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Posted

I may get a Stratus 2 at some point in late summer when I may start flying more than the next few months and Oshkosh deals are happening (doubt the Stratus 2 will be on sale).

Has anyone heard of any Stratus 3 rumors? I have not. Just curious so I don't get the 2 and then the 3 comes out. I'm a few months away from purchase at the earliest.

-Seth

Posted

Trying to imagine what Stratus 3 would do that Stratus 2 doesn't already.  Maybe if it could make me a sandwich during a long cross county, that would be pretty handy. I bought my Stratus 2 about a month ago, and it was on backorder even buying directly from Appareo- took over a week to ship.   With it selling as fast as they can produce it, it doesn't seem like there's much incentive to rush to market with v3.

Posted

Trying to imagine what Stratus 3 would do that Stratus 2 doesn't already. Maybe if it could make me a sandwich during a long cross county, that would be pretty handy. I bought my Stratus 2 about a month ago, and it was on backorder even buying directly from Appareo- took over a week to ship. With it selling as fast as they can produce it, it doesn't seem like there's much incentive to rush to market with v3.

That's my thought too - what could the Stratus 3 do that the 2 doesn't?

-Smaller?

-longer battery?

-Sends a ghost ADSB In signal so you get your actual hockey puck around your plane?

-has a emergency button like spot handheld or PLB to help rescuers find you?

What else might it have?

I'll probably get a 2

-Seth

Posted

I suspect there will always be a market for portable solutions. A lot will depend on the certified solutions. If the prices go down considerably for the certified boxes, paying up to $1k AMU for a portable when a certified unit with "out" capability selling for twice that may convert some buyers.

http://www.aspenavionics.com/news/aspen-reduces-pricing-on-single-band-ads-b-transceivers

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Posted

I'm a bit of a gadget freak and always have to have the latest version... So I was waiting for a possible v3.  But I found a used Stratus2 for sale about 3 months ago and jumped on it.  I can't imagine how I ever lived without it! Maybe it's just all the shitty weather we've been having in Texas this Spring. But I don't every take off without it now. 

 

If I were you, I'd get one yesterday.

Posted

I'm a bit of a gadget freak and always have to have the latest version... So I was waiting for a possible v3. But I found a used Stratus2 for sale about 3 months ago and jumped on it. I can't imagine how I ever lived without it! Maybe it's just all the shitty weather we've been having in Texas this Spring. But I don't every take off without it now.

If I were you, I'd get one yesterday.

I currently have an Aera panel mounted connected to my 430w with the XM weather. At $50+ per month, it will pay for the stratus 2 in 18 months. The question is will a 3 be released.

I have weather for now, which I hear is better than the ADSB weather, but I pay for it. The positives for me are:

ADSB traffic (though I'm not yet putting out a signal)

Backup attitude display and sythetic vision on FF.

-Seth

Posted

I currently have an Aera panel mounted connected to my 430w with the XM weather. At $50+ per month, it will pay for the stratus 2 in 18 months. The question is will a 3 be released.

I have weather for now, which I hear is better than the ADSB weather, but I pay for it. The positives for me are:

ADSB traffic (though I'm not yet putting out a signal)

Backup attitude display and sythetic vision on FF.

-Seth

I've been using my Stratus 2 for over a year and cannot imagine going without it. I have held onto my WSI weather subscription for the past year, but I think its time is ending. The Stratus and it have been in sync every time. I just make sure I get a good look at the weather on the ground on the iPad via Wi-Fi or LTE before I launch since ADSB takes a bit of altitude to be able to receive over here.

 

I think up in the part of the country you are, you may be surprised at the traffic you get. If you are within another planes "puck", you should receive traffic based on their ADSB-Out broadcast. Coming out of Sun-n-Fun, I led a plane that had just gotten ADSB-Out installed and I was able to see lots of traffic while I was a couple of miles in front of it.

 

Don't have any experience with the SV portion of ForeFlight. Unfortunately, probably every pilot on the board over in Texas who has flown in the past month can give you an expert opinion on it. According to my Mom, sister and kids, they have not seen the sun for over a few hours almost the entire month of May.

