Mounting the Aera 760 and GDL 52

[donkaye]

I've attached a link to the pictures of my mounting of the Aera 760 and GDL 52.  I didn't want the GDL 52 on the glareshield, so I had Peter Casares, who has done most of the upgrade work on my plane, do the installation.  The suction cup mount made specifically for the GDL 5X series is beefy and has remained locked on to the window for the past several months without loss of suction.

I keep finding new additions to the 760.  The latest is the ability when downloading the active track to download either the entire track (this was the only way in previous handhelds), the past 24 hours, the past 7 days, a selected flight, or specific Dates.

The data can then be used in Garmin BaseCamp, Google Earth, or other compatible program to analyze the flight or range of flights.

http://www.donkaye.com/Aera_760_and_GDL_52_Photos.html

[M016576]

8 minutes ago, donkaye said:

I've attached a link to the pictures of my mounting of the Aera 760 and GDL 52.  I didn't want the GDL 52 on the glareshield, so I had Peter Casares, who has done most of the upgrade work on my plane, do the installation.

I keep finding new undocumented additions to the 760.  The latest is the ability when downloading the active track to download either the entire track (this was the only way in previous handhelds), the past 24 hours , the past 7 days, a selected flight, or specific Dates.

The data can then be used in Garmin BaseCamp, Google Earth, or other compatible program to analyze the flight or range of flights.

http://www.donkaye.com/Aera_760_and_GDL_52_Photos.html

That’s a nice, clean install!  Always the challenge with portables- wires everywhere vs convenience of removal.  I think your setup threads the needle nicely.

[donkaye]

Just now, bluehighwayflyer said:

I, too, am a big fan of Garnin portables, but at least for now I prefer the size of the Aera 660.  I admit, though, that I am tempted by the 770 and might eventually end up with one.  I tried mounting my GDL-50 the exact same way you have, but occasionally the RAM mount suction cup would fail and the thing would end up laying on my back seat. Hopefully you won’t have that problem.  

This suction cup mount is one of the beefiest I have seen, made specifically for the GDL 5X series.  It's been attached for nearly 2 months now with no loss of suction.

[Lance Link]

I fully intend to integrate an Aera 760 into the upgrade we will be doing soon.  In the J model, I fear that the Aera 760 might just be a little big to mount on the yoke without blocking some of the instruments.  I have modified the mount for the Aera 660 there, and can modify the Aera 760 mount as well.  It may or may not work, time will tell. But I still have a fantasy of making a suction mount that will fit the device elegantly just about where the window pillar is on the pilot's side.  If it works, I'll post details.  

[donkaye]

I just discovered today that it is important that the orientation of the GDL 52 be lights in front and antenna in the back if you are to consider using the attitude portion.  If you mount it opposite i.e. antenna in front, lights in back then left and right turns are reversed, and if you mount it end to end, like I first had mine it won't show any turns.  So I changed my mounting position on the suction mount.

[carusoam]

All Portable AHRS devices are going to make some assumptions...

Which may not work so well if they fall from wherever they were originally set up earlier in the day...

Kind of a limitation to be able to use a portable device for an attitude indicator...

It would need to be locked down, or in view of your scan... to make sure it doesn’t sneak in improper info...

 

Great pirep Don!

Definitely something to consider if your only other AI is a portable device...

PP thoughts only, not an avionics guru...

Best regards,

-a-