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GRT Vision ?

622BH

Well Known Member
I am interested in hearing from those who USE the GRT Vision system.
From their website, the GRT Mini can be linked to the glasses and provide HUD functionality. Have you used it, and if so, have you shot any IFR approaches using the HUD glasses?

I am not interested in hearing non-user opinions as to why they chose to not use or buy the product. I am only interested in hearing from those who DO USE it.

Thanks in advance to those who can tell me their experience in actual flight & most importantly, IFR.
 
Touch of thread archaeology going on, but I just picked up some BT-200 glasses off Ebay and have fired up the Vision with my GRT Hx. Just VFR so far on one flight, but as I get it down I'll get a review up.

So far, kind of cool :) Very hard to not look down though, it is such a habit!

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Please do post updates based on your experience, Martin. I, too, am interested in going this route, particularly for approaches into short fields where having an eye out the window AND airspeed/AoA information is so critical.
 
Martin, you are such a geek my friend! Now I want a pair! I wonder if I can drive them from the CAN bus...maybe with an arduino/PI...wirelessly... hmmm...not enough time.
 
Your Testing Report - Much Appreciated

I don't have a GRT unit in my panel (at this time). But will consider the mini - IF someone with the vision system can convince me they work well in IFR approach conditions.
My thinking is: The vision system would make an extremely valuable tool in transitioning from heads-down instrument flying to heads-up landing environment acquisition, with minimal loss of situational awareness. With the necessary approach information displayed in front of your eyes while looking for the runway environment, how much better can it get without having a self-landing CAT III system?
IF these work as I hope they will - with your testing - I think the EAB community would be much in the lead for making instrument flying much easier.
Thanks in advance for your reports on your experience.
 
One of the concerns I have is how the image on the glasses might interfere with viewing information on the instrument panel. We can't always be looking outside - even if it's only to tune a radio our eyes will eventually focus on the instrument panel. How distracting is it to have the HUD-like info superimposed on the instrument panel?

This concern of course comes from not having tried a set of these glasses on. Like the others here, I'm quite interested in the PIREP I'm sure will follow.
 
Martin, you are such a geek my friend! Now I want a pair! I wonder if I can drive them from the CAN bus...maybe with an arduino/PI...wirelessly... hmmm...not enough time.

I saw them and they were just too cool not to try :) Bluetooth connected, app runs in Android (little box attached to them via cable). Annoyingly it only works when actively talking to the GRT, so I can't play with them unless in the airplane. Good excuse to fly though!

I'll get some flights in / hood time with a few approaches and I'll report back. Will be a week or so since conditional inspection due in two days :(

They have another cool gizmo for the GRT as well, a FLIR pod! Maybe for Xmas...
 
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One of the concerns I have is how the image on the glasses might interfere with viewing information on the instrument panel. We can't always be looking outside - even if it's only to tune a radio our eyes will eventually focus on the instrument panel. How distracting is it to have the HUD-like info superimposed on the instrument panel?

This concern of course comes from not having tried a set of these glasses on. Like the others here, I'm quite interested in the PIREP I'm sure will follow.

Looking at the panel wasn't much a problem as they are easy to look "under". I did find spotting traffic though more tricky, as the display elements were a little distracting then. In IMC less a problem I'd imagine :)
 
CanadianJOY & MBeuhler

Both are good points. I've watched their marketing videos - which of course are designed to show off the strong points, while minimizing any negatives.
Thusly, we need some "no dog in the fight" reviews to show those nasties...

The CFO would not be too happy with me buying the mini just for testing purposes to find they don't fit the mission - IFR.

I was hoping to hear from someone who had already "played with them" in an IFR environment and am surprised there has been no respondents to date.

BUT, I will take what is available and look forward to any reports MBeuhler may provide in the near future. Pluses, minuses, and thought processes greatly appreciated.
 
I'll toss in a comment about the Mini... We have the Mini-X sitting beside an HX. The display on the Mini is simply fabulous and offers a much broader range of backlight intensity than the HX. Even if you go with another solution for your primary IFR display, the Mini would be a total knock-out as a backup (as it is in our aircraft). This is one of those "can't go wrong" kind of devices to add to your airplane.
 
Panel Space

Thanks for that plus review. I've two AFS-5600T EFIS, a GTN 650 and not much more room for a display (RV-9A). But, if the Mini + Vision works well in an IFR approach environment, I would be very willing to remove some power plugs to make room for that functionality.

Keep the plusses coming - and the minuses too.

Thanks.
 
I'll take it IFR after a few flights. I never used GRT's synthetic approaches, so I'll need to get that down before I can try it.

It so far has made the commercial maneuvers really easy :) You can hold exact altitude in a steep turn, roll out perfectly on a heading, make precise lazy eights, etc. Same with landing, eyes up since airspeed is always in view.

I wonder if they are allowed on checkrides...

...
I was hoping to hear from someone who had already "played with them" in an IFR environment and am surprised there has been no respondents to date.

BUT, I will take what is available and look forward to any reports MBeuhler may provide in the near future. Pluses, minuses, and thought processes greatly appreciated.
 
AFS ~ GRT Integration?

Since I have two (2) AFS 5600 T EFIS, and all the necessary map / chart database information, I was looking to use the GRT Mini strictly for attitude & AOA information in a heads-up while using the AFS / GTN-650 for approach guidance.
As I think about it, GRT data may well be required to put the ILS info in front of my eyes so I can remain heads-up...
All the toys.... hmmmm.

Again, looking forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences.
Thanks
 
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