Fllight Recorder Wars, Part II: What Backup to Use?

If you want the absolute simplest backup (Primary for
those of us just out for some fun) solution to cover
all the capabilities of your 302(or whatever you have)
and Pocket PC running whatever you run, you can purchase
the Ique 3600 integrated Palm and Garmin GPS from Garmin
and run Soaring Pilot (www.soaringpilot.org), A great,
simple, and FREE final glide/?Navigation program by
Mark Hawkins or if you wait till 1 April when the Mitac
Mio 168 goes on sale in the U.S. (those of you in the
EU can already buy one). It is a Pocket PC all in one
PDA and GPS. SP writes IGC files and whatever software
you are capturing on your current PDA that you choose
to load on the Mitac will too!jeff

Good comments so far. Thanks. A few points:

1. The backup device MUST produce a log that's acceptable for U.S.
regional and national contests. As I read the rules, a handheld GPS
receiver is acceptable--even for a U.S. nationals--so long as it logs
altitude; a PDA-based system with a GPS card is not.

2. The most likely failure mode may well be a power problem, but I've
already got a backup power supply (that I've used 3 or 4 times over
the past 30+ years for genuine failures).

3. Regarding failure of the flight recorder:
a) the probability may be low but it's already happened once (the
UART comm. chip, I was told); to date, that's at least as frequent as
a power supply failure on a per hour or per flight or per year basis
b) the EFFECT is disastrous; if I'm going to drive halfway across
the country and spend the money to enter a nationals, I don't want to
zero a day because some $2 part fails. That's like tossing a live .45
caliber shell into a bin with 99 blanks, mixing them up, then picking
one at random, loading it into a pistol, aiming it at my head, and
pulling the trigger. The percentages are in my favor but the
consequences of that 1% chance are severe.

4. I can live without certain navigation and flight computer features
(I still carry a current sectional and a cardboard final glide
calculator) but if there are several alternatives and one allows me to
switch the source of GPS info for my LNAV and PocketNAV from my
Cambridge 20 to the backup device quickly and easily, it makes the
choice easier.

5. Gaps of up to 15 minutes are allowed, as are multiple incomplete
flight logs. So there is time to switch from one device to another so
long as (i) the primary flight recorder retains the flight log for the
portion of the flight preceding the failure point (not true,
apparently, when mine failed last year) OR the backup device has been
logging the flight from takeoff.

To date, Paul Remde's suggestion of a Cambridge 302A sounds easiest
(though not cheap). But that raises the same questions about
Cambridge's long-term (or even short-term) survival as were discussed
on this forum last year. What's the latest?

Chip Bearden

Hi Chip,

You mentioned below that you have questions about the future of CAI. That
is understandable, given the changes over the last 2 years. I was at first
very hesitant to work with the new company, but I have been impressed. They
ship products quickly and have done repairs as well. Gary Kammerer answers
technical questions in a timely fashion. The quality of the products seems
very good. I haven't had any returns.

Who knows what the future holds for any company. I wouldn't be selling
their products if I wasn't comfortable with the future of CAI.

Good Soaring,

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring Supplies


"Chip Bearden" wrote in message
om...
Good comments so far. Thanks. A few points:

1. The backup device MUST produce a log that's acceptable for U.S.
regional and national contests. As I read the rules, a handheld GPS
receiver is acceptable--even for a U.S. nationals--so long as it logs
altitude; a PDA-based system with a GPS card is not.

2. The most likely failure mode may well be a power problem, but I've
already got a backup power supply (that I've used 3 or 4 times over
the past 30+ years for genuine failures).

3. Regarding failure of the flight recorder:
a) the probability may be low but it's already happened once (the
UART comm. chip, I was told); to date, that's at least as frequent as
a power supply failure on a per hour or per flight or per year basis
b) the EFFECT is disastrous; if I'm going to drive halfway across
the country and spend the money to enter a nationals, I don't want to
zero a day because some $2 part fails. That's like tossing a live .45
caliber shell into a bin with 99 blanks, mixing them up, then picking
one at random, loading it into a pistol, aiming it at my head, and
pulling the trigger. The percentages are in my favor but the
consequences of that 1% chance are severe.

4. I can live without certain navigation and flight computer features
(I still carry a current sectional and a cardboard final glide
calculator) but if there are several alternatives and one allows me to
switch the source of GPS info for my LNAV and PocketNAV from my
Cambridge 20 to the backup device quickly and easily, it makes the
choice easier.

5. Gaps of up to 15 minutes are allowed, as are multiple incomplete
flight logs. So there is time to switch from one device to another so
long as (i) the primary flight recorder retains the flight log for the
portion of the flight preceding the failure point (not true,
apparently, when mine failed last year) OR the backup device has been
logging the flight from takeoff.

To date, Paul Remde's suggestion of a Cambridge 302A sounds easiest
(though not cheap). But that raises the same questions about
Cambridge's long-term (or even short-term) survival as were discussed
on this forum last year. What's the latest?

Chip Bearden

I would like to add to Cambridge Service - Gary Kammerer is
outstanding and always seems to get to the bottom of problems. The
ideal situation would be Dave Ellis (with Phil S) or whoever working
on new instrument developments. The new 302A CFR does look good and I
believe will have a black case and "camera mount" 1/4 nut atached real
soon.
Ian McPhee
Australia