Van's Air Force
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Any pics or updates for MGL Odyssey?
- Thread starter Lionclaw
- Start date
Rainier Lamers
Well Known Member
We have been cleaned out - our complete first production batch is gone. As Odyssey is a new product we tend to take things conservatively and have only now initiated production of batch 2. We do this with a new product as we need to be 100% sure that there are no issues before commiting to full production. As of now, the next batch is initiated while the current batch is in production to try and ensure a good supply.
Currently each batch is 100 units - from batch 3 we will increase to around 200-300.
Many of the first batch are flying and we are getting very positive feedback.
Supply is likely to be tight for a couple of months mainly due to huge demand that was a little unexpected. It seems most installations are going for dual panels which is different to what we where used to with Enigma where dual panels are the exception. This is putting additional pressure on our small production line. Also unexpected is a large interest from aircraft manufacturers which is far exceeding anything we have so far encountered. Also, even more unexpected, we have a large interest from rotor craft builders - unexpected since these aircraft tend to have small panels, however, there is now a big drive to fit Odysseys into these things and panels are being enlarged.
Not trying to make excuses - but all of this is bound to put us under a bit of pressure in the months to come so we have opened a waiting list again for Odysseys. If you need one (or two) contact your distributor as early as you can - you don't have to fork out any money until we (or the distributor) is ready to ship - if it turns out that by the time it's ready you don't want it any more, no problem - just let us (or the distributor) know so we can allocate it to the next one in the list.
Unfortunately, Enigma is now also on a waiting list - demand has simply outstripped supply and we are stuggling to keep up.
Rainier
CEO MGL Avionics
Rainier Lamers
Well Known Member
That's really great news Rainier. I saw your posting with the RV-7 panel and it really looks awesome.
Hopefully now the sales will start paying down your development costs and you guys can get the transponder and radio projects out the door
The radio project is working in parallel so it is not hugely affected by the EFIS developments - apart from taking my time to do the software for it. I have one of them installed in our test&development aircraft and it is now the only radio in the aircraft, having retired the A200 I was using up to now.
Of course, with the A200 gone, I can put in a heavier engine (Just kidding).
It's taken us 6 years to get the radio to this stage, the last hurdle was the transmitter - we just could not get the 6W out of it as we designed it, but eventually the light did come on and now we are peaking at 8W so I am happy (Design target is 6W) - the power is completely independent of supply voltage (provided a minimum voltage is available) and it works to well over 30V.
We are doing the pre-production prototype now and if that is OK, this will be submitted for the various certifications. Unless something unforseen happens, we should be putting together the first batch in a month or so.
At that point we will immediately recast the radio into it's siblings including the remote unit for control through the EFIS (which makes this one dirt cheap).
At the same time I'll tackle the remote NAV unit (dual VOR, ILS, Glide slope, marker receiver and second VHF receive channel).
Then I'll take a deep breath and do the transponder (many of the critical components we have obtained already for this one).
It's fun...
Rainier
CEO MGL Avionics
Rainier Lamers
Well Known Member
Rainier, are you planning on incorporating the radio and xpndr into the same box as the EFIS???
Just cut one (big) hole in the panel
No.
We are making two cigarette box sized units. One is a VHF radio with built in two place intercom (effectively the same as our panel mount radio - minus the keypad and display). The second one is the NAV which also gives you a second VHF channel.
These boxes can be installed close to the antenna elliminating the need for RF wiring behind the panel - or if that is not a problem, you can mount them behing the panel - they are quite small.
You connect the remotes to the EFIS panel(s) and/or to panel mount heads which can be used to control the radios if required.
These units will be made available to other EFIS manufacturers as well, currently we have two well known brands signed up for them. The more we can make, the cheaper they can become.
Rainier
Rainier Lamers
Well Known Member
Yes - that is it in a nutshell.
For a single panel Odyssey (or compatible EFIS from another manufacturer) we'd recommend to also install a passive head - it is a 2.25" unit - just in case the EFIS goes down so you can still control the radio.
Rainier
CEO MGL Avionics
Rainier Lamers
Well Known Member
Just got some good news regarding the display module we were waiting for - took a little longer to get right than what we where hoping for - but I'm optimistic now. Should have it within a week - and if I like it - I going all out.
Rainier
Rainier Lamers
Well Known Member
I don't think I can just yet - but you know them well
The RF products will be branded, i.e. they will not appear under the "MGL Avionics" label.
Rainier
CEO MGL Avionics
Mike S
Senior Curmudgeon
Rainier, another question, if you dont mind.
Think RV4, or 8 here.
Front cockpit has an Odyssey with all the bells and whistles.
For the GIB-----guy (gal) in back-----how about a slave readout screen so they can see what is going on, and if necessary do a bit of PIC work???
The way I am envisioning things, the rear screen only needs to show the same as the front, and doesnt need to be a "stand alone" unit with all the sensors and other widgets in the box----and oh yes, defiantly a shallower box to allow easier mounting.
I am currently in the dreaming/planning/coveting/jonses stage of an 8
Think RV4, or 8 here.
Front cockpit has an Odyssey with all the bells and whistles.
For the GIB-----guy (gal) in back-----how about a slave readout screen so they can see what is going on, and if necessary do a bit of PIC work???
The way I am envisioning things, the rear screen only needs to show the same as the front, and doesnt need to be a "stand alone" unit with all the sensors and other widgets in the box----and oh yes, defiantly a shallower box to allow easier mounting.
