'Caution' warnings

[AlanR]

Skyviews D1000 x2 installed.

Whilst flying along I occasionally getting a random audible 'caution' warning. This prompts me to look and check the various parameters on the displays...these usually look fine to me and nothing appears in the messages box. So I do nothing and fly on. These caution warnings seem to happen every couple of flights.
My question is:-
Clearly something within Skyview thinks something is outside of the parameters set but without it telling me what it is 'cautioning' me about how can I identify what the caution warning is for.
An audible caution warning without more information to me seems rather pointless.
Thoughts please...

 

[swatson999]

Download and check the logs.

 

[AlanR]

Ok I can download and check the logs which will perhaps help identify the issue. However I can't do that in flight!

Sometimes if I throttle back too much say whilst on the ground I get 'Caution, engine speed' which is great because it tells me what the issue is...No problem.
The point I am trying to make is that an audible warning of 'Caution' without saying what the caution is about is useless whilst flying along and could be unnerving to some pilots.

 

[Raymo]

I believe all the alerts/alarms in the system are configurable. Have you reviewed them to determine what might be the cause?

Nobody would expect you to download while flying; that is the reason the alerts are logged - so you can determine what it was while on the ground.

 

[AlanR]

I am fully aware that the issue can possibly be tracked down on the ground by downloading the logs.
However you are unfortunately still missing the point I am trying to make in that an audible warning, without stating what the 'Caution' is for, whilst in flight is useless and could in certain circustances with say an inexperienced pilot or someone under stress could cause further distress or even worse.
It would be far better to get no caution alert at all than one that doesn't tell you what the caution is about IMHO. I do also realise that audible warnings can be switched off completely but that again defeats the object.

 

[swatson999]

I am fully aware that the issue can possibly be tracked down on the ground by downloading the logs.
However you are unfortunately still missing the point I am trying to make in that an audible warning, without stating what the 'Caution' is for, whilst in flight is useless and could in certain circustances with say an inexperienced pilot or someone under stress could cause further distress or even worse.
It would be far better to get no caution alert at all than one that doesn't tell you what the caution is about IMHO. I do also realise that audible warnings can be switched off completely but that again defeats the object.

So make them all latching alarms .

Seriously, the odd transient alert should be no concern...sort it out on the ground later. If you're getting many of them, or many on a single flight, then you've got a problem that needs to be sorted out, again, probably on the ground. Could be a configuration problem (an alarm limit that's set too tight, etc.), a bad sensor, or an actual issue.

 

[Raymo]

I am fully aware that the issue can possibly be tracked down on the ground by downloading the logs.
However you are unfortunately still missing the point I am trying to make in that an audible warning, without stating what the 'Caution' is for, whilst in flight is useless and could in certain circustances with say an inexperienced pilot or someone under stress could cause further distress or even worse.
It would be far better to get no caution alert at all than one that doesn't tell you what the caution is about IMHO. I do also realise that audible warnings can be switched off completely but that again defeats the object.

I get your point and you've been provided a way to determine WHY it is happening, which is my point in trying to help. Until you know WHY it is happening (likely a configuration issue), complaining that it DOES won't get anywhere.

Just trying to help...

 

[AlanR]

Ray,
I do appreciate that you are just trying to help...
I am also confident that I can trace and sort the random warnings I am occasionally getting. I suspect for me it is just a parameter issue with one of the sensor settings.
A bit of software tweaking could be so relatively easily integrated into Slyview to flag up a definitive in-flight caution, not a random one. It is the random caution warning that is the issue not if there is a real issue or fault.
Call it feedback for Dynon to take on board if you like....   

 

[alexe]

AlanR,
I had a similar problem. The log showed repeated instances of “autopilot disconnect broken”, or something similar. Several of my flying friends experienced the same problem. In my case (and theirs), the solution was to turn off health monitoring of the AP disconnect switch after checking to make sure there was a proper value of resistor paralleling the disconnect switch was present. It appears that the Dynon has a bit of a problem monitoring the presence of that resistor. Searching this forum will lead you to many others complaining of the same issue. Anyway, you need to start with looking at he log to see what is actually triggering the caution message. If its what I mentioned above, do as I suggested.
Alex

 

[mitch757]

I too have the random aural "caution" while in flight with nothing identified. Any warning/caution inflight that can not be identified or responded to just should NOT EXIST....until the aircraft is on the ground/shut down.

Mitch

 

[swatson999]

I too have the random aural "caution" while in flight with nothing identified.  Any warning/caution inflight that can not be identified or responded to just should NOT EXIST....until the aircraft is on the ground/shut down.

Mitch

Define "identified" and "responded to".

I can identify ALL alarms via the logs. And if an alarm is NON-LATCHING, then a momentary out-of-limits value will alarm and then clear on the next cycle when the value is back in valid range, will it not?

What you're asking for is some modified operational model, like "non-latching alarms will display for a minimum of N seconds before clearing, even if the value has returned to within limits prior to that time". Fair enough.

This is where engineers and designers get frustrated with users. You say "it shouldn't do that", but "that" is *precisely* what the requirements on the system (non-latching alarms) are, and the system is doing exactly that. So be more precise in what you want, rather than just "not that", and I'm sure Dynon will work with us on it.