Flight Computer Input Devices

On Tuesday, 25 February 2014 18:18:03 UTC, Evan Ludeman wrote:
On Tuesday, February 25, 2014 11:10:21 AM UTC-5, Mike the Strike wrote:

I'm about to upgrade my Discus 2 panel with a more modern flight computer (5.6" class 640x480 display) and in reviewing the various options I am interested in user opinions about input devices.







My panel is just out of easy reach, so I'll need some input device - either stick-mount or cord-mount. Pros, cons and comments about the various approaches (button, trackball, etc.) would be useful.







Mike



Beware any device that requires precision analog hand / eye coordination. It will add up to an awful lot of head in the cockpit time. A push button interface ("digital", not analog), stick mounted, works well for most pilots (and works great on ClearNav).



Evan Ludeman (affiliated with ClearNav, but speaking for myself)

Touch screens are best for land based activity, such as entering new tasks - no other system is as easy for entering text. I have used Winpilot and SYM for years on various devices and have not had problems hitting the right part of the screen in flight either, but I do not often fly at high speed in high turbulence.

Last season I was using an LX 9000. I have no difficulty reaching the controls on the panel. I find the use of rotary knobs for many tasks to be excellent, and much better than using sequential button pushes for the same tasks - so for me using the knobs on the instrument is much better than using buttons on the stick remotes (in the car I generally adjust my radio volume with the knob on the dash rather than the button on the steering wheel). BTW, I find the LX 9000 to be superb.

I was leaning towards the ClearNav/LX approach of buttons rather than the trackball, although I believe both are quite workable. I currently use an Oudie and have had problems in rough air with the touchscreen.

The LX 9000 does look most interesting, but would be a lot more attractive if the Euro was at 0.8 to the US dollar instead of 1.35! The idea of putting the computer on a RAM mount within easy reach wasn't an idea I had originally considered, but might actually be viable.

I wonder how many here have taken that approach?

Mike

On Friday, February 28, 2014 9:16:44 AM UTC-7, Mike the Strike wrote:
I was leaning towards the ClearNav/LX approach of buttons rather than the trackball, although I believe both are quite workable. I currently use an Oudie and have had problems in rough air with the touchscreen.



The LX 9000 does look most interesting, but would be a lot more attractive if the Euro was at 0.8 to the US dollar instead of 1.35! The idea of putting the computer on a RAM mount within easy reach wasn't an idea I had originally considered, but might actually be viable.



I wonder how many here have taken that approach?



Mike

Mike,
I just installed an LX9000 on a RAM mount over the winter in my LAK and it seems to be working out just fine. You can see the photos on the Cumulus Soaring website.

It is very easy to reach and control and I am very confident that it will work out great during the coming soaring season at Moriarty. Once I have a few flights under my belt with this set-up, I'll provide an update on RAS.

Thx - Renny

On Friday, February 28, 2014 11:16:44 AM UTC-5, Mike the Strike wrote:

I wonder how many here have taken that approach?

I recall that Frank Paynter mentioned in his Soaring Cafe account that he had his Clear Nav on a RAM mount when he crashed. It abruptly detached. Subsequent trajectory unknown. A short well-anchored leash might make sense.

On Fri, 28 Feb 2014 08:16:44 -0800, Mike the Strike wrote:

I was leaning towards the ClearNav/LX approach of buttons rather than
the trackball, although I believe both are quite workable. I currently
use an Oudie and have had problems in rough air with the touchscreen.

The LX 9000 does look most interesting, but would be a lot more
attractive if the Euro was at 0.8 to the US dollar instead of 1.35! The
idea of putting the computer on a RAM mount within easy reach wasn't an
idea I had originally considered, but might actually be viable.

I wonder how many here have taken that approach?

Mike

Dunno whether this helps, but I have a PNA running LK8000 on a RAM Flex-
mount. That works for me. However, I fly in fairly non-turbulent
conditions and find that resting some fingers on the edge of the PNA
while prodding it with thumb or index finger helps a lot.

Of course, the thing that helps most of all is the ability of LK8000 and
XCSoar to let you fly a task without any pilot inputs provided, of
course, that conditions are good enough to complete the task without
needing to abandon any TPs.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

On Friday, February 28, 2014 2:21:08 PM UTC-8, Martin Gregorie wrote:
On Fri, 28 Feb 2014 08:16:44 -0800, Mike the Strike wrote:



I was leaning towards the ClearNav/LX approach of buttons rather than

the trackball, although I believe both are quite workable. I currently

use an Oudie and have had problems in rough air with the touchscreen.



The LX 9000 does look most interesting, but would be a lot more

attractive if the Euro was at 0.8 to the US dollar instead of 1.35! The

idea of putting the computer on a RAM mount within easy reach wasn't an

idea I had originally considered, but might actually be viable.



I wonder how many here have taken that approach?



Mike



Dunno whether this helps, but I have a PNA running LK8000 on a RAM Flex-

mount. That works for me. However, I fly in fairly non-turbulent

conditions and find that resting some fingers on the edge of the PNA

while prodding it with thumb or index finger helps a lot.



Of course, the thing that helps most of all is the ability of LK8000 and

XCSoar to let you fly a task without any pilot inputs provided, of

course, that conditions are good enough to complete the task without

needing to abandon any TPs.





--

martin@ | Martin Gregorie

gregorie. | Essex, UK

org |

The lovely thing about LK8000 is that for most flying you just need to touch in large zones rather than try to hit buttons. It works well, even in turbulence.
Craig
7Q

On Fri, 28 Feb 2014 15:14:33 -0800, Craig Funston wrote:

And, hopefully, almost all prodding it will ever need in flight involves
simply tapping the top left screen corner to dial round the list of TPs,
HOME and the 1st and 2nd nearest alternate landout fields.



--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

On Friday, February 28, 2014 11:16:44 AM UTC-5, Mike the Strike wrote:
I was leaning towards the ClearNav/LX approach of buttons rather than the trackball, although I believe both are quite workable. I currently use an Oudie and have had problems in rough air with the touchscreen.



The LX 9000 does look most interesting, but would be a lot more attractive if the Euro was at 0.8 to the US dollar instead of 1.35! The idea of putting the computer on a RAM mount within easy reach wasn't an idea I had originally considered, but might actually be viable.



I wonder how many here have taken that approach?



Mike

I have had CN on a ram mount for two seasons... no issues, works great, solid as the proverbial rock (lotsa ridge flying). The tunnel or behind panel mounts are prettier, but the ram mount allowed me to keep all my antique 80mm gauges. Hit me up if you have any CN questions or browse our forum for more info.

Evan Ludeman for CNi

On Friday, February 28, 2014 9:16:44 AM UTC-7, Mike the Strike wrote:
I was leaning towards the ClearNav/LX approach of buttons rather than the trackball, although I believe both are quite workable. I currently use an Oudie and have had problems in rough air with the touchscreen.



The LX 9000 does look most interesting, but would be a lot more attractive if the Euro was at 0.8 to the US dollar instead of 1.35! The idea of putting the computer on a RAM mount within easy reach wasn't an idea I had originally considered, but might actually be viable.



I wonder how many here have taken that approach?



Mike

This is not a paid advertisement . I just came from the convention and I horsed around with the Craggy Ultimate and a trackball. Thought Id not like it but I actually found it VERY easy to use and I did spend some time on it. I am a SYM man myself but I understand you have a choice of software with the ultimate (Unlike some of the others).