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Dynon SkyView announcement today

R

RV12Roger

Active Member
Check Vans Facebook later today. Skyview will be available for all RV12s flying and for those in the building process. Really good news.
 
It looks like holding off on my Avionics order is going to pay off for me! Hope it is quick while I can still do rewiring easily.
 
Well at least it validates what I have done so far. I am not ready for one today, and am just installing the AP servos for now, then going on with the engine kit installation next, by the time I am ready for Avionics, they should have it all sorted out.. (I hope):D
 
I see that my concern was validated again, Skyview for the RV-12 remains vaporware with no real details and no date it will be available, no real information on what the package will include or not and no information on price. Just sales talk because so many are calling, very sad for people like me who would like to finish our aircraft and have very little to do while we wait for Van's to come up with the installation plan that could be done in two weeks by most any avionics shop.

Well perhaps we get to fly next year.

Best regards,
Vern
 
Bet it will come at OSH

I predict that Skyview will be released as an announcement at OSH in late July. Remember you heard it here first.;)
 
Jetguy said:
I predict that Skyview will be released as an announcement at OSH in late July. Remember you heard it here first.;)
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It is very sad but you may well be right. I am sure we are not the only ones that will not be able to fly to OSH this year due to Van's lack of progress on the new avionics kit. This would mean not getting the kit until Sept. and a first flight in Oct. if we get it then and I would not want to make a bet on this schedule. It is not like Van's to delay kits like this so that we must sit with our $ 50,000 almost finished aircraft collecting dust while they continue to develop a kit that should have been finished over a year ago.

You might note that they did not learn their own lesson from the first avionics kit where we had to put on tape stickers on the electronics box (indicating the value for each fuse) because they did not have them put on when they were silk-screened, I see the new one in the picture has the same issue.

Best regards,
Vern
 
Hey Vern,

Pretty sure Vans has an avionics kit in stock for your -12. Give them a call, bet they will have it shipped by Monday.

Your decision to wait is.just that, your decision.
 
RatMan said:
Hey Vern,

Pretty sure Vans has an avionics kit in stock for your -12. Give them a call, bet they will have it shipped by Monday.

Your decision to wait is.just that, your decision.
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Hi John,

Yes I am sure they would be happy to sell me that fine out of production equipment for full retail any time until there are no more 496's to be had.

Why would any one want to purchase any avionics package that is half out dated and half out of production. Dynon is next when they have Skyview complete in a year or so the Dynon 180 will quietly pass into history, and just about that time we will need a new transponder and ADS-B which the current transponder does not support. So yes we can buy the out of date equipment if we wanted to please buy one for your aircraft if you have not yet so that Van's will have one less of old stock to sell.

In December I was told by Van's senior staff that I should wait as the Skyview would be out very soon and I think it was their intention to have had it at Sun-N-Fun if they could, you may remember that Mitch hinted that Big Blue might have it in time for Sun-N-Fun. It would seem that they have run into a much more interesting problem, just my guess but it is probably lack of electrical power, I say this based only on the need to install the special cooling for the voltage regulator along with the lights, this may indicate that they are running out of available power. We of course do not know because they have refused to provide a power budget for the current aircraft or a proper electrical diagram so we do not know what the real issue may be. But it must be real and interesting to cause the current ongoing delay.

Best regards,
Vern
 
vernhendershott said:
Hi John,

Yes I am sure they would be happy to sell me that fine out of production equipment for full retail any time until there are no more 496's to be had.
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And they very well could have done.

I have to give them kudos for being as open about the development of the SkyView package as they can be given the uncertainties inherent in any new product development cycle, rather than keeping the whole thing under wraps and continuing to sell the D-180 package right up until the day they released the SkyView. There are plenty of other companies that would have done precisely that.

Sure, it's frustrating to not have precise, actionable dates that we can work with, but that's nowhere near as frustrating as it would have been if we bought, paid for, and installed an avionics package that they knew was going to be obsoleted in the short term.

I appreciate their honesty and forthright communications, and having been on product development teams, I also appreciate the challenges they face in developing the product so transparently.
 
Have patience

I believe that Van's wants to sell the Skyview package as much as customers want to buy it. And I believe that they are working as quickly as possible. Asking them when it will be available is like asking them to predict the future. If they set a date and fail to meet the deadline, then customers will be unhappy. There are challenges involved with designing electronic interfacing circuits and getting everything to fit into the panel and still be plug and play so that a novice can quickly install everything.
Waiting is frustrating for builders who have completed the RV-12 except for the avionics. For those who do not want to wait, there are options. One could register as E-AB and buy the Skyview now and install it. Or if registering as E-LSA, one could buy the existing avionics package and then upgrade at a later date. As for not wanting to buy outdated avionics, even if one buys the latest and greatest, it will be obsolete as soon as it is installed. Manufacturers are always coming out with new and improved products.
I am content flying my RV-12 with outdated avionics. They might not be the latest and greatest, but the avionics are many times better than avionics of yesteryear. When I yearn for a a Skyview, I look out the canopy and enjoy a real Sky View.
Joe Gores
 
Another option not mentioned, is to go with the Dynon 180 now and trade it in on a Skyview later. The Dynon web site lists their tradein values, actually pretty generous I feel. I had considered just moving it to the right side and slave it to the Skyview, but Dynon says that will not work.
 
