DYNON MUST STOP BETA TESTING ON ITS CUSTOMERS

[FL_Flyer938]

BEWARE: Dynon has a known history of releasing products in Beta test mode without telling its customers. It then quickly releases update versions as the "beta testers" report problems. DYNON'S DEFECTIVE SV-COM25 ALMOST CAUSED ME A FATAL ACCIDENT. Dynon paid great lip service to the problem and did NOTHING to remedy the issue.

In May 2014 I installed 2 SV-COM25s in a new factory build LSA. Not known to Dynon and not disclosed to me was a design defect in the Automatic Gain Control (AGC). Unlike every other radio on the market, Dynon's AGC was DIRECTLY TIED TO THE VOLUME CONTROL. Wherever the volume was set, that was the broadcast strength the AGC allowed. Unless the volume was turned up FULL the broadcast strength of the radio (and receive strength) was reduced.

After complaining to Dynon for over a year, I was flying and did not hear advisory calls from ATC that an aircraft was being diverted and I was to make an immediate course correction to avoid. There was a "near incident" from this comm failure. ATC was VERY UPSET WITH ME.

For a while David DeLong worked with me, explained the problem and promised that new radios would be sent to replace the old ones. That never occured. I urge you if you have similar vintage SV-COM25s PLEASE BE CAREFUL TO TURN THE DYNON CONTROL HEAD VOULME UP FULL and adjust your earphone volume with the headset.

I will never every buy Dynon again. Dynon's beta testing on customers also caused me to have to return my SV-1000 which the "accidentally" flashed during the reboot without backing up the data as they promised they would do. I lost all my engine history data, all my Skyview System settings and had to totally reprogram the entire installation.

I know know why TSO'ed avionics cost more. The customers are not used for beta testing.

A sad, but wiser, Dynon client. My motto: NEVER AGAIN DYNON.

 

[n456ts]

I'm confused why you're choosing and installing equipment in an S-LSA. As a pilot, you should always be prepared for a radio failure.

 

[tomkk]

I've been happy with my Dynon equipment, and their support.

 

[Raymo]

Also a happy Dynon customer. If I were going so send in my Skyview, I would back it up myself rather than expect one of their techs to remember to do so. :

They also have, for some time, recommended to not use two of their COM radios on the same system.

No software is perfect, even in the certified world.

 

[William_Ince]

Also a satisfied Dynon customer here.
Very competitively priced, quality products, and the best customer support in the industry.
I will keep buying Dynon.

 

[airguy]

I see a lot of red flags in your story, most of which are coming from you (the user). I suspect you might benefit from a little more RTFM (Read The F'ing Manual) and a little less drama.

Very happy Dynon customer here...

 

[GalinHdz]

I see a lot of red flags in your story, most of which are coming from you (the user). I suspect you might benefit from a little more RTFM (Read The F'ing Manual) and a little less drama.

Very happy Dynon customer here...

I am also a very satisfied DYNON customer and completely agree with your post.

FLORIDAFLYER 938 really needs to learn what EXPERIMENTAL aviation means. This requires the customer actually be engaged and a part of the process not just sit back and be spoon fed. But then again this was his first and only post and it appears, like you say, that his problems were self generated. IMHO if he needs to have his hand held so much he should NOT be in the experimental aviation world and should go back to certificated aircraft.

 

[n456ts]

if he needs to have his hand held so much he should NOT be in the experimental aviation world and should go back to certificated aircraft.

Here's the problem...  He claims he was picking out radios for an S-LSA.  Not an experimental LSA.  That's factory built.  In short - his story has some holes, or is an outright lie. 

 

[Robski]

Re: DYNON MUST STart charging ITS CUSTOMERS lots more!

I lost all my engine history data, all my Skyview System settings and had to totally reprogram the entire installation. 

System backups are for other people, eh?

I'm not up to speed on SV as I'm a D120 and soon to be D100 user, but I would guess that like the D series the SV does not have inexhaustible storage: when it reaches the capacity limit for the engine logs it starts to overwrite the oldest entries.
No problem with that. It's a standard software practice.
What it does mean is that after 2 years he's probably been overwriting his precious engine logs himself!  ;D

 

[Ccandrews]

if he needs to have his hand held so much he should NOT be in the experimental aviation world and should go back to certificated aircraft.

Here's the problem...  He claims he was picking out radios for an S-LSA.  Not an experimental LSA.  That's factory built.  In short - his story has some holes, or is an outright lie. 

Nothing to do with the original post, but I have missed something. What is the conflict between the dynon radios being in a S-LSA?

 

[dynonsupport]

Nothing to do with the original post, but I have missed something. What is the conflict between the dynon radios being in a S-LSA?

There is no conflict with Dynon radios being in an S-LSA. I think the comment had to do with the fact that with an S-LSA, the aircraft manufacturer usually chooses and installs the radio, not the end customer.

 

[Ccandrews]

I find it difficult to believe that I am the only S-LSA owner that picks out avionics, gets a LOA, and has my local shop install. Calling the original poster a liar just seemed unnecessary.

 

[dynonsupport]

I find it difficult to believe that I am the only S-LSA owner that picks out avionics, gets a LOA, and has my local shop install.   Calling the original poster a liar just seemed unnecessary.

I agree. This thread started out inflammatory, which is never a good start, and isn't particularly useful. So I am locking it.

Everyone, please help keep the Dynon forum civil. I am always amazed at fly-ins how pilots keep the grounds so incredibly clean. Consider this forum a fly-in. Thanks!