Where is the LX S80?

On Wednesday, October 8, 2014 9:05:56 AM UTC-7, jherzog wrote:
The user's manual for the S80 is now available

(http://www.lxnav.com/downloads/manua...ishVer0500.pdf)

so hopefully it will be available in the U.S. soon.



I'm interested in one to replace my Cambridge LNAV/SNAV/vario

combination, which will free up two instrument holes. I would like to

see a few initial reports from users before pulling the trigger on

purchasing.









--

jherzog

I should have some LXNAV S80 vario systems in a couple of week. Since they are similar to the LXNAV V7 except for the software I would expect few problems.

Richard
www.craggyaero.com

What are the differences in the inertial nagivation systems between the Butterfly vario and the S80?

The LX literature was confusing on how wind calculations are made and it says in one place that the S80 makes continuous wind calculations on its own but in another place it says that the S80 requires the compass module to improve wind calculations.

On Wednesday, October 8, 2014 3:30:33 PM UTC-7, wrote:
What are the differences in the inertial nagivation systems between the Butterfly vario and the S80?



The LX literature was confusing on how wind calculations are made and it says in one place that the S80 makes continuous wind calculations on its own but in another place it says that the S80 requires the compass module to improve wind calculations.

Where did you see that a compass module can be connected to a S80? I did not see that in the manual.

S80
Inertial platform 3 axis digital +-8g accelerometer, 3 gyroscopes (for inertial vario, AHRS and wind calculation)

The question about the difference between the butterfly and the S80 is probably proprietary information for both companies.

Richard
www.craggyaero.com

If you go to Cumulus Soarings website and read the information on the S80 it makes a short mention of the compass module.
Then if you go to the compass module section of his catalog it says it is for the S80.

On Wednesday, October 8, 2014 3:30:33 PM UTC-7, wrote:
What are the differences in the inertial nagivation systems between the Butterfly vario and the S80?



The LX literature was confusing on how wind calculations are made and it says in one place that the S80 makes continuous wind calculations on its own but in another place it says that the S80 requires the compass module to improve wind calculations.

There is no information in the manual about inertial vertical air mass movement nor inertially derived wind - the two most impressive things about the Butterfly (Air).

It looks like it does have a very nice Flarm display and flarm warnings - the two least impressive things about the Butterfly.

There has been soooooooo much time from the initial announcement of the S80 and the now just released manual that they may have changed the design perameters of the unit.

I want to hear from LX how the winds are computed.

On Wednesday, October 8, 2014 9:24:51 PM UTC-4, wrote:
There has been soooooooo much time from the initial announcement of the S80 and the now just released manual that they may have changed the design perameters of the unit.



I want to hear from LX how the winds are computed.

Reading through the manual, there is no mention of wind at all. Also no mention of being able to connect a compass module, which is referenced on their S80 page in the second to last line of the paragraph directly below the picture of the unit. It states: "fast wind calculation with external compass"

http://www.lxnav.com/products/lxnav-varios/s80.html

The same web page mentions under "Hardware": integrated synthesized speech output. Yet in the manual, it states on page 45 under "stall speed", that the voice module is _not_ integrated in the S80. Confusing.

Interesting feature is ability to set the battery chemistry and battery warnings.

Thank you for reading the S80 manual so closely. The internal conflicts are important.

I am trying to decide on the Butterfly vario vs the S80. The sophistication of the Butterfly ICU really draws me in but then I get confused when the company that makes the FLARM unit has such a poor FLARM display and funtionality in their Butterfly Vario.

Then the S80 release is delayed and delayed and delayed and the manual does not clear the air on some fundamental questions.

On Wednesday, October 8, 2014 7:47:11 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Wednesday, October 8, 2014 9:24:51 PM UTC-4, wrote:

There has been soooooooo much time from the initial announcement of the S80 and the now just released manual that they may have changed the design perameters of the unit.







I want to hear from LX how the winds are computed.



Reading through the manual, there is no mention of wind at all. Also no mention of being able to connect a compass module, which is referenced on their S80 page in the second to last line of the paragraph directly below the picture of the unit. It states: "fast wind calculation with external compass"



http://www.lxnav.com/products/lxnav-varios/s80.html



The same web page mentions under "Hardware": integrated synthesized speech output. Yet in the manual, it states on page 45 under "stall speed", that the voice module is _not_ integrated in the S80. Confusing.



Interesting feature is ability to set the battery chemistry and battery warnings.

It is curious that it has no magnetometer and no GPS. I wonder how they stabilize the AHRS? AHRS hardware included in every unit but it costs $1120 to turn it on? No GPS so no flight recorder function? S80 + Nano + AHRS option seems quite a bit more $$ than the Butterfly which includes all those functions and more? And you still need an external compass?

There must be more to the story than we know, because right now it doesn't seem to add up.

The Butterfly lacks a good Flarm display (by design, they claim), but gives excellent Flarm voice warnings which are quite a bit more useful. Still, I would like to see a good Flarm display.

On Wednesday, October 8, 2014 7:47:11 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Wednesday, October 8, 2014 9:24:51 PM UTC-4, wrote:

There has been soooooooo much time from the initial announcement of the S80 and the now just released manual that they may have changed the design perameters of the unit.







I want to hear from LX how the winds are computed.



Reading through the manual, there is no mention of wind at all. Also no mention of being able to connect a compass module, which is referenced on their S80 page in the second to last line of the paragraph directly below the picture of the unit. It states: "fast wind calculation with external compass"



http://www.lxnav.com/products/lxnav-varios/s80.html



The same web page mentions under "Hardware": integrated synthesized speech output. Yet in the manual, it states on page 45 under "stall speed", that the voice module is _not_ integrated in the S80. Confusing.



Interesting feature is ability to set the battery chemistry and battery warnings.

I heard from LXNAV

Compass can be connected via can bus. In the moment compass is not available.
Maybe some sounds are not implemented , but will be in future releases.

Concerning Winds: I have both the PowerFlarm-V7-Ultimate Le system and the Butterfly Vario in my glider. I do not see a significant difference in the wind calculation between the systems. Approx 400 hours of flying comparing the systems.

Richard
www.craggyaero.com