ADSB... uAvionix

[LANCECASPER]

3 minutes ago, MBDiagMan said:

Is there a reason you couldn’t mount it on the right wing tip with the indicator light up so you could see it?

The nav light would be the wrong color.

[RLCarter]

I would imagine ATC would let you know if it was in-op

[MBDiagMan]

9 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

The nav light would be the wrong color.

Good reason!  I wonder if a different color lens is available.

[Hank]

10 minutes ago, MBDiagMan said:

Good reason!  I wonder if a different color lens is available.

Buy both wingtip lights, swap the lenses. Unless they are colored LEDs . . .

[neilpilot]

3 minutes ago, Hank said:

Buy both wingtip lights, swap the lenses. Unless they are colored LEDs . . .

colored LEDs

[EricJ]

I'd triple check the STC before swapping wingtips and inverting the antenna.   That may adversely impact the antenna pattern.   If it wasn't tested/certified that way it may not be allowed.

 

[bob865]

It has to go on the left wing tip.  Flipping on the same side puts the position light facing rear instead of forward and swapping tips puts the wrong color on the wrong side.  It has to be installed as designed.  Even if a flip was done, the indicator is not at the tip and would still be concealed by the wing from the pilot's seat.

I don't see confirming its operation to be that immensly critical.  I liken it to the normal transponder.  You have no way of knowing if it's actually working either.  You can see power, you can see a light, but you cannot confirm if it's actually broadcasting/replying to an interrogation.  However, if it's not working, ATC will let you know pretty quickly.  My $.02 anyway.  

[Jerry 5TJ]

12 minutes ago, bob865 said:

 

....I don't see confirming its operation to be that immensly critical.  I liken it to the normal transponder.  You have no way of knowing if it's actually working either.  You can see power, you can see a light, but you cannot confirm if it's actually broadcasting/replying to an interrogation.....

Modern transponders do report self-test and fault status.  My GTX33ES shows up on the GTN750 “LRU Status” page.  If it fails self check a text message appears on the MFD screen. 

Nice to know before you launch into busy airspace but as you say, ATC will tell you soon enough.   

Then you just switch to the #2 transponder.

[MBDiagMan]

35 minutes ago, bob865 said:

It has to go on the left wing tip.  Flipping on the same side puts the position light facing rear instead of forward and swapping tips puts the wrong color on the wrong side.  It has to be installed as designed.  Even if a flip was done, the indicator is not at the tip and would still be concealed by the wing from the pilot's seat.

I don't see confirming its operation to be that immensly critical.  I liken it to the normal transponder.  You have no way of knowing if it's actually working either.  You can see power, you can see a light, but you cannot confirm if it's actually broadcasting/replying to an interrogation.  However, if it's not working, ATC will let you know pretty quickly.  My $.02 anyway.  

No it wouldn’t put the lens rearward.  It would put the  antenna up and rearward.   IOW just roll it over to the other side with same end forward to put antenna up.

[bob865]

26 minutes ago, MBDiagMan said:

No it wouldn’t put the lens rearward.  It would put the  antenna up and rearward.   IOW just roll it over to the other side with same end forward to put antenna up.

Right....Then you have a red light on the right wingtip when it should be green.  The LED makes the light red, not a lens.  The lenses are clear.

[bob865]

41 minutes ago, Jerry 5TJ said:

Modern transponders do report self-test and fault status.  My GTX33ES shows up on the GTN750 “LRU Status” page.  If it fails self check a text message appears on the MFD screen. 

Nice to know before you launch into busy airspace but as you say, ATC will tell you soon enough.   

Then you just switch to the #2 transponder.

Don't forget, I'm buying a skybeacon because I don't have modern GTN750 and integrated GTX33ES kinda money.   

My KT76A only has one indicator and it's an interrogation light and it's not going to flash until I'm airborne where RADAR can see me.  I get more/better feedback on the wifi with the app off my skybeacon than I do on my installed transponder.  

[jaylw314]

1 hour ago, bob865 said:

I don't see confirming its operation to be that immensly critical.  I liken it to the normal transponder.  You have no way of knowing if it's actually working either. 

I assume you can get status information and confirmation it's working via the tablet interface, since it provides ADS-B In and WiFi connectivity as well, IIRC

[MBDiagMan]

2 hours ago, bob865 said:

Right....Then you have a red light on the right wingtip when it should be green.  The LED makes the light red, not a lens.  The lenses are clear.

Yes, I stood corrected on the light color five posts previous to the one you quoted.

[mike42]

"SkyBeacon must be mounted with the fin pointing down to ensure proper performance. It must be installed at least 3 feet from any operating transponder antenna.

To ensure performance of the integrated altitude encoder, the wire bundle exiting the skyBeacon enclosure must not be further sealed. This area functions as the static pressure sensing port."

