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SkyView 15.0 Update Now Available

Dynon

Well Known Member
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Dynon?s latest SkyView software update - version 15.0 - is now available for download for all SkyView systems.


  • Extended Runways Centerlines
  • Highway in the Sky (HITS)
  • Airport Signposts in Synthetic Vision
  • Maintenance Logging
  • Weight and Balance Calculator
  • ADS-B Traffic and Weather from SkyView?s SV-ADSB-470 is now transmitted via Wi-Fi for use by 3rd party apps (FlyQ, Foreflight, etc)
  • Airspace proximity notification. This includes airspace you are in, upcoming airspace along your flight path, and those that are above and below you.
  • Activating ?Direct-To? with a runway selected under airport runway info will create a 5nm leg to the chosen runway along the extended centerline.
  • VNAV from SkyView?s flight plan to your destination airport, arriving either above the airport or right at the runway itself.
  • EGT/CHT widget now available in ?vertical? orientation.
  • Read more about additional features and improvements.


SVv15_Extended_RWYs.PNG

Extended Runways on Map


SVv15_HITS.PNG

Highway in the Sky (HITS) & Airport Signposts in Synthetic Vision


SVv15_Maint_Log.PNG

Maintenance Log


SVv15_W_B.PNG

Weight and Balance Calculator


SkyView Software v15?s new features are available as a free upgrade for all customers:
 
Are the maintenance log and W/B sheets configurable so we can add other items?
 
You can configure your stations in the W&B, and you can define which items you track in maintenance and how they are tracked (calendar, tach, etc).
 
Flew with V15 last night on my SV classic. Everything seemed to go smoothly and operate well.

In general I like the new interface. Things I noticed immediately: HITS followed a flight plan and LPV approach from my Garmin 480 GPS perfectly, the slip/skid ball is smaller, the checklist and map>info screens look sleeker and more professional.

One thing I didn't like: there now seems to be a blank line below the title on the checklists and map>info screens that wasn't there before. Now my checklists, some of which were designed with exactly the correct number of lines to fit on the screen without scrolling, are one line too long and require scrolling to see the last line. It's not just an annoyance - I hope it's not a safety issue if I (or someone else flying my plane) misses the last line of the checklist sometime. I'll probably have to re-design the checklists to fit.

Finally, I'm not sure I really need HITS - is there a way to toggle it on/off?
 
SKYVIEW VER 15.02

Installed the update today and it hung up once it was at RTIO point and just stay there.

Called Mike at Dynon'Support, he had me do a soft reboot ( Key 1,2,& 5 ) and after a couple restart it finally loaded but it got me worried for a while..

I never had an update giving problems before.

Next time I'll do like Mike suggested and load the update directly to the USB stick without saving it first to my computer...It might help in preventing a corrupted file.

I still can't find the HITS but will look again tomorrow with the above suggestion.

Bruno
 
A piece of advice: Make sure you don't plan to travel right after installing a major update like this one. I updated to 15 as described: No problems. However, I then installed the associated transponder firmware update and immediately lost connectivity with the SV transponder.

Mike (Dynon tech support) was helpful but didn't have good news. Apparently the transponder became "bricked", meaning the update failed and corrupted the unit's firmware. FedEx has it on the way to Dynon, where it'll be a quick pass across their bench and back to me. I do appreciate the quick service.

The moral? Be sure your travel plans can afford a software failure like this before you load any major updates.
 
Apparently the transponder became "bricked", meaning the update failed and corrupted the unit's firmware.
...
The moral? Be sure your travel plans can afford a software failure like this before you load any major updates.
The other moral? When designing firmware for devices intended to be upgraded in the field, put the bootloader in write protected memory so a failed upgrade won't force the customer to return the unit for factory programming.
 
Most of Dynon's modules do have bootloaders. The transponder is an unfortunate case in that it's TSO'd, and thus any bootloader would need to be TSO'd, which makes it expensive. The original design for it was that you'd take it to your dealer to get it updated, so it wasn't an issue.

When Dynon added it to the system, our options were to either force our customers to mail it to us for each update (like some competitors do), or to update it in the field and deal with the few times it doesn't work. Overall, we think it's better for the customer to allow it to be updated in the field. The update page does warn you that the Transponder could get stuck in a non-recoverable state, and requires you to manually trigger the transponder update. It is always an optional update against any software update.

Finally, in case anyone is wondering, there isn't an update in v15. The last update was in April.
 
Sure appreciate the extended center lines on the target airport.

(Not that anyone would ever start a pattern in the wrong direction!)
 
