SkyView 12.0 Now Available

[Dynon]

Dynon Avionics is excited to announce that SkyView software 12 is now available. This update adds features most often requested by pilots, including Autopilot Auto-Trim,  OBS mode on the moving map, an optional in air magnetic calibration routine, and over 40 other features and improvements. SkyView 12 is available as a free downloadable update for all Dynon SkyView customers.

Autopilot Auto-Trim

The SkyView Autopilot can now automatically keep the the aircraft in trim while under autopilot control, eliminating the need for the pilot to manually actuate their trim to satisfy the Autopilot’s built-in trim advice. This feature requires that the aircraft has an SV-AP-PANEL and is using its integrated trim controller for electric trim servo actuation. Auto-Trim can be configured on pitch and/or roll axes.

OBS Mode

OBS Mode allows pilots easily set and adjust an inbound course to any navigable point on the map. That inbound course may then be easily adjusted with the HSI CRS knob, similar to how one chooses a VOR radial. This feature is useful to approach an airport from a specific direction, for example, without having to create a second waypoint to create a full flight plan leg. Pilots can essentially treat any point on the map as a “virtual VOR”.

Optional In-Air Magnetic Calibration

Pilots can now perform an optional in-flight magnetic heading calibration routine in addition to the existing ground calibration. Pilots that opt to perform this calibration are likely to see improved magnetic heading performance during flight maneuvers. It can also improve heading performance in aircraft where the ADAHRS is subject to localized magnetic interference.

Customizable Aircraft Icons

The aircraft icon displayed on the Map and in the HSI can be changed to one of over a dozen types of aircraft.

40+ More Improvements

SkyView 12 also contains over 40 more improvements and fixes. See the full list here.

As always, updated documentation is available, with red-line versions that capture the changes since version 10. There’s a full set of release notes that detail every feature, improvement, and bug fix.

SkyView 12.0 can be downloaded from the Dynon Avionics website.

 

[swatson999]

Excellent!

Can you give us a status update on the Garmin 430W/530W ADS-B+ format interface work?

 

[Dynon]

It's ongoing. We expect to have another "point release" to update the transponder software and the ADS-B format guidance. There isn't an exact timeframe on that yet though.

 

[swatson999]

Autopilot Auto-Trim

The SkyView Autopilot can now automatically keep the the aircraft in trim while under autopilot control, eliminating the need for the pilot to manually actuate their trim to satisfy the Autopilot’s built-in trim advice. This feature requires that the aircraft has an SV-AP-PANEL and is using its integrated trim controller for electric trim servo actuation. Auto-Trim can be configured on pitch and/or roll axes.

This is disappointing...as stated quite a while back, I designed a panel which didn't need "extra" boxes like AP Panels because everything was *supposed* to be accessible via the menus and buttons and knobs on the SV1000.  That said, I understand if there's an electronics reason for requiring the AP Panel to get this feature.

I just hope this isn't the start of "to get THIS cool new feature, you have to buy this OTHER interface and install it on your instrument panel..." in the future.

You guys did a very good job of making all of the "advanced" AP features accessible from the menus and thus making the AP Panel an option for those who like them.  Kind of a shame this one isn't; please don't let this open a can of worms.

 

[DBRV10]

Steve,

You are correct, it requires a bunch of additional electronics and all the pins required to power the servo's and take the inputs. There is a D-SUB 15 pin connector dedicated to the task.

It is a small price to pay by the way. The system is excellent!

Here are my comments from VAF

I have been flying the auto-trim for a couple of months testing it……it works very well and the depiction of which servo is running and in what direction is very cool indeed.

PLEASE NOTE : The runaway trim protection feather still applies though, so if you pull back a heap of power on approach, and the trim speed is in its slow speed range, there is a chance your trim time will hit the runaway trim limit. This will bring up a TRIM FLAG like before, simply press your trim to reactivate and it will continue trimming.

This makes it one heck of a good system….. I have been busting at the seems to tell everyone how good it is, but had to keep quiet. You have no idea how hard that was!

And the inflight compass calibration works a treat too. Even "upside down" for those in the southern world. It beats the heck out of doing it the hard way.

And the GAMI spread units are correct now too!

 

[dynonsupport]

Steve,
As David says, the AP panel is required because it actually has the trim controller in it. There's no way for the AP to reach out and press the trim up/down buttons on your control stick without that panel. The SkyView screen doesn't have trim controlling built in.

If all you wanted was auto trim, you can hide the AP control panel behind your panel and just use the trim controller part of it.

 

[preid]

David;
What do you mean the GAMI spread units are correct now? What was wrong with them before?

 

[swatson999]

Steve,
As David says, the AP panel is required because it actually has the trim controller in it. There's no way for the AP to reach out and press the trim up/down buttons on your control stick without that panel. The SkyView screen doesn't have trim controlling built in.

If all you wanted was auto trim, you can hide the AP control panel behind your panel and just use the trim controller part of it.

Hmmmm...I sense a product here...a "blind" trim controller box (no user interface).

THAT I'd buy in a heartbeat if Dynon made it...

