate really was changed, of course) but it's hard to decode as it sometimes involves what's called a Julian date. Moreover, unless you know for sure what the "current" revision info is, it doesn't help you much as there is nothing to compare it to. We all just have to rely on the FAA accurately marking plates when changed. The good news is that we've been doing this for 10 years and I've NEVER seen them make a mistake about this.

Finally, in the ChartData Manager, you can tell the program to download ALL plates, even the ones that have not changed."

 

[704ch]

Regarding their explanation, that is not what happened.   I have the email string I can forward to you.  The plates had changed and were not updated with the download.  The data manager told me all my plates were current (green circles) when they were in fact not.   This means that pilots out there are most likely flying with outdated plates and do not know it. 

Also, yes the update did become available after I submitted this post, but to my original question, can they provide the updates any earlier ?    One day ahead of the deadline doesn't give much time to ensure you have an updated USB Stick and are always able to have current plates on your  next flight.

Thanks

 

[60av8tor]

Regarding their explanation, that is not what happened.   I have the email string I can forward to you.  The plates had changed and were not updated with the download.  The data manager told me all my plates were current (green circles) when they were in fact not.   This means that pilots out there are most likely flying with outdated plates and do not know it. 

Also, yes the update did become available after I submitted this post, but to my original question, can they provide the updates any earlier ?    One day ahead of the deadline doesn't give much time to ensure you have an updated USB Stick and are always able to have current plates on your  next flight.

Thanks

I had the same thing happen this month. I hit update and it went through some of the motions, but very quickly the circles went green. I questioned it because every other time the update takes a long time (much longer than iPad apps for instance) - verifies 21,xxx files . I closed the program, reinserted the USB, and it worked as it should.

 

[cmgolden]

Was there any action taken about this?
My Seattle Avionics ChartData Manager says I have Sectional Charts expiring 11/11/15 and I can't (or don't know how to) download the next cycle yet (at 11:30 pm on Nov 10.).

 

[Dynon]

The SA app does not currently offer the next cycle data ahead of time, but if you open up the app today, it should have updated in the background and have the new cycle data available now that the new cycle has gone active.

 

[65xx]

I just updated my USB with SA. All the circles are green that I have checked. However the sectionals show a date of 11/11/15 and the circle is green. Today is 11/11/15 and the time is 6:39 PST. I expect that either the sectionals updated and the date is wrong or the date is correct and the sectionals did not update as indicated by the green circle. Dan from Reno.

 

[JTD]

I have the same problem. Sent Seattle Avionics a diagnostic file this evening

 

[65xx]

Update:  I sent the same email to SA with a little more detail after posting here.  I received two emails back, one acknowledging receiving my email and the other a short time later from Steve Podradchik.  Steve said the problem was fixed and ask that I try again and sorry for the delay.  I retried and it worked.  Good to know the boss is monitoring the product.  Dan from Reno