Now For A Small Problem

[Cliffy]

On my map page (either Dynon topo or Seattle Avionics) I have a red cast to the entire map area until I fly for about 5 mins
Then it clears up to a normal screen
Happens every flight Slight red color on start up until after takeoff
The color is like a plastic light red screen over the entire area
The red looks to be about 20% density.
Red and yellow terrain warnings show as normal
I'm searching the manual and this forum and so far I haven't found anything on this issue.
Can anyone relate to this problem?

 

[Rhino]

I would contact Dynon Support.

 

[skysailor]

It sounds like the ADSB radar data layer. Try turning off the WX/TRAFFIC layer. If that has your screen the "correct" color right away then all that is happening is you are seeing the way Dynon shows you there is no valid radar data for the area shown yet. With the WX/TRAFFIC layer selected ON, as soon as your ADSB 472 gets enough data the red layer is removed and you have the radar data for the area on your map. My map looks like that until I am above pattern altitude and the system shows receiving ADSB data. This is completely normal.

 

[airguy]

Agree, that sounds like your weather layer - once it picks up local radar from ADSB towers around you, then it rolls off the default "not available" coloration to actual data.

 

[Cliffy]

YES Problem is figured out. It is/was the Wx layer until it gets data from ADSB NEXRAD
Dynon Support said the same thing
Thanks to all
I'll try turning off the Wx layer next time at the airport to double check
With this in mind I find only one sentence in the entire book that talks about this and in an oblique way.
As I've seen in all my years flying 121 when engineers write a manual they speak in a language different than the line pilots.
I have helped rewrite several manuals for better understanding by line pilots.
With this phenomenon known until NEXRAD weather is loaded there should be a commentary in the manual to explain such
and what to expect upon light off as it happens every time the HDX is turned on.
"Upon turning on the HDX IF the weather layer is enabled the screen will show a purplish color cast until NEXRAD weather data is received" and
"Any area where NEXRAD information is not being received will be covered by a purplish color over layer"
So much easier to understand than the engineer speak in the book.

 

[airguy]

I'm not a fan of putting 27 different "push to acknowledge" warnings on the bootup. They all tend to get ignored, and that only helps the lawyers in court after the crash. If the statement in the manual is not clear, then clarify that statement and enforce RTFM for the pilot, that's the proper way.

 

[Cliffy]

Not suggesting a screen acknowledgement just a better way of writing the manual from an operational standpoint
and not an engineering stand point.
This is nothing new in AFMs Like I said, I've rewritten AFM language before,
I also now understand that the Experimental version of the hand book has a much improved description of how
things work that was not put in the Certified version.

 

[Bill Putney]

Too bad the FAA didn’t think ahead and include a satellite broadcast ADS-B out in NextGen. But that would have competed with XM.

 

[RVDan]

I work in certification of avionics in part 23 and 25 airplanes and on some occasions might have written some words in engineer speak Which get improved by pilot reviews. In the part 25/121 environment things are better funded, with documentation being more in depth and going through engineer team, pilot team and certification reviews.
In the experimental world where our avionics are 10% of the cost, the manuals are less extensive and requires the pilot to have a greater depth of understanding of the aircraft systems. Personally, I think Dynon manuals are much better than some other GA manuals, but of course could be more expansive. If you send a note to them about this you might find a clarification in the manual In the next rev or 2.

 

[Cliffy]

RVDan- I just might try that route and see what happens.
Just a point of reference- the 757 was considered the Widow Maker at Eastern when it came out because the upgrade pilots came out of the old six pack Boeings like the 727. They were dumped into the FMC world and some didn't make the crossover because the manuals were mostly engineer speak. All the books started with descriptions of every little item in the box and screen and a deep dive into colors and display items and all the minutia Pages and pages of this stuff but nothing on "how the h&&& do I turn it on. What do I do first to make it work, etc. Nothing operational.
TWA (IIRC) training came out with a 10 page laminated flip book on the ten most used operations on the FMC (Thales IIRC) with step by step directions. With this, one could make the box work and THEN dig into all the minutia.
When I got on the 757 at another airline we got hold of the TWA cards and made copies for all our training. It was a great improvement in the course. Little things like this - from the operational point of view rather than the descriptive point view are what is needed for initial training in a glass world.
Or maybe it was because no one was "computer literate " in those days and now we have young'ns coming up that live on screens and have been steeped in this lore from the age of 3 and can decipher the engineer speak easier than old geezers JMO

 

[PYoder]

Interestingly, I don’t recall ever seeing this ‘red’ layer/overlay. My screen (lower right box) just says ‘xxx unavailable’ (I think radar or ADSB) until it receives ADSB info - then traffic and wx appears.

 

[Cliffy]

I have traffic but until I had a good ADSB signal I had the "mask" overlay. Now that I have turned off the
Wx portion I no longer have the "mask" overlay
Are you sure your "weather" is turned on when you start out and its not just turned off as mine is now?