Seattle Avionics

[tedbain]

I have read previous replies from Seattle Avionics about getting out their updates but I guess I am puzzled (and frustrated) that Garmin and Foreflight can get theirs out days ahead but with data expiring tomorrow nothing yet from Seattle Avionics.

 

[swatson999]

This *continues* to be a problem with SA. There really is no excuse for this sort of delay.

Garmin, Foreflight, Dynon...everybody else seems to manage getting their data out much earlier.

 

[jabarr]

Bottom line appears to be-- they just don't get it. VERY frustrating.

 

[jdubner]

At renewal time I voted with my wallet and now SA is just a bad memory.

I use Avare instead.

 

[swatson999]

At renewal time I voted with my wallet and now SA is just a bad memory.

I use Avare instead.

Yeah, but that's not an equivalent solution. I like having the plates, airport diagrams, sectionals, etc., *ON THE SKYVIEW* screen, which means we're stuck with SA as the supplier, apparently.

In their defense, they have significantly improved the performance of the application (although not its clunky interface design). It does seem like it should be within their capability to improve the availability of the data (somehow, everyone else seems to do it).

 

[jdubner]

Yeah, but that's not an equivalent solution.  I like having the plates, airport diagrams, sectionals, etc., *ON THE SKYVIEW* screen, which means we're stuck with SA as the supplier, apparently.

No, not equivalent: Avare charts and plates are free and are available for downloading on time.

That's your preference but mine is to avoid crowding my single 10-inch SV (that's all I have room for) by off-loading the approach plates, etc. to my 7-inch tablet.  The plates are larger and more readable on the tablet compared to 40% of the SV screen.

We're stuck with SA as the supplier as long as people continue to patronize them.

 

[swatson999]

Yeah, but that's not an equivalent solution.  I like having the plates, airport diagrams, sectionals, etc., *ON THE SKYVIEW* screen, which means we're stuck with SA as the supplier, apparently.

No, not equivalent: Avare charts and plates are free and are available for downloading on time.

That's your preference but mine is to avoid crowding my single 10-inch SV (that's all I have room for) by off-loading the approach plates, etc. to my 7-inch tablet.  The plates are larger and more readable on the tablet compared to 40% of the SV screen.

We're stuck with SA as the supplier as long as people continue to patronize them.

Well, I think a lot of us prefer to have georeferenced plates on the display in front of us, next to the HSI/SV. So while there are myriad alternatives out there, I think we'd just prefer that SA gets its rear in gear and staffs up to get the data out earlier.

It's certainly not a dealbreaker that would drive me towards hauling around another device, when I have a perfectly good one with WAAS-enabled GPS and communications with my TSO'd GPS navigator and all that, making for a very nice IFR solution.

And it's a pretty cheap deal, when you figure it includes all the approach plates, all the sectionals, all the high and low-altitude charts, all the airport diagrams, for a year at what, a hundred bucks?

They just need to up their game *a little*.

 

[dynonsupport]

Just as an FYI, the data is available now.

 

[GWMotley]

I like SA, am a lifetime subscriber as well, While not always first with new features or perhaps the fastest with updates, they do seem to meet the deadlines for current charts and the prices are the best I've found. But feel free to use any service you like. This is a one time comment so flame away as many do on these sites if it is really worth the time.

 

[dynonsupport]

Ted, they listened to you. Yesterday we received an email from Seattle Avionics that says, in part:

"The new FAA data cycle begins this Thursday. Be sure to update to the current data before you fly.
Seattle Avionics ChartData was made available earlier this week so you could download it ahead of time.
The new US ChartData now includes airport diagrams and approach plates for the Bahamas for no additional cost."

 

[GalinHdz]

Since I am travelling in the airplane, I have to go back to the airport, connect to their WIFI, hope it has decent speed and waste travel time downloading the SA data. It would have been so much easier if I could have downloaded the data before I left like I did with the DYNON and GARMIN data.


http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N819PR/history/20161011/1414Z/KSGJ/KBQK

 

[swatson999]

Since I am travelling in the airplane, I have to go back to the airport, connect to their WIFI, hope it has descent speed and waste travel time downloading the SA data. It would have been so much easier if I could have downloaded the data before I left like I did with the DYNON and GARMIN data.


http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N819PR/history/20161011/1414Z/KSGJ/KBQK

And that's the problem here with SA.

Look at Jeppesen.  They publish the availability dates alongside of the cycle effectivity dates.  For this upcoming cycle, they have

Cycle No  Download Availability Effective Date
1611 Oct - 04 Oct - 13

Their data is available for download NINE DAYS before it becomes effective.

SA data was available...yesterday afternoon, less than 48 hours before the data is effective.  A full week after Jepp (I didn't check to see when the Dynon data become available, although I'm guessing it was October 6th, since that's the last date the download page was changed/edited...so that makes that a full week prior for Dynon).

 

[lgabriel]

ChartData was made available earlier this week so you could download it ahead of time.

I also got that email...at 2100 on the 11th. I'm not entirely sure who considers 27 hours ahead of the effective date "early".

 

[tedbain]

Dynon Support, I don't know if there was a hint of sarcasm in your response since I had posted hours before the Seattle Avionics message came out a whopping day before the expiration of data. What I am wondering, and have suggested before, is if you can partner with another vendor to give Skyview operators a choice as to data. A little competition might do wonders.

 

[Raymo]

If Dynon switched to JEPP, we'd all be complaining about the price

 

[dynonsupport]

A little background context is that digital vector data (airport and obstacle data,) such as what Dynon publishes, doesn't take as much processing as chart data, and our release date is the week before the Thursday expiration. Geo-referenced chart data takes a lot more processing, so you can't really compare the two. As comparison, Foreflight publishes their chart data on the Saturday before the expiration.

We talked with Seattle Avionics about their schedule. In the past they aimed to publish on the Monday before. Sometimes, typically because they run into FAA format problems, it becomes Tuesday. This last update was Tuesday because they had to fix a few things and also added data for the Bahamas. They asked me to mention that customers may not get their email notification until later in the day even if the data was published in the morning.

After we talked, they promised to make a consistent release on Monday morning.  They understand that earlier is better, and will work to streamline their processes to make this happen.