Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By Flyin'Dutch'
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1872532
Who has experience with the Dynon D3, good or bad.

Useful or gimmick?

Better to get something plumbed in? If so what?

AI and HI are the desired, minimum, parameters.

More is nice but not essential (neither are AI/HI) as this is VFR in a permit jalopy.
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By T67M
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1872536
We have had a failed vacuum AI in our shareoplane for many months pending a slot to have a pair of Garmin G5s installed. To cover the gap, we've successfully used a D3, however note that it is primarily GPS derived, hence:

* Track not heading
* Ground speed not airspeed
* GPS altitude not pressure altitude
* Attitude is good, but slip is fractionally out, however this could be due to our installation rather than fundamental to the D3
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By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1872559
Even in the TB20, we installed a D3 for the P2 as a backup AI. If we lose all electrics totally, the D3 has a 4 hour battery life to get you back on the ground. With AI, HSI, TC, VSI, synthetic vision, altitude, track, etc., it has been a useful addition, although, fortunately, not called upon in anger. Ridders of this parish uses his D3 as his primary instrument in his scantily equipped (no electrical system) Champ.

Iceman 8)
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By Lefty
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1874311
I have a D3 and I feel it is a very useful backup and one could easily keep the blue side up if your primary AI were to fail.

My only (slight) niggle is that you have to have to have good GPS position before the Attitude and other functions will work. So you can’t really keep it in your bag and then fish it out and expect it to instantly work.
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