DonFromTX said:
Another option not mentioned, is to go with the Dynon 180 now and trade it in on a Skyview later. The Dynon web site lists their tradein values, actually pretty generous I feel. I had considered just moving it to the right side and slave it to the Skyview, but Dynon says that will not work.
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Hi Don,

It sounds like an option but with out the details on the current system (yes we have no details at all on the electrical system or even a real wiring diagram) it becomes a very costly move as you could not assume that any of the current avionics wire would still work because Van's has done some of the required electronic tricks in the fuse/switch box and will not tell us what is in it, from the current pictures of the new Skyview panel it would seem that the old fuse/switch panel must also be replaced and that can only come from Van's. So it looks like you have to purchase the new kit in full from Van's then try to sell the old stuff on Ebay as Van's does not ever mention accepting trades as that is a Dynon direct deal.

Best regards,
Vern
 
Not an official company reply, but I wanted to send out a thank you to the Majority of RV-12 builders who are being patient during the Sky View development process.
Things don't always go as quickly as expected (many RV-12 builders may have even discovered this while building), so estimates on when a new product will be ready are sometimes as much a guess as they are an estimate.

Some people may think that Van's had no business getting involved with developing electronic systems such as are in the RV-12 (and occasionally insinuate that is the reason it is taking so long).

If Van's Aircraft were operated with that conservative philosophy, the only product they would be selling today is an RV-3 kit (ask Paul what building that is like :)
 
It is not a perfect choice I agree, don't work for me yet either.
However, Dynon specifically states all you need is a Skyview receipt from them or an authorized dealer to get the rebate.
I am too old to just wait for them, when it comes time to where I HAVE to buy avionics, I will go with the Dynon D180 and decide how to update to skyview later. Maybe I am taking the bait, but I feel sure by the time I need it, Skyview will be available.
 
The standard Dynon and Garmin avionics is hardly "obsolete". Even as the Skyview or what ever comes next attracts those builders who need to have the latest toys, many of us will continue flying with a darn good panel. The 12 was designed to fit a specific niche in the RV line. It will never be the fastest, or the best IFR cross country machine. The skyview sounds like a nice unit. But do I need it to have fun flying my 12, no. If and when there are no updates for my Garmin 495 ,do I need to park the airplane and walk away? No. I still have a 10 year old 295 that hasn't been updated in years that I carry as a back up. It works just fine. Rather than complain about Vans dragging there feet, perhaps we should evaluate from the stand point of what kind of product they market. This isn,t a skateboard where if the design isn't quite right, no big deal. We are talking about an airplane that has a very fragile cargo onboard, namely us. I would much rather have Vans do it right rather than do it quick. It is absurd to think that they are dragging their feet. Vans isn't a non-profit company. They are in the business of selling planes to make money. The faster they get what the public wants on the market, the more profit they can make.
 
SkyView

Mark Henderson said:
The standard Dynon and Garmin avionics is hardly "obsolete". Even as the Skyview or what ever comes next attracts those builders who need to have the latest toys, many of us will continue flying with a darn good panel. The 12 was designed to fit a specific niche in the RV line. It will never be the fastest, or the best IFR cross country machine. The skyview sounds like a nice unit. But do I need it to have fun flying my 12, no. If and when there are no updates for my Garmin 495 ,do I need to park the airplane and walk away? No. I still have a 10 year old 295 that hasn't been updated in years that I carry as a back up. It works just fine. Rather than complain about Vans dragging there feet, perhaps we should evaluate from the stand point of what kind of product they market. This isn,t a skateboard where if the design isn't quite right, no big deal. We are talking about an airplane that has a very fragile cargo onboard, namely us. I would much rather have Vans do it right rather than do it quick. It is absurd to think that they are dragging their feet. Vans isn't a non-profit company. They are in the business of selling planes to make money. The faster they get what the public wants on the market, the more profit they can make.
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Well Put there Mark...!! You have Hit the Nail on the Head there my friend!
 
N588DF passed inspection this past Thursday. I ordered the avionics last fall and I will admit, have had second thoughts. My reality is I made the right choice. The Skyview is very nice and the price is right (comparatively speaking). The panel I have is nothing to sneeze at. There is currently a wealth of info. available for all of it. No guinea piggery here, you install the wiring correctly, follow the manual and if there is a problem, ask one of the smart guys on the forum and usually within minutes you know the solution. With the Skyview, a new game is started. It does seem that Van's approach to this could have been more strategic, but IMO they are typically very straight-forward outfit. Compared to their competitors (not very many) they are still beyond reproach and are a first class operation. I say make a choice and live with it. Just my .02 and not meant to offend.
 
Trust. That's all it is, trust, or lack thereof.

I trust Van's every time I put my butt in my 9A. I trust them when I send my credit card number. I trust them when I read the instructions and pound the rivets. To me, it isn't much of a stretch to trust them to give me a good electronics system in a timely manner, even if I would have liked it sooner. No one is perfect, and life can be frustrating. But take a good look at their track record. Where else can you get the innovation, quality, value, and yes, even service that has turned thousands into builder/pilots? I can't think of anywhere. Let 'em do it right.

Bob
 
videobobk said:
Trust. That's all it is, trust, or lack thereof.
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Patience and understanding are in the running too. People ask me all the time when my plane will be done. I tell them "I don't know, this is the first time I've built one." I then tell them how much I've done and what's left to do. It occurs to me that nearly everyone reading these words has had the same experience, and none of us would appreciate badgering for a more specific date. We all know what the real answer to that is: "It will be done when it is done, and not a day sooner."

I embarked on this project for the very reasons defined on the Federal law that permits it: recreation and education. I had anticipated getting a deep education in aircraft construction techniques; I was more surprised at the life lessons that this project has taught me, primarily in the areas of patience, attention to detail, knowing my strengths and weaknesses, and pain tolerance.

The last was the hardest to learn in the physical sense, while the first was the hardest to discipline myself to.
 
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