I am currently in the dreaming/planning/coveting/jonses stage of an 8
lostpilot28
Well Known Member
Hey Mike,
Other than the built-in GPS, I think it has no other "widgets". The GIB unit can be slaved from the master using a USB cable. Although I'm not sure if they make one long enough for such an application. USB signal strength starts to drop off after 6 feet, if I remember correctly.
Other than the built-in GPS, I think it has no other "widgets". The GIB unit can be slaved from the master using a USB cable. Although I'm not sure if they make one long enough for such an application. USB signal strength starts to drop off after 6 feet, if I remember correctly.
Rainier Lamers
Well Known Member
You can get some fairly long USB cables - I have tried up to about 15 ft and it still seems to work without trouble - This may depend on the quality of the cable of course but there is no real technical reason why it should not work if proper CAT-5 or equivalent cable is used for the two signal cores.
The Link is used as "Full Speed" which runs at a modest 12MB/s so it is far less critical to the "High Speed" USB which goes at 480MB/s.
The Odyssey has a very shallow mounting depth so this helps with back seat installations. As expensive sensors such as AHRS are allways external with our instruments, you can easily share a single AHRS between multiple panels if you like. If you want to keep wiring and plumbing to a minimum, all you have to connect to the second panel is a USB cable and power.
Even in this case the second panel is full function and you can for example do your NAV on the second panel with the main panel following.
As a simple example, say you do a "Goto" to an airfield on one of the panels, the other will follow so HITS and relevant indications will be set to the destination on both panels.
Rainier
CEO MGL Avionics
John Courte
Well Known Member
I'm glad this thread popped up. I've been wondering about the status of my favorite avionics company for a while now. I'll be looking for avionics in mid-2009, so I'm happy to wait until the latest greatest revisions on the Odyssey are out. And if the com and nav radios are available by then, that's awesome.
Rainier Lamers
Well Known Member
Don't worry - we might have a hangover after the new year celebrations but we have not gone away...
I am now preparing the perhaps largest single software update for Odyssey/Voyager and Enigma systems for release in a few days.
Owing to some great input from our ever dilligent and helpful users we now have full integration of the Garmin 400/500 series (including flight plans, coupled approaches etc).
The built in autopilot has now also got a large number of flying hours on the clock (which means I don't get to do a lot of flying myself anymore).
Other than that there are many (countless ?) little improvements and additions all over the systems.
Our first hardware upgrade path for Odyssey and Voyager is also looking real good (prototype in about two-three weeks, ready for shipping not later than Osh this year). This adds the often requested VGA output so you can plug in a cheap monitor as second display, 4 video inputs for cameras (taxi view, IR cameras, rear view, etc).
Most importantly, it adds a powerful graphics subsystem that does not have to hide behind anything. Of course, as usual, new processor and considerably more number crunching power...
Our VHF radio is shipping (but not yet exported in volume - still waiting for the final FCC paper work to be completed, all tests passed with flying colors).
This means our RF side of the company is getting serious with the remote VHF and NAV radios...
And more (wait for some announcements on a new range of instruments to replace our Maxi-Singles around end of this month)....
Rainier
CEO MGL Avionics
External VGA Display
Hey Rainier,
Can that external display have a display that is different than the internal unit? (Via your customization of screens?)
With the VirtualHUD, that is all I need. ;-) (I think Matt might have asked you for a composite video out, but I can also take in VGA.)
Right now, I'm going to code to your serial output so that at least my attitude/navigation info is from your units.
Thanks,
Bill Steele
VirtualHUD
Hey Rainier,
Can that external display have a display that is different than the internal unit? (Via your customization of screens?)
With the VirtualHUD, that is all I need. ;-) (I think Matt might have asked you for a composite video out, but I can also take in VGA.)
Right now, I'm going to code to your serial output so that at least my attitude/navigation info is from your units.
Thanks,
Bill Steele
VirtualHUD
Rainier Lamers
Well Known Member
Yes it is VGA and no, it can't be different from the image showing on the main screen. This would effectively require two graphics controllers (or one of the few that can handle two frame buffers at the same time). It was decided that that would make things too expensive for now. Perhaps with a future update - who knows ?
Can you do USB ? If you can it would be better to plug into one of the USB host ports - there is a lot more data there and a lot more is in the process of being added. I'll hack a doc together if there is interest on this...
Rainier
CEO MGL Avionics
MGL has just released the first Odyssey/Voyager SW update that includes ARINC SW for the Garmin 400W/500W avionics. I wanted to find out how many Odyssey/Voyager users have or want to use Garmin 400W/500W radios with their EFIS? Let me know.
The ARINC interface requires only 6 wires (3 wire pairs) for the G430W/530W and the ARINC interface is already built into the EFIS. MGL has not posted the ARINC instructions yet, but I can send you the ARINC wiring diagram to start thinking about. I have been helping Rainier work on this this for a while now, and I believe its ready for additional Odyssey/Voyager users to start working with. I have only flown this for test purposes so far, and have collected some good ARINC test recordings used for development.
Cecil
The ARINC interface requires only 6 wires (3 wire pairs) for the G430W/530W and the ARINC interface is already built into the EFIS. MGL has not posted the ARINC instructions yet, but I can send you the ARINC wiring diagram to start thinking about. I have been helping Rainier work on this this for a while now, and I believe its ready for additional Odyssey/Voyager users to start working with. I have only flown this for test purposes so far, and have collected some good ARINC test recordings used for development.
Cecil
