I just purchased the G4 Sport and G4 Lite along with the BMA autopilot for my next plane. They are quoting G4 Lite delivery in April and Sport in May.
My suspicion is it will be more likely June and July depending where you are on the list.
While placing my order I had a lengthy discussion with a BMA technogeek about some of the above comments.
1. The engine cluster (pod) is a separate box that allows you to view all of your engine instruments on one of the rotatable sport screens or on the EFIS one. It is designed as a separate module in response to the criticisms that GR and Dynon are out of the box plug and play items whereas BMA is a pain in the ass to hook up and calibrate. If all you want is a flight instrument/nav/moving map/autopilot interface package the G4 series are out of the box plug and play.
If you wish to display engine instruments buy the engine cluster and you can then choose from most available sensors, senders, cables, etc. This will require a lot of jumper positioning, calibration, and phone chats with a factory rep. Some of us enjoy this, some do not.
2. The website hasn't been updated because they are waiting on artwork and their webmaster. The scan above was from "March Kitplanes" and March was their planned launch date. Unfortunately (or fortunately) the magazine comes out in Feb.
3. It would be nice to have them include the statement in the advertisment that the up front cost of the database is extra and MUST be purchased but it is clearly stated as the case on the website and when I placed my order they took special care before I ordered to inform me that the data base was a required extra even though they knew as an existing customer I already knew this.
On this subject I would add a personal comment that I purchase 2 updates over a year ago for my E1 and original lite. I got lazy and never bothered with the last 9 updates. I knew my subscription had expired so on the internet I ordered 2 new subscriptions. 2 days later I got a phonecall from Shelia at BMA. Since I had not used 9 updates they only charged 1/3 of the update prices and gave me a 12 month renewal. THEY DID NOT ADVERTISE THIS POLICY EITHER.
Blue Mountain is not for those looking for out of the box function that they get from a Garmin etc. BMA products are works in progress, the product, the owner of BMA and the employees are techno geeks who enjoy what they are doing. One of the reasons their prices are reasonable is they do not spend a lot of time or money on sales and marketink. If they had a marketing guy I am sure their ads, website etc would be clearer, more professional, and up to date. The units would also cost more.
BMA offers a lot of function at a lite weight and low cost. They are fun to tweek and work on, every update contains new features (at no added cost)(also not advertised)and they are infinitely expandable.
My first generation products have been reliable and done everything I have asked of them. There are some features I wish they had and some I do not like but that is the way with everything. If you want to know everything bad about them, all of the things they will not do and all of the things the current owners of the product want fixed, changed, or added, go to the BMA website
Blue Bountain Avionics and navigate to their
Bulletin Board . This is aplace where owners and prospective owners bitch moan and get their questions answered and sometimes their ideas for new features implemented.
It would be nice if all other manufacturers offered this feature, but most do not.
In any event I am an unabashed Blue Mountain Junkie. I can't wait to get my G4s up and running.
Buying BMA is like owning a Corvette or an RV. You get a great piece of equipment and it comes with a social club and a lot of new friends.
Those who still have G3s on order are being given the option to upgrade to G4s and will recieve priority in the delivery schedule.
All of the G4 series will have a panel exposed USB port for updates and calibration. No more crawing under the panel to find a port. This was in response to numerous comments to their bulletin board.
There are currently 40 G4s (I am #40) on order including the G3 upgrades and 2 G4 sports are on order (mine is #2). The autopilots have not changed and are in stock fo immediate delivery.
