Traffic Avoidance

[flight2000]

For those of you that have traffic avoidance in your planes (panel mounted or freestanding units), what system are you using?  Can you give a pirep on the positive and negatives for your unit.

Thanks,

Brian

[Jeff_S]

I have a Zaon MRX, which is the smallest of their units, about the size of a pack of cards. It doesn't have a directional screen and doesn't integrate into any other input device, so the readout on the face is all you get. But it's small and unobtrusive on the top of the glare shield, and it does a decent job of pointing out traffic.

I originally had it in my Warrior, and there I thought it did an excellent job picking up traffic. In the Mooney, perhaps there's more interference from additional avionics or maybe just the airframe causes blockages, but I find that it doesn't seem to identify as many planes as it used to. This is especially true when the planes are below my altitude, as that is when I am more likely to see one whiz by me underneath without lighting up the unit.

But planes at/near my altitude and any above me, it generally picks up quite nicely. What it really does is give you the occasional reminder to keep your eyes outside the cockpit.

[Earl]

I use the Zaon MRX with a connection to my Garmin 696 using TIF data.  Provides an aural ("Traffic") alert and also plots the target on the screen relative to the airplane and puts a box in the lower left screen when they are really close.  I do not rely on the position shown on the screen and start my head swivel.  I will say when I make visual contact it has been close to where it shows on my screen but I have also had lots of traffic alerts with no joy.  At times I called ATC to ask if they had something and they usually did in about the same location but not a factor so they didnt call it out.

Doesn't replace see and avoid but is a great tool to alert me to bogies.

[drapo]

Quote: Jeff_S

I originally had it in my Warrior, and there I thought it did an excellent job picking up traffic. In the Mooney, perhaps there's more interference from additional avionics or maybe just the airframe causes blockages, but I find that it doesn't seem to identify as many planes as it used to.

[DaV8or]

I use Garmin. I have the 330 transponder hooked to the 430. It works pretty good, but it doesn't always work for some reason. Some areas it will tell you "Traffic not available". I like it though and I'm glad I have it. It shows relative position, direction of travel and altitute above or below me and I can zoom in or out on the display. I can also choose to ignore traffic that is not close or not a conflict.

[flight2000]

Dave, do you know if the 330 will put it on the 696 instead (via the 430)?  I normally have the navigation page on the 430W displayed and not the moving map.  I have the 496 as the map and weather.

Thanks,

Brian

[DaV8or]

Quote: flight2000

Dave, do you know if the 330 will put it on the 696 instead (via the 430)?  I normally have the navigation page on the 430W displayed and not the moving map.  I have the 496 as the map and weather.

Thanks,

Brian