 

[GlennB]

Steve,
As David says, the AP panel is required because it actually has the trim controller in it. There's no way for the AP to reach out and press the trim up/down buttons on your control stick without that panel. The SkyView screen doesn't have trim controlling built in.

If I may have a minor point of dissension here...

I'd dearly love to have the autotrim function, but don't have the separate autopilot panel.

We do, however, have a VP-X controlling the electrics, and it communicates beautifully with the Skyview.  This includes the ability to override any switch selection on the electrical services, so we can for example switch the nav lights on & off via Skyview softkeys.

So I'm a little mystified as to why the trim can't be similarly driven from the Skyview, via the existing serial link.  That would enable the VP-X features (such as trim motor rate varying with airspeed) to be retained.  Clearly the Skyview is aware of the need for trim, as it annunciates it on the FMA.  It would seem to me that this could be converted via software to an actual instruction to the VP-X, with the same actuation and runaway logic, yet there is presumably a good reason why it can't.  It is beyond the scope of my tired old brain to imagine what that might be!   

 

[DBRV10]

David;
What do you mean the GAMI spread units are correct now? What was wrong with them before?

I should have explained in greater detail perhaps.

If you were displaying fuel flow in Litres not USG, the GAMI Spread in the EMS would show a value with LPH beside it. If however you went to the data and looked at the data log it would actually be say 0.3GPH yet the display showed 0.3 LPH.

For those in the USA where USG for fuel flow is common there is no bug change, for the europeans and the rest of the world it would be misguiding.

If someone had a GAMI spread of 1.3 and they thought that was litres (or .34USG/hr) they would think it was great, but then wonder why it ran rough LOP with such a supposedly good result.

So the units being fixed was simply making the lettres on the page say GPH, and that is the accepted industry standard.

 

[dynonsupport]

Glenn,
Autotrim with the VP-X is technically feasible, but it was left out of this release because it's more work and we can't do everything.

We take autotrim seriously and have a lot of defenses built in to our system that bring it to the level of safety we were comfortable with. Doing this with an external box that we have less control over requires even more thinking and testing. Autotrim is a lot more than just taking the "TRIM UP" indication and pressing the trim button for you. If that was true, we would have had autotrim a long time ago.

So, given that it's a lot more than a couple lines of code and send it out the door, and only a small percentage of our users have a VP-X, we weren't able to make the justification to get it in this release. We will consider it in the future if we have enough demand that it trumps other requests.

 

[vlittle]

Ahem, if I may:

I have been flying auto-trim with an external (hidden) trim controller box for many months. It was defined specifically for SkyView compatibility and provides fail safe operation... It's the M-PWR-2AT from MakerPlane, designed by Vx Aviation (me).

More information here http://store.makerplane.org/m-pwr-2x-dual-channel-variable-speed-trim-control/. Documentation is also available on the site http://54.162.78.90/redmine/projects/m-pwr-2.



I hate to crash the party, but Dynon tolerates me!

Thanks,
Vern

 

[preid]

Support;
Under added there is "Autopilot trim advice on the roll axis can now be provided. This option is turned off by default."

So If I want it "on"(NON autotrim mode) do I need to go into configuration and set this up? If so, is the path to do this? (SETUP MENU > HARDWARE CALIBRATION > EMS CALIBRATION).??
thx

 

[dynonsupport]

The trim messages are under AP SETUP and then ROLL AXIS. You only need to go into HW CAL if you are setting up auto trim.

 

[lgabriel]

Outstanding release; I can't believe how much better SV gets just by waiting for software upgrades!

Also, I just wanted to add my name to the list of people who would really like VP-X based auto trim. I don't have space for the AP panel, so the serial bus is my only hope!

 

[jakej]

DS - just an FYI ALL the installations I have done for the last 2 1/2 years have been using VP-X exclusively, maybe the uptake is not so evident in the US but I don't see why, the VP-X is an excellent unit IMO

Jake J

 

[dynonsupport]

Louis,
You can put the AP panel behind your panel and use it for auto trim. So you do have options even in a space limited panel.

 

[skysailor]

Any chance we are going to get the ability to control the Dynon VHF radio completely through the Skyview like the transponder? I do not wish to add the radio panel to my instrument panel. No room and do not care for the look. I could easily live without some of the features the radio panel provides such as frequency identification ie "Ground" if I could see and change the frequency. Having the ability to have a standby freq would complete it.

 

[swatson999]

Dynon should be hearing a call for a small line of products here...simplified, no-UI, "blind" boxes for a couple of things, like autotrim, radio, might be others?

 

[vlittle]

I had a request to Dynon some time ago to help 3rd party developers configure external devices simply by transmitting text or binary files to the device over an available serial port.

For example, I developed a glareshield AoA indicator, a haptic stick shaker and an auto-trim controller that all interpret the Dynon serial streams to provide functions not available from Dynon, except now for auto-trim.

Every one of these devices are capable of being configured 'in band' over the serial port although I also provide a 'side door' configuration port for direct configuration from a PC.

If Dynon could provide this rudimentary config capability, developers would be very pleased. Dynon can't develop every piece of hardware themselves in a timely fashion so this would really help end customers and leverage the brain trust of 3rd parties.

Vern