 

John

Posted

I currently have an Aera panel mounted connected to my 430w with the XM weather. At $50+ per month, it will pay for the stratus 2 in 18 months. The question is will a 3 be released.

I have weather for now, which I hear is better than the ADSB weather, but I pay for it. The positives for me are:

ADSB traffic (though I'm not yet putting out a signal)

Backup attitude display and sythetic vision on FF.

-Seth

 

When I got my trig adsb-out transponder, I kept me XM weather "temporarily" but that was last summer so I guess I am keeping it permanently.  I like many things about the xm weather more.  I like the way it presents more - but not least of which is it is more reliable.  Occasionally in rural regions, at lower altitudes, I cannot get ADSB - but living in such regions - .. Im keeping xm.  But I did downgrade the service from the $55 to the (was it?) $35.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Several weeks ago I did my first flight using Foreflight/Stratus 2 with Synthetic Vision, I was IMC, over the mountains (KGKJ-KCHO-KJFZ) all I can say is WOW what perspective!

 

Even though I've been using the Foreflight/Stratus 2 ADSB-B weather for several years, I'm still paying for (downgraded) XM weather (GDL69/MX20) because I like two sources but one of these days I'll probably cancel my XM subscription because ADSB-B has proven to be very reliable here in the east.

Posted

just wondering, where do you guys mount your stratus?  I have no room on the visor.  I have been putting it on the floor between the seats. 

Posted

I was told by an Appareo rep to use the RAM mount to mount the Stratus vertically on a side window.  The reasoning is that the GPS antenna is on the top of the unit and the ADS-B antenna is on the bottom of the unit, so if you're laying it one way or another you're degrading a signal.  When I took mine off the dash and mounted it sideways on the side window (near my shoulder), I went from picking up 1-3 towers to 5-8 towers... some as far as 200 miles away.  Huge difference!

 

-Andrew

Posted

Andrew, when you do that, does it mess up the AHRS in the Stratus so you can not use the attitude reference?  and that would also mess up the synthetic vision function?  I thought it had to be mounted on a flat surface.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Andrew, when you do that, does it mess up the AHRS in the Stratus so you can not use the attitude reference?  and that would also mess up the synthetic vision function?  I thought it had to be mounted on a flat surface.

 

Sorry for the delayed response...  but no, I use a Stratus 1.  I have heard that the Stratus 2 orientation does not matter provided you calibrate it.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

So now there's this:

 

 http://generalaviationnews.com/2015/07/07/stratus-ads-b-receivers-updated/

 

Should I be gutted that I just got my Stratus 2 just a couple months ago, for the same price as the 2S? Dunno if the added functionality is much- others can weigh in.   Might be the right time to pick up a discount Stratus 2 on the used market though for those with more patience and self control than me.

Posted

So now there's this:

 

 http://generalaviationnews.com/2015/07/07/stratus-ads-b-receivers-updated/

 

Should I be gutted that I just got my Stratus 2 just a couple months ago, for the same price as the 2S? Dunno if the added functionality is much- others can weigh in.   Might be the right time to pick up a discount Stratus 2 on the used market though for those with more patience and self control than me.

 

The only difference between 2 and 2S is the cabin pressure monitor which I don't need...  The encryption and cooling improvement are nice but not a big deal. 

Posted

Agreed...seems like the upgrade from 2 to 2S is not really worthwhile. Although, a couple of weeks ago I had left the 2 on the glare shield in full sun while I went for lunch at an airport. I'd never had problems with overheating before, but it reached its limit I guess because it kept shutting off until I got it out of the sun for a few minutes, then I just left it on the pax seat for the rest of the short flight and it actually worked fine, good coverage, etc.

Posted

Well, the most significant changes when upgrades come through are the unseen ones, typically upgraded prodessing power with a faster central processor. I don't know they did that with the 2s, but i would buy the 2s anyway. Cabin sensor would not be the reason.

Example: if i neeeded a new moving map to replace my existing MX20 it would be a newer model like the MX200. The processing power and scrreen resolution of the old one just can't compete anymore although feature for feature they are not much different..

  • Like 1

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