Vario Comparison

On Thursday, June 21, 2018 at 12:34:06 PM UTC-7, wrote:
Thank you. This is very helpful but it contradicts what an earlier poster stated. If it is adjustable as you have indicated, this is a very good feature.

Gary

As far as I can tell, the Air Vario is the only one using inertial sensors for variometry, represented in the Vertical Air Mass movement needle. This has a setting to be derived from any mix ratio of 100% barometric to 100% inertial. If set to 100% inertial I find it too twitchy, but set to 80% inertial it can be flown like a variometer, but leads it by a second or more. It is confused by other things, such as changing flap position. I can thermal with it even with the engine boom out, which totally hoses the tail pneumatics.

Every other vario since the 302 has had inertial sensors and some claimed to use them, but none seem to. Currently flying with both Air Vario and Clear Nav vario installed.

I don't think is contradicts. The Air Vario draws several virtual needles on the screen, one is the variometer which is strictly barographic like others. The VAM needle (actually a blue ball) represents vertical air mass movement, and can be used like a variometer to a great extent. It is that reading that can be varied from barometric to inertial. You have both displayed at all times. The audio represents the barographic variometer needle (a triangular pointer). Both are useful - in theory the VAM does not react to horizontal gusts and leads the variometer. There are several adjustments to filtering on both to play with.

Thanks jfitch- your comments are very helpful. I'm sorry if I gave the wrong impression- I thought someone had stated that none of the current offerings are using inertial inputs in the z dimension. Possibly someone wrote this to me privately. Your comments show that your vario has this capability as well as the ability to mix the inputs at different ratios. Clearly your experience with this is most helpful.

Gary