Head Up Display

Is there a current HUD System that is available for installation on say an -8? If not does anyone know the likelihood of being able to retrofit one from a fighter (found some on eBay) to maybe repeat information that is being displayed on an EFIS?

Thanks!

Sorry Did a search for HUD and nothing came up then after I posted, I did a search for Heads up Display and found some articles. If I could get some thoughts on the latter question then that would be appreicated.

Most of the HUD's I've seen for GA are pretty spendy. Not that I'm an expert. You could try to roll your own. I've always wondered how a LCD flat panel mounted in the glareshield facing upwards, with an angled piece of plexi over it would do as a HUD.

There are also PC security devices that are used to hide your monitor from prying eyes. It is an eyepiece you wear over one eye and it makes it appear as if the the image is projected in front of you. Some helicopters use a similar technology. Wonder how that would work?

In fact here's here's a webpage for wearable computer monitors.

For a long time there was a company advertising a HUD for experimental aircraft in Sport Aviation. It was a self contained unit with display and the glass to project onto all in one unit. I checked my latest issue but it doesn't look like they are advertising anymore.

It would be difficult at best to have a HUD displayed on the canopy surface. Automotive HUDs that display on the windshield require optically correct glass and it is very expensive to get right. With the seperate glass idea it is easier but then you have to have a pretty secure mounting for the glass and display to prevent the engine vibration from causing distortion.

The other issue is where to get the data from? A self contained unit with all it's own electronics and sensors would be expensive but could act as a backup for a Glass Cockpit. A system could be developed to be driven from an EFIS or EIS but I am not sure if any of the currently available systems have that capability.

I hope to install a HUD in an RV8 someday.

Greg

Link

Try this link:

http://www.hawkinsassoc.com/hudis1.htm

Cool!

That HUD looks pretty interesting Robby - the basic hardware is pretty compact! I surfed all over their site, and couldn't find a price however.....

Affordable HUD

I knew I had seen this somewhere a while back, took some searching to find it.

Pretty interesting concept, Dynon didn't really seem interested but if enough people asked I'm sure they could make it affordable. All of there stuff is pretty affordable.

Just to be clear, it's not my design it's Charles Spinelli's. Read Dynon's forum for more.

Dynon's thread.

Hard Knox said:

Try this link:

http://www.hawkinsassoc.com/hudis1.htm

Click to expand...

That is the one I remember. Looks like they only sell through dealers and their site doesn't have a dealer locator.

There are a couple of aftermarket automotive sytems available and I recently saw a new one that uses a seperate piece of glass like the HUDIS except that you are suppose to adhere it to windshield instead of having it be part of the assembly.

Greg

$6995.00 at Eastern Avionics

Paul:

Eastern used to list it at just under $7000. Its not currently on their site, but if its available, I bet they can get it. Its made by the Frogs and I've only seen one installed(Questair Venture). I Like the Dynon post photos much better.

Time for a nap. The ice is melting. More ice, then a nap.

General Motors do HUDs for the Corvette and other high end cars. Perhaps there is something in their parts bin. Fighter HUDs are BIG and HEAVY.

Hawkins Associates HUD

I own two products this company makes and both are installed in my Cherokee. The first is a Mitchel TKM MX-11R. It worked for less than a year and was repaired under warranty. I've had 4 or 5 more years of use out of the radio without problems. The other is an Astrotech digital clock. After purchasing the clock I heard many negative comments and nary a single positive one. It is 2-3 years old now and works intermittently now (more often not working than working), failing after about 1 year. At $109 bucks it was a cheap lesson on what a poor value is. After buying many digital wrist watches for 10-20 bucks over the years and rarely having one fail until the battery died, even with hard use, I couldn't see paying $250 for a @#$% clock. At this point the $250 clock would have been a better value.

The bottom line, I'm not convinced the company is committed to producing reliable products.

At least with the wearable devices you can take them off. If that HUD gets annoying it's far more difficult to remove it. I'm surprised there isn't more interest in the wearables. I guess that's why I don't work in marketing.