I attempted an update today. Was doing my usual preflight activities after I selected the update. Came back to look at the screen to see the progress and it was stuck at 1% on the first step of verifying the archive. Waited around for ten minutes while I polished the canopy. Still at 1%... :mad:

Decided that my lunch appointment was more important than upgrading, so I did the power off (even though it tells you not to). The Skyview Battery kept it up and running, so I had to unplug it to finally get it to power down. A power cycle/reboot and thankfully it came up just fine in Version 14. Did the full check of functionality and decided to proceed on my lunch flight. No problems detected with the aborted update. I'll try again next week when I'm not in a hurry to depart.
 
I didn't see a transponder update either. I had the transponder turned on during the Skyview update. When I went to the transponder setup page it didn't show a required update as I'd expected. I just assumed either not needed or already taken care of somehow.
 
The transponder update was pushed with 14, but I didn't catch the mention. It's discussed on Dynon's update page under Option 1:

"SkyView v14 and later software contain a software update to the SV-XPNDR-26X transponders to support SV-GPS-2020 operation. This update also enables the continued reception of TIS-B (ADS-B-based) traffic after early 2016. This update is not automatically sent to the transponder, and must be manually started after the first time you update to SkyView v14 or later by going to the TRANSPONDER SETUP menu in SkyView. See the SkyView System Installation Guide for details on how to update your transponder."

http://dynonavionics.com/docs/support_software_SkyView.html

I had missed that update.

Dynon, I hope you know how much I appreciate your team and the Skyview system, and that my post wasn't meant as a desparagement. Thanks for the explanation: Your software update methodology makes good sense to me, and I'm glad to attempt the updates myself rather than having to send it in every time.
 
I flew from RTS to STS and back to RTS yesterday. A comment on the HITS display. While climbing out of STS for RTS to 11,500', I had an 18 kt crosswind from the right, quartering tailwind. In the climb, autopilot engaged, the HITS boxes were displaced to the left and high and the command bars and delta were well to the right and low, completely out of the boxes, obviously correcting for the crosswind and climb angle. I suspect the HITS boxes were doing their thing, showing the flight planned tract and final altitude to destination and the command bars and delta were compensating for the crosswind and showing actual climb angle. At level off, with increeased speed the command bars and delta moved to just inside the right side of the boxes. I think the HITS boxes should have compensated for crosswind and climb angle and move to the right and down to show on course and climb angle. Dan from Reno
 
A couple of the new features are not working on the classic SV systems, specfically:

Maintenance Logging (unable to edit data)
Weight & Balance (not implemented)

I not sure if these features were intended to be supported at all in the classic (non-touch) systems.

Vern
 
WiFi - Added support (FlyQ, Etc?_)

... Snipped out

Finally, in case anyone is wondering, there isn't an update [XNPDR] in v15. The last update was in April.

Accidentally ran across the previously copied but unapplied 'manual update' while practicing buttonology and hangar-flying this weekend. It was awaiting intervention to apply. Installed as prescribed but after the expected 6 mins, waited another 4 mins because it didn't reboot on its own. Not sure what was 'expected' but the display said, "Power Cycle" in the status window. Was it a status 'message' or 'instruction'? Finally, I obeyed as commanded and power cycled. The XNPDR was still 'not there', (Red X at the top) but then did a soft boot (buttons together 1,2 and 5) -- which I'm calling a "3-finger salute" - and all was A-OK on that reboot.

Question on this new feature: ADS-B Traffic and Weather from SkyView?s SV-ADSB-470 is now transmitted via Wi-Fi for use by 3rd party apps (FlyQ, etc)
What is Etc? include ForeFlight? Hopefully.

Thanks for the fantastic product and support.
 
Question on this new feature: ADS-B Traffic and Weather from SkyView’s SV-ADSB-470 is now transmitted via Wi-Fi for use by 3rd party apps (FlyQ, etc)
What is Etc? include ForeFlight? Hopefully

My understanding is that it is now available TO ForeFlight, but they are waiting for ForeFlight to officially support it. I would expect that to happen soon, but ForeFlight doesn't announce future support, so we won't know it is supported until they make it official. I certainly hope it is supported soon.
 
Set Up

A couple of the new features are not working on the classic SV systems, specfically:

Maintenance Logging (unable to edit data)
Weight & Balance (not implemented)

Vern

I discovered that before the weight and balance would work it had to be set up in the system setup section. Once I entered all of the parameters it magically showed up where the picture in the manual said it would. There is no mention of this in the manual (that I could find), but I was able to get it to work, and I have to admit it's pretty cool. The maintenance logging was there as soon as I upgraded, even though the data was blank.
 
