firmware updates for 2013

[preid]

Seeing the "whats next" discussion went back to Jan 2012,with 168 responses, starting a new thread for current and future status of firmware updates to avoid older requests that are already implemented.
I realize there is a priority for the comm and ADS-B hardware releases, which of course would involve firmware updates to support them, however can Dynon share what the rest of the efforts are being applied to on the "wish list"? Maybe a current priority list, not necessarily a list of items that will be in the next release but maybe in 2013?
Thanks!

 

[dynonsupport]

We don't have anything to share at the moment, although two well-known priorities of ours are more AP features (vertical nav, etc) and the comm radio. We're currently working on planning our future software plans, and we'll try to share more soon!

 

[schwbo]

Can you please add a feature to define user waypoints with more details in the same manner all airports, reporting points and others are implemented, I.e., to define an airport or a strip with the direction of the runway and the frequencies.

 

[Edwardoc]

The virtual VOR feature would be nice also as it is useful feature. Being able to make the GPS function like a VOR with DME is a feature I got used to using a previous EFIS and I miss it.

 

[preid]

Virtual VOR was supposed to be in a previous release, so hopefully it will make the next.
It really is a great feature that is lacking in the Skyview.
I second Virtual VOR

 

[trevpond]

I agree, Virtual VOR will be a great addition.

regards


Tref ;D

 

[swatson999]

I'd still push for an AOA indication that uses flap position info...even just full up/full down.

 

[Bill_H]

There should be a way to see the current ATC (center, approach, departure) frequency based on where I am "now."

 

[preid]

With your release of the ADS-B hardware, there is mention that the software will be released in a few weeks (sure better than months) Also Rev M looks like a release date of December 2012, hopefully that means a christmas gift of release 5.0.
Can you share where the development has progressed?
We know there is the ADS software, improvements/changes to the class airspace colors, possibly AP and comm radio? Any other great features? Really hoping for the Virtual VOR, that would really complete my x-country vectoring issues.
great progress!

 

[bkthomps]

can someone please explain why virtual VOR is so attractive? i really don't get it when you can create custom user waypoints

 

[dynonsupport]

5.0 will be out very shortly. We're always "no-go" until we've completed our final testing (which takes us right up to our release date), but, I think you'll be happy with the presents under the tree.

Traffic and wx is the main front-and-center feature for this release. One of the other big features is a bunch of settings that allow you to customize the way that the PFD/MAP/EMS are displayed. You can - on a per-display basis - "force" any of those pages to be displayed all the time. There's also a new "SWAP" button in the screen menu that takes the displays and swaps the entire contents of both - useful for when you want to let a friend fly from the right seat, or, for SLSAs, instruction scenarios. Finally, this feature contains a reversionary mode (multi-screen systems only): You can have SkyView revert to a particular page layout should you end up with only one display left. Say you nominally fly with left screen as PFD and right screen as EMS/MAP. When the left screen fails, the right screen would automatically revert to PFD/EMS/MAP.

Related to the ADS-B features is an optional update to the transponder software that SkyView contains, which accomplishes two things: First, it makes the transponder TSO-166b compliant, which is the "final rule" ADS-B Out spec. This is important for getting a full traffic picture via the SV-ADSB-470. It also adds another great feature - the ability for the transponder to auto-switch between air and ground modes without a squat switch.

As always, there are a bunch more smaller things as well, but I don't have them at the top of my head.

Oh, datalogging. Not in this release. Buuut, we'll be doing an unusual close-in follow-on release in January which will squeeze that feature in. Thanks for your patience on that one.

 

[mmarien]

can someone please explain why virtual VOR is so attractive? i really don't get it when you can create custom user waypoints

It's a quick and easy way to intercept final without having to plan the route beforehand with waypoints. See explanation here.

http://dynonavionics.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1317429098/#63

 

[lolachampcar]

Thank you Dynon

 

[Bruno]

Any autopilot updates in this soon to be release update??

Thanks

Bruno

 

[dynonsupport]

There isn't anything autopilot-related in this release. A bigger autopilot effort is in the research phase.

 

[preid]

You guys are doing a great job with the updates and releases.
Any chance of adding more information on the webpage "coming soon" section; The "Top secret" section has many future (appears to be way future) updates and the "coming soon" appears to be more nearer future. Right now there is "weather" and chart updates. I assume the weather is ADS-B, and the color changes the mapping improvements. It might help, me anyway, know what is coming out sooner and if my wishlist items are on the plate for future release. I know things are subject to change without notice on releases and priorities.
thx

 

[Edwardoc]

In response to Post #9 btkhomps: The primary advantage of the Virtual VOR is their is no preplanning required. In the system I used previously, any fix or VOR or Airport ID could be dialed in by Identifier and you could get bearing, select a course to fly if desired and get DME to the selected fix, VOR or Airport. It was quick and handy and provided the DME to the fix without having to input and define and name the point. It takes too long and is too cumbersome to define fixes on the fly. Virtual VOR turns your GPS into another VOR so you can have an ILS tuned and still get VOR type information from you GPS. So between the VOR/ILS, the virtual VOR and the moving map provided by a GPS it is really handy. Once you use it, you will miss not having it.

 

[dynonsupport]

Hitting "direct to" to any aviation waypoint already gives you DME and bearing to that point in the SkyView system. So the only thing virtual VOR adds is the ability to fly a specific course at that waypoint.

Also, inserting a arbitrary point in your flight plan with the cursor on SkyView is pretty trivial, so if your point is to fly in to an airport on the runway heading, just drop a flight plan point 10 miles out from the runway end with the cursor.

I'm not saying we won't do this feature, but for a lot of the use cases defined already, there are quick ways to accomplish them with what is already in SkyView.

 

[jc2da]

I don't have a garmin portable, but i have seen screenshots showing extended runway and runway headings right on the map, which i think would be a great convenience. Showing the right or left pattern right angles would be great, too.

Right now, you have to go to the airport info page, tab over to runways to view the same information which is several steps. Then when i get closer to the airport, i have to do it all over again because i forgot what they were.

In fact, the way I do this a lot is I hit the Map page -> FPL -> scroll to the destination airport -> Info -> Runways. Thus, the extended runways and pattern would only have to be done for the destination airport to prevent cluttering of the map.

Jae

 

[bkthomps]

I still don't see the issue that "DIRECT-TO" does not solve, if you are requiring a course to intercept during VMC/VFR conditions, then maybe you fly differently than I do

For IMC/IFR, I would use an approved approach, other than that, you can use the CRS to a fix/waypoint/NDB/VOR/APT on garmin products such as the 430 to draw a centerline to intercept