Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By carlmeek
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1701130
I have a similar setup. I have 3x 10” Skyview touch screens: one PFD, one EMS and one Map. I then have a RAM mounted iPad centrally.

Despite this, I’ve fallen into the habit of not bothering to update my maps; and I might not renew my pocketFMS subscription.

I typically plan my flight at home and save the route to the cloud. Then once at the airfield I retrieve it onto the iPad. Once aircraft is running I transfer the route via WiFi to the Skyview. Autopilot then runs from Skyview.

ALL important decision making, controlled airspace awareness, etc... is always from
Skydemon directly. The Skyview for me is just a macro level graphical navigator.

This is because Skyview mapping is a decade behind Skydemon. The ability to analyse airspace both on a flat map, and the vertical view strip at the bottom is awesome.

Works for me!
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BobD liked this
#1701140
@carlmeek What a lovely panel. There's no way I'd be spoiling that with a ram-mounted iPad. Planning; yes but then that iPad would be staying in the glove box. I think I'm lucky cruising around with one Skyview and compressing the screens. Three Skyviews [love heart emoticon] Shame your machine doesn't go upside-down (voluntarily) :D

Edited to add: PS. Why is your fuel pump still on? (Genuinely wondering if it has something to do with fancy electronic mags etc)
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By carlmeek
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1701155
Why is my fuel pump still on?.... oh dear ... thread drift debate coming....

My views on this vary from the norm. As far as I’m concerned safety is enhanced by having a fuel pump on all the time in this injected aircraft. I have the same view with heated pitot and landing lights. They are turned on full time for every flight. The only reason one might turn them off is to “save” them, I don’t buy that, they should not wear out, and if they do they are cheap. The only other reason anyone can come up with is that I might not notice a mechanical pump fail: I’m happy, I don’t want to notice! I would notice at the start of each flight, as fuel pump is not turned on until engine is already running happily. These are my own views, I feel it simplifies procedures and adds safety. Final reason is that my fuel flow gauge gives a different reading with pump on and off, and I have it calibrated to pump on.

I also have a rule that a pitot cover is only ever put on one pitot; never both. Risk of accidentally not removing greater than debris entering.

And I should add: everything above is in full compliance with the POH : because I wrote the POH (and LAA approved it)
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By carlmeek
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1701171
My engine is bog standard. I've not gone with GAMI injectors or fancy ignition. I might investigate at some point in the future, but I don't think they are necessarily 'no brainers' on fuel saving / risk / reward / hassle / money. One day maybe!
PaulSS liked this
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By bilko2
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1701231
My experience:
I recently replaced vacuum DI and Horizon with 2 G5 on my Robin. I had been looking at the old instruments for 35+ years so initially I did not like the new ones. Now, after 50+ hours I find I fly much more accurately and I am much more confident that I am getting correct heading etc. The VSI on the G5 responds much more quickly. The ASI on the G5 disagrees with the steam one , I believe the G5, especially as I now go faster (apparently). I no longer have to rely on a dodgy vacuum pump.

My argument against big screens is that they are a single point of failure. I can lose any single dial, often 2 or 3 and certainly complete the flight without worry, probably be happy to continue flying until the aircraft is next due for inspection, or until the dial(s) have been extracted and posted off for repair.