HSI features

[rowan]

Hi - we have just finished building an RV-7 and have just ordered a D100 and D120 with Garmin 396 GPS. (Comm provided by SL-40). While this is ideal, we have provided room to upgrade for IFR later, and will probably get an SL-30 and/or other equipment as necessary (HS-34, DME, MKR Beacon, backup attitude).

I just have a couple of questions regarding before and after the upgrade:

1) With basic installation (without HS-34) - can I easily set the CDI and heading bug through the button menu's (or can course be set through the GPS ?). I am used to having turn dials similar to the HS34 which are very quick and easy to use for everything including VFR flight. Is there a plan for the future to have a "simple" type HS-34 that is a lot cheaper and is basically 2 or 3 dumb dials? [this would make the cost much easier to justify, although maybe not upgradable to marker beacons]

2) For IFR, I would be getting the HS-34 and SL-30. Does the D100 display BOTH nav sources (active and backup) in the SL-30 as single pointers on the HSI ?

3) I understand GPS and NAV can't be used at the same time on the HSI, however can GPS distance be used in place of DME while a NAV source is selected? Is there a way to automatically select the DME/GPS distance based on the frequency entered into the SL-30? (for a paired VOR/DME ?) ....this might be a question for other pilots.

4) For marker beacons, is an alternative unit needed which then hooks into the HS-34 or can the 75mhz antenna be hooked "directly" in. Is there a hi/low sensitivity feature on the D100 or D120 ?


Sorry if the questions are confusing - and thanks for all your help on the forums !

 

[rowan]

1 more question - Can the HSI display the VOR/LLZ ident the SL-30 decodes from the station ?

 

[dynonsupport]

First, yes, the HSI displays the IDENT from the SL-30. It also displays the frequency it is tuned to.

If you are using GPS, there is no course to set. The course is created by the GPS when you do a direct-to or other flight planning. There is also no CDI to "set" -CDI is a display of information, not a setting by the pilot. So if all you have is a 396 GPS, there's nothing for you to set on the EFIS, we'll just display the nav info we get from the GPS.

If you buy an SL-30, but no HS34, you can set the OBS for the SL-30 using the OBS knob that is on the SL-30, so you still have your knob. The only time this doesn't work is on an ILS, where you would need to go into the HSI menu on the EFIS to set the runway heading. If you have the HS34, the knob works all the time.

The HS34 displays one full CDI at a time. You can display a bearing/RMI pointer to the active and/or standby source at any time, but you can't get a CDI to the standby, since the SL-30 doesn't support this. You can have the main source and up to two pointers active at any time.

We don't currently support using GPS as a display of DME when using a VOR source. I believe the only systems that do this are some of the old Apollo systems. In any case, you need a IFR certified GPS to use GPS as a replacement for a DME, so the 396 won't cut it here.

The marker beacons in a HS34 are just displays. You need an external marker beacon receiver, and the output of that can be put into the HS34.

There is no current plan for a "simpler" HS34. The nav radio (ARINC and analog) interfaces just don't add that much to the cost.

 

[rowan]

Thanks very much! I just found out after I posted that the 396 is non TSO'd so will probably be going for the 430 instead. I still think it would be a great feature to display GPS distance while on a VOR or ILS as a lot of approaches in Australia state on the plates "GPS permitted in lieu of DME - reference waypoint AD VOR" etc. If its too hard I can easily move my eyes and look at the gps a few times for distance!

Thanks very much !

 

[bmarvel]

2) For IFR, I would be getting the HS-34 and SL-30. Does the D100 display BOTH nav sources (active and backup) in the SL-30 as single pointers on the HSI ?


I'm not sure that Dynon answered this fully. I have found a bug in this situation and have reported it to them. It's on their "to do" list.

When you assign the primary nav frequency in the SL 30 to one bearing pointer and the standby nav frequency to the other bearing pointer, they should each point to the location of the respective nav station sites. However, the two bearing pointers lock together and point only to the location of the primary nav site. Nothing I have tried will separate them to point individually.

Bill Marvel