Is Stratus 2 really worth it for my needs !

[Houman]

Hi, looking for collective experience and opinion on a product !

 

I have been thinking of buying a Stratus 2 just because I like gadgets and like to have the latest information during my flights.

 

I live in Canada and it seems we are far behind on ADSB implementation, so it will not be much of use up here, but I do most of my flying to the states and wondering if it would really be worth it.

 

I have 2 Ipad's with ForeFlight when I fly, but most of my navigation is done trough the GTN 650 installed on the aircraft. I also get traffic on the Zaon XRX screen, so any aircraft with transponder signal it will show it to my relative position and altitude.

 

So I would really be buying the Stratus 2 for inflight weather updates to ForeFlight, right now I get my weather before I leave on the IPAD and trough 3G sync with ForeFlight on flights if I get signals, which I don't at the altitude the Rocket flies.

 

Also since I don't have ADSB out capability yet, wondering if I would get the broadcast info for weather and traffic as consistently since I will not be transmitting ( maybe my understanding is wrong here )

 

So do you think it is worth the 900$ ???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rbridges]

don't know about coverage in Canada, but you'll get pretty good weather coverage in most of the US with the stratus.  traffic is hit or miss.  without an out signal, you won't have anything to trigger the traffic updates to you.  You may get some if someone near you has an "out" signal.  

 

If you're not IFR rated, you may consider getting the stratus 1.  The 2 has AHRS which I like to know is available if my vacuum goes out.  It also has some improvements to address overheating issues that some people had.  The stratus 1 will give you the same weather and traffic capabilities but not the AHRS.

[Houman]

Well doing my IFR ticket now, so will have it probably before autumn.

[rbridges]

Well doing my IFR ticket now, so will have it probably before autumn.

 

I'd get the stratus 2 then.  I hope I never need the AHRS feature, but it's nice to know it's there.  I have a stormscope, but the ADSB weather is a great tool to have, especially with all the pop up thunderstorms we get down here in the south.

[Houman]

Yeah my Mooney came with a stormscope, but I get nothing on the screen, so I guess it might be inop or just not have gone trough any IMC conditions yet, so not used it yet...

[Marauder]

Yeah my Mooney came with a stormscope, but I get nothing on the screen, so I guess it might be inop or just not have gone trough any IMC conditions yet, so not used it yet...

Depends on which model. The WX-500 has no display of its own. Needs something to display it on.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Cruiser]

Broadcast weather is automatic and continuous for all types of ADS-B receivers. Only the traffic is restricted. 

 

I find that in cockpit weather is a welcome relief to the stress level if there is anything more than severe VMC along my route. You will also get TFRs, METAR and TAFs. 

 

I use FlyQ but I would think Foreflight has some kind of winds aloft feature. Using winds aloft has helped me pick/change altitudes for best winds along my route.

[FBCK]

I'm Cdn as well and thought about it as well, but I do have XM and will likely continue that for another year.  I'm in Calgary and when going though the US I understand the ADSB receiption over Montana and central states is not so good.  I will likely give it another year and review my decesion then.  I do like the idea of havinmg some sort of AI backup, scared me a bit last year when I had my first vacuum failure (with no backup).

[Guest]

Hi, looking for collective experience and opinion on a product !

 

I have been thinking of buying a Stratus 2 just because I like gadgets and like to have the latest information during my flights.

 

I live in Canada and it seems we are far behind on ADSB implementation, so it will not be much of use up here, but I do most of my flying to the states and wondering if it would really be worth it.

 

I have 2 Ipad's with ForeFlight when I fly, but most of my navigation is done trough the GTN 650 installed on the aircraft. I also get traffic on the Zaon XRX screen, so any aircraft with transponder signal it will show it to my relative position and altitude.

 

So I would really be buying the Stratus 2 for inflight weather updates to ForeFlight, right now I get my weather before I leave on the IPAD and trough 3G sync with ForeFlight on flights if I get signals, which I don't at the altitude the Rocket flies.

 

Also since I don't have ADSB out capability yet, wondering if I would get the broadcast info for weather and traffic as consistently since I will not be transmitting ( maybe my understanding is wrong here )

 

So do you think it is worth the 900$ ???

There is a Sky Radar unit for sale in the avionics section for $350. My buddy has flown one since they first came to the market. Another client has one in his RV10 but connected it to a transponder/DME antenna on the belly. He repeats great reception all along the Canada USA border

Clarence

[Piloto]

I have the Garmin Pilot application on my cell phone. It provides weather on the ground and 100% up to about 6,000ft using the cell network. At 10,000ft and above the WX updates are about 10 minutes intervals depending on the area. Unlike conventional wx update by manually inquiring, the Garmin Pilot updates the weather automatically when a window of possible cell contact is available. It indicates the time of the last update. The subscription is $70/year for IFR/VFR maps. The maps are synthetic and unlike photo maps they can be uncluttered easily for easy reading and the text is always upright on track mode. Well worth it.

 

José    

[Guest Mike261]

Only the US is installing ground stations for UAT coverage, This is where the weather information portion of ADS-B comes from. Canada has yet to announce which way they are going but the rest of the world is 1090 ES because they don't want the the expense or hassle of building the ground stations (or some other reason), there is no ADS B in with 1090 ES. The USA ground stations are completely built out now, i don't think canada has any, but i may be mistaken eh.

mike

[N33GG]

I have the Stratus 2 and iPad.  Love it.  I don't fly without it. Well worth the $$$ IMHO.

