Decision post AOPA expo on EFB/Tablet PC vs GPS with XMweather

We attended APOP Expo in Hartford, CT last Saturday. I had several
key items to check 1) self-flying tours 2) buying a new plane cover
and 3) checking various EFB/tablet PC options as alternate to Garmin
496.
Items 1 and 2 were completed quickly with armloads of brochures and
even a DVD on several self-flying safaris, western tours etc. . . . I
also put in an order for Bruce plane and tail cone cover at 10% off.
Items 3 took quite a bit of my time with so many options. I had
done quite a bit of reading before going to the show. Here are the
links to some of them
1. DOT EFB 2007 Industry Review
http://tinyurl.com/3b6t2e
2.Plane&Pilot Magazine hand held gadgets
http://tinyurl.com/2u3s5t
3. P&P Magazine hand held avionics
http://tinyurl.com/37v9fx
4. EFB review by Aviation consumer (through MotionComputing link)
http://tinyurl.com/368lvs
I checked out many hardware reviews articles on tablet PCs, ultra
mobile PC and convertible PC (Motion LS-800 with 32gb SSD,OQO Model
02 Tablet PC, Samsung Q1P SSD, Fujitsu Lifebook 1610D).

I also visited websites, read industry news and read forum
discussions on many EFB turnkey systems and software suites (NavAero
tPad 800/t-Bag C22 EFB, Advanced Data Research FG-1000 EFB/FG-7000T,
Mercury Computer Systems VistaNav 2.0/VistaNav CIS-2000, Hangar B17
WinEFIS Moving Map, AirGator NAVPad (NAVPad2 SS ,NAVPadQ SST. NAVPad
F), Anywhere Map Control Vision's Raven XP, True Flight Flight
Cheetah FL210/190 EFB,
Seattle Avionics Voyager Flight Software System EFB ,Stenbock &
Everson ChartCase Pro).

I stopped at all the booths that I could find (Hangar B17,
Voyager, ADR, RMS Technology-Flitesoft/Vista, VistaNav). BTW, there
was nobody at Anywheremap booth (the same thing happened when I
stopped at their booth at Oshkosh in 2006). I was impressed with the
show-price offered by Voyager for a complete EFB software package
(weather, approach charts, IFR/VFR charts) for just over $500. The
partner hardware option LS-800 with 32gb SSD was a bit stiff at $4200.
I asked about dimming option on LS-800. It took the sale rep several
minutes to search for the onscreen option with the stylus then another
minute or so to adjust the scale. This in combination with my
experience with MS windows operating system dampened my enthusiasm for
EFB/tablet PC option.

In reviewing my needs, I realize that our main need is XMweather.
Last month, I had an opportunity to see the utilization of the Garmin
396 along with a Stormscope while flying with Doug Stewart, the 2004
National Flight Instructor in his 177RG to get 10 hours complex for my
commercial rating. I also had my first encounter with a 'mild'
embedded thunderstorm in 2.5hrs solid IMC flying home in my 177B sans
weather equipment. Albany approach steered us around various cells
but at one point, I lost 500' at the blink of an eye. I added full
throttle and pulled the yoke up but the altimeter stuck at 5500'.
Then in a less than a minute, we were out of the downdraft and
experienced an immediate updraft which pushed us up at least 1000'.
Approach asked us whether we had problem maintaining our altitude and
said roger when we informed them of the downdraft/updraft. The most
amazing thing was that neither Rick nor I felt any jolts which
indicated turbulence. The plane was just pushed down and lifted up
quite evenly! So I stopped by AVMap booth to check out their cool
GeoPilot and asked them about XMweather. The salesrep assured me that
they would have XMweather option for both the GeoPilot and AVMAP by
Christmas. I asked about the price and was told it would most likely
around $500 on top of the price of these GPS units.

The next stop was at Lowrance booth. As before, I asked the
salesrep: "One question: when will you have XMweather for real?"
About 6 months, I was told. "Your promise did not come through last
time", I said. The guy replied "Yes, I remember you asked me about
this before". I told them that AVmap would have their XMweather soon.
The Lowrance guy confirmed this to be the case. He said something
about it took Lowrance longer than AVmap because Lowrance tried to
combine GPS/Weather receiver. He told me to hang tight and wait for
Lowrance if I wanted their product. I also asked about the possibility
of including approach plates and was told that Lowrance had no plans
to add it to their GPS due to legal issues. I suppose that we can just
use paper charts.

I have been very happy with the Lowrance Airmap 1000 so I guessed I
can wait until next spring. In the meantime, there will be no IFR
flying without onboard weather systems when there is even a slight
chance of isolated thunderstorms.

Hai Longworth