Technology Analysis

I wouldnt exactly say this overheard tongue-in-cheek comment was the common thread from this years Soaring Society of Americas (SSA) national convention in South Carolina this past February, but its proof that hardcore sailplane enthusiasts are barely lukewarm to the idea of electrically powered gliders. Talking with showgoers, I drew parallels with the skepticism of evolving electric technology in the powered aircraft market. Still, aside from Stemmes Rotax-powered touring motorglider and a healthy variety of two-stroke powered models displayed on the convention floor, electric sailplanes were, naturally, head-turners.

Its important for manufacturers and dealers to understand and support the used market because it affects the credibility of the brand. In Mooney Aircrafts case, if an individual wants to purchase an aircraft, but cant justify (or cant afford) a brand-new one, a range of pre-owned choices still keep buyers in the Mooney family.

Electric aircraft will get bigger in 2016, but probably no more accessible. Its not for lack of trying. Above and below the surface, there’s semi-furious developmental work to bring electric airplanes to market, driven by a mix of a parallel market push in the automotive world, a war on noise and emissions, demand for drones and the faint outlines of an energy transition away from oil and toward electricity for everything.

The 406 MHz ELT market never quite achieved liftoff, probably because the FAA hasnt mandated these beacons, even though it still requires an installed ELT of some kind. A lively market of capable, inexpensive personal locaters (PLBs) further muddies the buying decision. But there are good arguments for an installed 406 MHz beacon, not the least of which is that after a crash, you might not be in any condition to activate a PLB. In this report, we’ll examine GPS-enabled third-gen 406 MHz ELTs that substantially improve your odds of being located after a crash. Shops tell us installed costs may hover around $3000, but you can knock the sting off that number by having the work done when the airplanes pulled apart at annual.

Looking for the best audio panel out there for your LSA? Aviation Consumer recommends the PS Engineering PDA360EX for unsurpassed audio quality. For VFR missions in a two-seat LSA, you don’t need some of the advanced features that tag along with TSOd systems, including marker beacon receiver, six-seat intercom, cabin PA and even speaker operation. But you probably want Bluetooth music capability and a wireless telephone interface, plus the ability to pipe in traffic and other warning systems. See the full report for competitor analysis.

In the November 2015 issue of Aviation Consumer, we reported on Continental Motors acquisition of competitor and aftermarket supplier ECi, a buy which eliminated the aftermarket Titan cylinder line.While Continental admitted that it wouldnt retain many of ECis products, it also said it was considering a corrosion treatment for its existing line of factory cylinders, and now follows through with the NiC3 line.

In a recent policy statement, the FAA gave the regulatory green light to replace traditional vacuum-driven attitude instruments with electronically driven replacement indicators. This means you can remove the vacuum system from the aircraft, since the policy doesnt require a backup spinning gyro. In many cases, you wont need a backup at all.

Our editors choice awards are all about innovation and value. As we look back at the last 12 issues of Aviation Consumer, we find no shortage of credible products, especially in the ADS-B and aircraft consumable markets. But no single product or company stood out for being the most innovative.So to keep our high standards in check, we wont hand out an award for product or company of the year. Instead, we’ll present a combination of a dozen products and companies that we believe deserve equal recognition for being the best of the best.

Just when we thought we could lay off the ADS-B coverage for a month, along comes no fewer than three new ADS-B product announcements-two in the same day. These product introductions come as the ink still dries on last months issue of Aviation Consumer, which contains an ADS-B buyers guide. Stay tuned. Well update the product guide in our June 2015 issue.Clearly, the ADS-B market is busting at the seams, and the latest product announcements from Appareo, Sandia and FreeFlight offer overwhelmed buyers even more choices. Heres a look at each one.

As weve been reporting, SiriusXM Aviation is delivering its next-generation datalink weather products (supplied by WSI) over its latest G4 satellite network. The benefit is more weather products included in the entry-level subscription package. The downside is that older receivers wont work with the newer G4 network. If you have one of these first-gen XM receivers, including Garmins popular GDL69 and GDL69A, it continues to receive XMWX weather from provider WxWorx, but for how long is anyones guess.

The Garmin GTN750 screenshots above compare NEXRAD images as delivered by SiriusXM satellite, left, and FIS-B ADS-B uplink, right. While WSI is the weather provider of both datalink products, there are some obvious and considerable differences. Note that both screens are displaying the same NEXRAD returns, at three minutes old, and at a 75-mile map range.

Navigation apps require reliable GPS position input for georeferencing, which is the ownship data that’s displayed on electronic charts and maps. The built-in GPS on many tablets might not be reliable enough without cell phone tower assist, especially in the cabin at higher altitudes. That’s why a wireless GPS receiver remains an integral component for cockpit tablet use.