[jetdriven]

I have had the garmin pilot app and the GDL-39 for 3 years now. It works great. No overheating and it doesn't have a problem finding stations. Typically 12 at 2500 feet and up.

[FBCK]

Interesting Clarence, has your friend been out west with it.  I dont know anybody out here with an "in", if I thought I could get it all along the boarded I might being will to give it a try. I'm heading to Halifax in late July from Calgary.

[timpercarpio]

We have a Stratus II and love it. Here's a picture from my iPad flying to Florence, SC on our way home from Sun 'N Fun...

[Bob_Belville]

Sounds like the plane is pretty new to you? That Stormscope could be a very helpful instrument. Depending upon which model it is, it should go through a self test at startup. If it is inop it might cost that $900 for the factory to go through it. But it is possible the brightness adjustment has inadvertently been turned down, a common occurrence, dig out the manual! IMO, a Stormscope is essential for IFR flying. It will not display all the weather you see on NEXRAD but what it does show in much more important. 

[drapo]

The only use for ADSB in Canada is around the Hudson Bay and the northern Atlantic coast, where airliners flying in the upper flight levels (FL290 and above) can have their separation reduced by ATC and be given more direct routing.

 

As far as plans for installing more ADSB to the south, NavCanada is saying that their radar coverage is sufficient. WX and other informations are given via radio by FIC and ATC.

[Guest]

Interesting Clarence, has your friend been out west with it.  I dont know anybody out here with an "in", if I thought I could get it all along the boarded I might being will to give it a try. I'm heading to Halifax in late July from Calgary.

He said good coverage as far west as Sandpoint Idaho and Spokane Washington.

Clarence

[Houman]

The only use for ADSB in Canada is around the Hudson Bay and the northern Atlantic coast, where airliners flying in the upper flight levels (FL290 and above) can have their separation reduced by ATC and be given more direct routing.

 

As far as plans for installing more ADSB to the south, NavCanada is saying that their radar coverage is sufficient. WX and other informations are given via radio by FIC and ATC.

Yeah I did read the same thing, it's a shame, since most of my flights are to the states, I would have to get ready for 2020 at one point with a GLD88 or what ever they come out till then that makes sense. I'm more interested in it for the US flights...

[Piloto]

The only use for ADSB in Canada is around the Hudson Bay and the northern Atlantic coast, where airliners flying in the upper flight levels (FL290 and above) can have their separation reduced by ATC and be given more direct routing.

 

As far as plans for installing more ADSB to the south, NavCanada is saying that their radar coverage is sufficient. WX and other informations are given via radio by FIC and ATC.

There is no ADS-B benefit for the airlines since the onboard WX radar provides a faster update rate and detail picture than anything from a UAT/ADS-B ground station. All of them are TCAS equipped with resolution advisory that is not available by ADS-B. Canadians are just simply smarter. We in the US just have a bunch of lobbyists after taxpayers money.

José

[aviatoreb]

Don't laugh at me but....

 

I have both Foreflight and Garmin Pilot.  I used to have only Foreflight but switched to Garmin Pilot since I prefer its interface for in flight use.  And so I also have the GDL39-3d.  But I like foreflight more for ground use - preflight briefing, filing, and so forth.  So there you have it.

[Houman]

Don't laugh at me but....

 

I have both Foreflight and Garmin Pilot.  I used to have only Foreflight but switched to Garmin Pilot since I prefer its interface for in flight use.  And so I also have the GDL39-3d.  But I like foreflight more for ground use - preflight briefing, filing, and so forth.  So there you have it.

Erik, from the looks at it, we don't seem to have the same budget limitations. I have not tried Garmin Pilot, but maybe I will give it a try !!!

Do you get ADSB-in and out with that setup ?

[aviatoreb]

Erik, from the looks at it, we don't seem to have the same budget limitations. I have not tried Garmin Pilot, but maybe I will give it a try !!!

Do you get ADSB-in and out with that setup ?

 

Ok - don't keep laughing but - I also use weathermeister.com which is a for-pay weatherbriefing product.

 

Really - on an annual basis - $75/year for foreflight, $150/year for the garmin pilot (I get the IFR version since I do like the charts with georeferencing - its very useful), and $50/year for weathermeister - total $275/year for good briefing and in flight products is all the price of being a well informed pilot - and tiny compared to the total cost of operating a well maintained airplane for 175hrs/year.

 

....throwing in Jeppesin data bases for the certified GPS (what is it again?  I forget - $500?), and aviation magazines, aopa membership, eaa membership - I figure Im in for almost $1k/year just to nourish my mind - the human-brain-machine interface information needed to operate safely.  $1k/year and the rest of the cost of operating N10933 is all infrastructure (hangar), insurance, hardware, maintenance, and fluids (fuel, oil, and so forth). 

 

I seriously feel I am optimally informed and quickly by keeping all three of those data sources - foreflight for charts and plates and filing for ground use, garmin pilot for charts and plates for in flight, and weathermeister for weather info (if you haven't seen it - check it out - the tabular presentation of metars and tafs is fantastic).  And a drop in the bucket compared to the rest of the cost of flying.  And good data makes me enjoy it more too.  Hey - I even weather brief my daily bicycle ride (for fitness) on weathermeister - to choose routes with favorable winds.

 

....we all used to spend more than $275/year on paper plates and charts, until recently.

[PaulB]

Weathermeister sounds interesting. You think it's worth the money?

[Rik]

So you cannot use the same GPS receiver with fore flight as you do with the Garmin Pilot?