EFIS display options

[bicyclops]

Howdy,
With the addition of autopilot capability, you've made my descions tougher.
If you would add the EMS display across the bottom of the display (at least the 100 series) as Advanced and now GRT have done, you'd make it so having only one display would actually be workable.

Having the compass heading tape displayed as a ring would sure make figuring recipricals and which way is a runway oriented a lot easier. In fact, why not put your HSI right in the middle instead of in split screen?

I'm also a big fan of the half-round airspeed and altimiter display al la TruTrak EFIS. Much easier to interpret. I've been flying with a D-10 for several years and I find myself usually looking at the backup airspeed and altimeter steam gauges because they a lot easier to use.
Pax,
Ed Holyoke

 

[PilotKris]

I too would like to see the basic EMS displays while the PFD/HSI is displayed. I feel a bit "naked" having those out of view when using the HSI.

I however, am not a fan of the 1/2 round AS, ALT and VS displays. While 1/2 round might be an easier transition from "steam gages", the vast majority of PFDs (and all certified units) use "tapes" and that format has become the de-facto standard nomenclature.

In aviation, standardization trumps personal preference. Anyone remember the "better" attitude indicator built in the 70's that moved the airplane icon instead of the horizion? It didn't exactly change the world did it...

 

[dynonsupport]

Ed,
We've thought about all of these things, and we have reasons we don't do some of them.

The half-round tapes aren't any different than normal tapes.

The needle doesn't move. The numbers do. So when you glance at them, the needle is ALWAYS in the middle, just like a tape. You have to look at the numbers around them to figure out what value you are at. Exactly like a tape.

The only way to do steam-gauge like presentations is if the whole range of a needle is on screen all the time and the needle moves. That takes a serious amount of space to do.

As for the DG on top of the EFIS, we coded that up back in 2004, and decided it was a really bad idea, with all the stuff moving all over the place. There isn't a single certified EFIS in the world that does that, for good reason.

 

[PhantomPholly]

Mark me down as being in favor of the most common engine instruments along the bottom (as an option).

 

[dodsond]

Marker beacons on the PFD to compliment CDI and GS displays.

 

[Brantel]

Per this FAQ, they are on the HSI page, not sure about the PFD page....

http://wiki.dynonavionics.com/Talk:HS34_FAQ

Marker beacons on the PFD to compliment CDI and GS displays.

 

[khorton]

Ed,
We've thought about all of these things, and we have reasons we don't do some of them.

The half-round tapes aren't any different than normal tapes.

The needle doesn't move. The numbers do. So when you glance at them, the needle is ALWAYS in the middle, just like a tape. You have to look at the numbers around them to figure out what value you are at. Exactly like a tape.

The only way to do steam-gauge like presentations is if the whole range of a needle is on screen all the time and the needle moves. That takes a serious amount of space to do.

I saw a picture of a head up display many years ago that had interesting airspeed and altitude displays.  The displays had large digits inside a circle that showed the current airspeed and altitude.  There was a radial line inside the circle, which represented the analog value of airspeed or altitude, with the line only extending from about 75% of the circle's radius to 100% radius.  There were no scale marks or numbers around the circle.  You were just supposed to know that one revolution of the line represented 100 kt or 1000 ft.  If the speed was 75 kt, or 175 kt, the line would be at the 9 o'clock position, etc.  The idea was that the line allowed a quick glance to see roughly what the airspeed was, and the radial motion of the line allowed a quick glance knowledge of the rate of change of airspeed.  If you needed to know exactly what the airspeed was, you would take a longer look and read the digits. It would be possible to enhance the display of rate by adding a trend vector that was parallel to the circle.

This concept allow a combination of analog and digital presentation without using too much screen real estate.  I never flew this aircraft, (and in fact I forget on which aircraft type the HUD was fitted), so I don't know how well the concept would work in practice.