Skyview or D100/120

[dft46]

Please can I have some advice? I am building a Sportcruiser in Uk and cannot decide whether Skyview is worth the extra cost which is about £2000 here. I will only use the plane for VFR but I am keen to fit an autopilot. As I understand it the D100 needs the AP74 unit but does Skyview also need this. What other real benefits will I get. I would add that I am a fairly new (but old) pilot!!!

Thanks
Derek

 

[TRCsmith]

Skyview will not use the AP74. If your only VFR then IMO the D100 is the way to go. If you use a hand held GPS and want to save some money stay with that setup.

If you will be doing a lot of cross country having a system "Skyview" with built in GPS with nav map overlay would be real nice, Plus down the road the Skyview will have the firmware to run the autopilot (a few months) "again AP74 not needed". You can find more information on the Skyview FAQ area.

 

[TRCsmith]

Oops sorry that would be the D100 or D120.....

 

[dynonsupport]

Derek,
The D100 doesn't require the AP74 to do the autopilot. The AP74 just makes it a bit easier to use the AP since you don't have to go into the menus on the D100.

SkyView will not use the AP74 or a module like it.

SkyView has two big differences from the D100 products: Synthetic Vision and mapping. So if those aren't big features for you, then the D100 is still the way to go.

Just to be sure, at today's rates, a D100 is about £1,570 and a 7" SkyView is £2,360. Even with taxes and such, I don't think the difference should ever run £2,000, unless you are looking at a lot more options on SkyView than you are on the D100.

 

[PhantomPholly]

To turn the argument around - if you are simply going sight-seeing and will have another moving map GPS display in the cockpit, you will derive no real additional benefit from Skyview apart from the "Ooohs!" and "Ahhhs!" from your passengers, if any.

In fact, if I were strictly VFR the D180 would be my sole "instrument" plus a Garmin 496 or something similar.

Where Skyview might be "better" is if you just buy a cheap GPS receiver and skip the hand-held. You need to check your local rules to see whether that would make you "legal for VFR navigation."