From the TSO instillation manual.

[SantosDumont]

You can do a self test online to see if your ADS-B is broadcasting.

Just fly through an ADS-B area after install then go to this page for a report:

https://adsbperformance.faa.gov/paprrequest.aspx

[MBDiagMan]

12 hours ago, mike42 said:

"SkyBeacon must be mounted with the fin pointing down to ensure proper performance. It must be installed at least 3 feet from any operating transponder antenna.

To ensure performance of the integrated altitude encoder, the wire bundle exiting the skyBeacon enclosure must not be further sealed. This area functions as the static pressure sensing port."

From the TSO instillation manual.

There ya’ go.

[bob865]

Wanted to throw this out there for anyone who is considering a skyBeacon.  Make sure to check the transponder threshold with this procedure.  I installed mine and all looked good.  I assumed the squawk would come in when I got airborn and had a radar interrogation.  It did, but the lag gave me a maximum consecutive failures for Mode 3A and flight ID.  I made the changes per these direcions and now it picks it up almost immediately.  Flew breifly to verify it's fixed on another report and it is working fine.  Not more failures.  I need to do my validation fight again so I can get my rebate.

https://uavionix.com/support/skybeacon/mode-3a-failure-on-papr/

[Shiny moose]

Tail beacon!! Where’s the tail beacon???

[mooniacX]

Thank you for sharing that! I am installing mine tomorrow.

[Paul - M20C]

Good report. 

Mine is sitting on my kitchen counter and will go on during annual at the end of the month.  I like the idea of wiring the nav lights to the avionics bus so that the nav lights and ADS-B out are always on.  Then we could use the existing nav light switch for the strobe function.  I'll discuss this with my A&P tomorrow.  I don't currently have strobes so we're going to run wires for both sides for when the skyLight gets TSO'ed and shipping.  I'm going to preorder as soon as the preorder link goes active.  It's currently not an active button.

[Greg_D]

I like the idea behind these, but I'm going to have to use the tail mounted version if I go this route.  The wingtip versions have strobes, but the tail mounted version doesn't.  I wonder why.  I think the strobe in my tail cone counts as the rear position light, unless the white lights on the rear of the recognition lights count (Ovation).  Either way, I'm wondering if it's legal to replace the tail strobe with just a solid white light.  Also not wild about having it on the same circuit as the strobes as I like to turn those off on the ground and in clouds.  I guess I could rewire them to the nav lights or the avionics master.

[kortopates]

13 hours ago, Greg_D said:

I like the idea behind these, but I'm going to have to use the tail mounted version if I go this route.  The wingtip versions have strobes, but the tail mounted version doesn't.  I wonder why.  I think the strobe in my tail cone counts as the rear position light, unless the white lights on the rear of the recognition lights count (Ovation).  Either way, I'm wondering if it's legal to replace the tail strobe with just a solid white light.  Also not wild about having it on the same circuit as the strobes as I like to turn those off on the ground and in clouds.  I guess I could rewire them to the nav lights or the avionics master.

Your wing tips have white position lights in the rear of the wing tip on both sides. That's why your tail only has a strobe which you need to maintain. I am sure you could get by with a UAT solution but it will reduce your Ovations service ceiling back down to under 18K which will prove to be a sticky point at resale time; i.e. considered a downgrade till fixed properly.  

Edited January 24, 2019 by kortopates

[Marauder]

Your wing tips have white position lights in the rear of the wing tip on both sides. That's why your tail only has a strobe which you need to maintain. I am sure you could get by with a UAT solution but it will reduce your Ovations service ceiling back down to under 18K which will prove to be a sticky point at resale time; i.e. considered a downgrade till fixed properly.  

Now I know why Whelen built both a fixed white light and the white strobe in their tail light solution.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[kortopates]

5 minutes ago, Marauder said:

 

Now I know why Whelen built both a fixed white light and the white strobe in their tail light solution.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

yep, that way there tail strobe works for everybody whether they needed the white position light with the strobe or not; and probably most do. 

[GDGR]

20 hours ago, Paul - M20C said:

Good report. 

Mine is sitting on my kitchen counter and will go on during annual at the end of the month.  I like the idea of wiring the nav lights to the avionics bus so that the nav lights and ADS-B out are always on.  Then we could use the existing nav light switch for the strobe function.  I'll discuss this with my A&P tomorrow.  I don't currently have strobes so we're going to run wires for both sides for when the skyLight gets TSO'ed and shipping.  I'm going to preorder as soon as the preorder link goes active.  It's currently not an active button.

Thanks for bringing me up to speed. I had initially heard they weren't going to TSO the SkySensor. Glad they had a change of heart and decided to manufacture the light only and TSO it. 

Edited January 24, 2019 by GLJA
oops