Price and Availability

[Brantel]

I know you are hearing this a million times at OSH and I know there is some answer that everyone is being told there so....

How much is the estimated price for these new units and when will they be available?

Affordable "Dynon Price" leaves allot of room for speculation.

 

[dynonsupport]

I think what you want is covered in the FAQ, and we're not telling people at OSH anything different. As usual, we have no reason to tell people in person anything different than we would a customer on our forum or via email.

From the FAQ:

"Pricing has yet to be determined, but it will be "Dynon-Priced". In other words, a system configured similarly to today's products may be a bit higher than today's products, but they'll have more capabilities. When you start assembling a complete panel that can do it all, the value in the next generation will become easily apparent - especially when you compare against other similar offerings."

"The next generation system will be released in phases, starting in 2009." In other words, if you need something in 3 months, this is not for you. If you need something in a year, then it is.

 

[brian2034]

Just got home from OSHKOSH 2008!!

All I can say about your new system is SIGN ME UP!!!

My goal at Oshkosh 2008 was to find a reasonable priced EFIS system with a large 10" screen (pilot) and a 7"screen (co-pilot) from a supplier with a track history and proven results.

You guys have my vote, show me were I sign!!

The system displayed at OSH looked great and the features offered were outstanding.

The only option you guys didn't offer was a TOUCH SCREEN???

 

[dynonsupport]

Panel-mounted touch screens + fingers in turbulence = cracked screens is one reason we haven't gone down this path. Also, in turbulence, usability becomes tough as you try to hit the spot on the screen that you're aiming for.

 

[jeynon2]

Making instrument adjustments in turbulence is a big reason I like Dynon's separate HS34 and AP modules.  I was hoping to put them in my center console just in front of the armrest, so that I can steady my hand when making inputs.  I like the idea of Dynon's joystick knobs as well, and if we could get those in a separate module like the HS34, that would be perfect (for me at least).

 

[Etienne]

Panel-mounted touch screens + fingers in turbulence = cracked screens is one reason we haven't gone down this path. Also, in turbulence, usability becomes tough as you try to hit the spot on the screen that you're aiming for.

I can't agree with this more. Having built and used a touch-screen EFIS in my cockpit, there is another issue - touch-screens are generally much more reflective than the standard LCD screen... The soft buttons of the Dynons give the same flexibility, but with the tactile feedback of a real button.

And the new knob-thingy's look very cool!

 

[loopfuzz]

touch screen

I disagree.  I think touchscreen is future of efis units.  Making them much easier to navigate around.  The price of touch screen units is more right now, but the price is coming down.  And the reflective aspect of touch screens has been addressed and fixed in latest devices.

If it's turbulent, its not going to be easy to push any buttons touch screen or not.

Chris.

 

[jaba-who]

""If it's turbulent, its not going to be easy to push any buttons touch screen or not.""




If you have used a touch screen system in flight in a small aircraft you probably would not have the same opinion.

A normal button has a feel to it, can take a bit of stabilizing pressure prior to activation and you can usually rest the other fingers on the surround while touching the button.
A touch screen has no feel, no give for that sudden touch when the turbulence hits. If you touch the screen with any of the other fingers you get an unintended response.

I built a Jabiru and installed a touch screen monitor with a computer that runs "AirNav VFR"  a moving map/flight planner with the australian aviation maps with gps position markers etc.  I have had the system for a year and now I almost never even turn it on. I use a Garmin 296 in preference.
I have pretty small hands but I still find that inadvertant triggering of adjacent buttons is very common. You can bet that the aircraft will shudder just as your finger hovers over the screen button.

The slightest bit of turbulence and you have a lot of trouble getting your finger right and a slight miss hit turns on some function you didn't intend and you then have to back track (if you can ).
I found I tended to keep stepping further away from what I wanted to do.


I personally would not spend money on any system that was touch screen again. Unless I built a homebuilt 747!  

 

[krwalsh]

It is 2009 now.  Is the Next Gen Done yet?  How about now? Now? Mom, are we there yet?



We have our Cozy Mk-IV panel all designed up with a radio stack in the middle and two big old spaces for Dynon Next Gen 10" displays.  

I'll sign up to be a Beta tester, or sweep your floors, or, well, I dunno.  But we want two, please!

 

[triple7driver]

Well Kevin in theory you shouldn't even need that radio stack ! However, I would imagine the dynon internal radios are probably a ways off. Just curious why did you bother with the Garmin 430/530 in your stack ? Seems a bit superflous to me, what with two gps systems in the dynon units. But with my Garmin stock well in the toilet I do appreciate the support just the same

 

[ben1272]

Why do you say in theory that Kevin shouldnt need the radio stack? Is there a radio capability in the Dynon units? Pardon my ignorance.

-Ben

 

[ben1272]

Sorry, I think I see your 'humor' now. I did a poor read the first time through.

Kevin's panel is a lot like what I would like my panel to look like!

-Ben

 

[ben1272]

Is there any new info regarding pricing and availability?

 

[triple7driver]

Why do you say in theory that Kevin shouldnt need the radio stack?  Is there a radio capability in the Dynon units?  Pardon my ignorance.

-Ben

Ben,
No, per conversation at OSH with a "Dynon guy" he said they intend to eventually have remote tuning capability just like on the G-1000. The actual radio boxes could be just about anywhere else on your airframe that W&B would allow for. Making for a very sweet un-cluttered panel. But I did get the feeling from this individual that this capability was quite a ways off.

Randy

 

[krwalsh]

The radio stack is pretty straightforward. PS Engineering PMA900EX on top, followed by 430W, SL30, and GTX330. 430W gets me GPS VNAV approaches today. Not sure when I can have the same from a proprietary GPS, or why I might not want the redundancy provided by a good unit like the 430. For everything in the panel we'd like a minimum of two sources of data, preferably on different electrical busses. This is what drove us toward two Dynon units in the first place.

The panel is going to be an aluminum overlay, possibly in multiple pieces so we can make changes and not cut a whole new panel all the time. I gather Dynon is releasing as they get things done, and we should be less than 11 months from first flight. So, I'm really not willing to wait for a Dynon solution for GPS, radios, etc. With the panel being modular if the Next Gen product has delays in providing EFIS and EMS functionality we can also buy a D100 and D180 pair and go flying and upgrade later.