Total EXP/AB airplanes in the field: Roughly 18,000
Cheers,
Stein
They have spent a veritable fortune developing that thing and to equally compare it to what we're using in experimentals is difficult. Most of our experimental systems (with the exception of a few) couldn't come close to passing many if any of the TSO requirements for Software and/or hardware in the EFISes. This is of course a double edged sword. We get lots of great functionality at a very low price point, but on the other hand some of the systems being sold while attractive are not nearly as robust as their certificated brethren.
Thanks for your input, Stein.
Others can bad-mouth the certified units for high cost among various and sundry other complaints, but when you need the unit to work, in actual IMC conditons, it will work. I've flown behind a less than robust experimental EFIS unit for the last 3 years in my RV7A and, frankly, I'm tired of it's less than reliable operation. The manufacturer never took the time to adequately design, test, troubleshoot and bring to market a unit that would do what they said it would do. They left testing to the marketplace, us. Now, they've moved on to newer, costlier, "improved" versions and left earlier purchasers "holding the bag." Of course, they suggest buying one of their newer units. Not on your life!!!
I've been eagerly awaiting the Aspen Avionics unit since seeing it at OSH last year. Why would they not want to sell to the experimental market if they introduced it at OSH? Their unit does everything and more that the PFD does on the Beechjet I fly for work.
Anyway, different strokes.................
Mike
On the off chance that the Aspen folks read this...
IT'S A BARGAIN AT $10K!
<snip>
Count me in for one! <snip>
Shouldn't be flying a SE prop in hard core actual IMC. If you are flying a Beechjet at work I'm surprised you are doing that. What's your plan for engine failure in IMC when the weather goes all the way to the ground? I see an option in the Cirrus but not a practical one in the RV. If you have buckets of money then the price is a non-issue. Many (not all) on this board are not involved in certified GA because of $. By his actions, Van has remained sensitive to that need from day 1. Aspen is not. That's ok, they are after different group. No harm there. As you say, and I agree, different strokes..............
Well heres my situation, and maybe you smarter fellas can give me some advise. I have an already built RV-8 with a nice IFR steam guage panel. However I like to do acro and quite frankly have lost faith in vacuum guages, so I would like to get rid of the old gyros in favor of a glass, which I have grown to enjoy flying professionally. I would like to do the mod without completely redoing the whole panel to save me time and keep me in the air more in the summer. When looking at all of the other equipment it appears that they will require more modification than I am wanting to make. The Aspen would provide me with the ability to slide the unit into the existing hole with the only major modifications being to dual redundant gyro ADI and installing the RSM, remote antenna, which I think I have figured out. So that is my thinking why I want to go with the Aspen.
....I say it that way, because I'm not really sure if there is such a thing as a "Certified" avionics display by itself - in a certified aircraft, it has to be "certified" for the particular aircraft through it's TC or an STC....Paul
OK, Gil, I'll buy that - certified is certified.
Of course, so is an old Sigma-Tek Horizon and a Vacuum pump...and we know how reliable they are .....
Paul
Shouldn't be flying a SE prop in hard core actual IMC. If you are flying a Beechjet at work I'm surprised you are doing that. What's your plan for engine failure in IMC when the weather goes all the way to the ground? I see an option in the Cirrus but not a practical one in the RV.
I HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING AN AVIONICS UPGRADE. THE ASPEN UNIT SEEMS TO BE VERY NICE. LOOSE THE VACCUM SYSTEM AND GAIN A WHOLE LOT OF INFORMATION IN THIS UNIT. IS ANYONE USING THIS YET? ANY THOUGHTS ON THE COMPANY? WILL BE CHECKING IT OUT AT S`N`FUN. SEE YOU THERE!!!!!!!!
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out. Rough data drives markets...Here's a real high level look at where we are in GA averaged over the last 5 years.
Total GA certificated airplanes in the field: Roughly 300,000
Total EXP/AB airplanes in the field: Roughly 18,000
Total hours flown per year - certificated: Approximately 25 Million
Total hours flown per year - EXP/AB: Approximately 900 thousand
Average hours per a/c for certificted GA: 275/yr
Average hours per a/c for EXP/AB: 52/yr
Most popular EX/AB: RV. Number registered per year: 600+/-
Certificated Piston Singles delivered per year: 3000 +/-
Now, the above numbers are not perfect, but decent. Anyone who has worked in any sort of sales or marketing at all could figure out where you'd focus and who your main demographic would be.
They have spent a veritable fortune developing that thing and to equally compare it to what we're using in experimentals is difficult. Most of our experimental systems (with the exception of a few) couldn't come close to passing many if any of the TSO requirements for Software and/or hardware in the EFISes. This is of course a double edged sword. We get lots of great functionality at a very low price point, but on the other hand some of the systems being sold while attractive are not nearly as robust as their certificated brethren. There are systems out there that are either partially or nearly identical to certificated products, but they are at the mid-to higher price points....so in some aspect those are some of the things you are paying for in the higher priced systems.
I'm sure this will generate some input from various mfgrs stating their stuff is "almost as good as the certified stuff" and in some cases they are right. But, it's more than a small leap to make when it comes right down to it. I can count on one hand (even misssing a finger) the systems that have part or some certificated level components and/or software in their systems, but none of them are the low cost systems.
Like everything it's a compromise as to what you want and are willing to settle for between cost, functionality, reliability, etc.. We sell a lot of experimental EFISes and I love 'em - heck I fly behind them....bit I think perhaps we should cut Aspen a bit of a break. They are going to change the face of aviation insofar as our 172 driving friends are concerned, so I'm happy to see it.
They will be available to experimentals, but not perhaps with the same loose requirements that we've been used to regarding installations - but that's not all bad. Certificated products are tested to very rigid guidelines and installation specs, and to control the overall reliabilty of the systems the mfgr almost has to put some sort of guidelines in place to ensure the product performs as it was designed. As much as we all might want to believe that every builder is capable of installing avionics safely and correctly, the truth of the matter is that there is little control from a mfgr standpoint when they remove all control. Garmin has it with the G900X's and if you put one together or installed one you'd see why. It's not something the average builder should even dream of tackling on their own. Of course the Aspen stuff is not the same, but the basic premise behind it is.
Anyway, I digress. My only point was that I'm excited about Aspen. From what we've played with, it appears to be extremely well made, very nice to use and nice to look at. Overall they hit the mark (I dare say a home-run) on what they wanted to do. Another reason I'm excited for them is because it starts to make GA as a whole start moving into the modern world. Aspen sort of validates the entire "low cost" small glass panels that we've been used to for year - and that's a good thing.
As usual I'm just sort of playing devils advocate and showing another side here. I'm not really agreeing or disagreeing with anyone, just trying to show another point. Don't think Garmin, Honeywell and others have been asleep at the wheel....there is a lot of new exciting things on the horizon for all of GA, most of all for us exerimental types. If you don't believe me stop by the (Oooops...I can't say that just yet) booths during SnF...I'll guarantee you that you'll see things that are SURE to surprise!
My 2 cents as usual!
Cheers,
Stein
... a way to feed an audio alert into the headsets.
the manual mentions an optional tone generator
-Jim
Just received a Chief Aircraft catalog and they have a separate line referring to Experimental ASPEN EFD-500/1000MFD & ATP PFD units. Anybody know if Aspen has a new lower price for EXP market?