My understanding is that it is now available TO ForeFlight, but they are waiting for ForeFlight to officially support it. I would expect that to happen soon, but ForeFlight doesn't announce future support, so we won't know it is supported until they make it official. I certainly hope it is supported soon.

FltPlan.go version 4.4.6 is supposed to support it and the ADS-B setup screen on my Ipad FltPlan.go moving map would suggest it was connected and receiving, but I was not observing any traffic. More investigation is forthcoming.
 
XPNDR "auto"

I discovered that before the weight and balance would work it had to be set up in the system setup section. ... (snipped)

Likewise, on the XPNDR mode "AUTO" - it required setup intervention before the soft key was available with v15.0.2. AUTO feature uses aero (and other parameters) to determine whether to switch to ALT mode automatically. The default of "NONE" or "NO" (don't remember which) had to be changed.

Think this is a good feature.

The resolution and placement on the PFD screen elements are cleaner, crisper, and more readable. Nice improvement.
 
Skyview in Canada

I'm considering a 10" Skyview HDX as the centre piece of my panel in an RV-8. But, I have a question in regards to the synthetic vision which I have not be able to satisfy by reading through the manual or forums.

Can Canadian runways be represented in the synthetic vision like US runways as shown on page 4-26 of the Pilot's User Guide? What about personally inputted grass strips?

I am aware that the terrain database for synthetic vision come pre-installed or free, but that we need to buy the external PocketFMS or Jeppesen database for runways, frequencies, obstacle data, etc. But, if purchased and installed, does this now superimpose Canadian runways within your synthetic vision view?

As an aside, I saw in a Dynon forum that Canadian data isn?t provided free like US data because NAV Canada is a private company that charges for it, and doesn?t provide it for free. But, I can get all of this data for free through FltPlan.com/FltPlan Go. Is this because they have some sort of paid agreement which is covered by advertising money or something? Is there no way Dynon could have an agreement or program some way to transfer these databases from a linked tablet or phone with FltPlan Go?

Thanks!
Mike
 
Mike - I can't speak to your questions about Skyview, but will confirm that runway depictions are accurate in the GRT database. Love taxiing past the numbers on the runway and seeing them accurately portrayed on the GRT EFIS.

As for FltPlanGO, don't ask, don't tell. Foreflight also has Canadian charts, at a significant up-charge. FltPlanGO provides them free of charge. Keep in mind they file the majority of flight plans for corporate flight departments etc so have a very solid revenue stream. The cost of providing Canadian chart data is, to them, part of the cost of ensuring their FltPlan infrastructure becomes the infrastructure of choice for Canadian operators, both commercial and non-commercial.

As an aside, this past weekend I flew to New Brunswick and back. Had FltPlanGO running on two Android tablets - one on my side of the cockpit, one on my wife's side. They are an incredible aid to situational awareness. Oh, my wife also had her finger on the paper chart for the entire trip. She's the best darn navigator one could ever ask for!
 
I've got the 10" HDX just a little ways down the road from you in Red Deer. Out of the box, Canada is pretty bleak for synthetic vision. You get terrain and that's all. I did buy a Pocket FMS subscription and that gives me the works in Canada - SV runways, airport data, obstacles, waypoints. It would be nice it if was free, but it's not all that expensive compared to most everything else in these amazing machines. You can input user waypoints, but I don't think you can add runways that would show up in SV.
 
Mark, Claude, thanks very much! You completely answered my question. I do agree that Pocket FMS is reasonably priced given its capability and the fact that at that point you have already sunk so much money into the panel, what's a little more.

Yeah, I'm very impressed with FltPlan Go as well, and have been using it elusively for filing without an issue, even flying lat/long waypoints in the Edmonton Terminal area for VFR sightseeing. It has been dead on for me and what it offers for free blows my mind. I learned to fly 15 years ago, but took a 9 year break and got back into it about a year ago. When I learned, as I'm sure was the case for most of you, the smart phone tech that we have now was just an idea for sci-fi shows. It seems almost too easy now, and having free features like the realtime weather via the cell data comes in very handy.

I've been using it on my phone with a RAM mount that I clamp to the glare shield or yoke when I rent (no RV to fly yet, but someday!). My only gripe is that I can't run the app on my older iPad mini, which isn't supported anymore. But, a new Samsung tab is only around $180 at Costco, so I'll rectify this at some point. The phone works, but it would be nice to get a wider chart view.

Thanks again guys!
 
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