lionel wrote:
Does this apply to ADL and/or Garmin Connext? I expect @Sebastian_G could answer for ADL :)
The strike / lightning data used by the ADL devices and probably most other similar solutions comes from ground based receivers. Those detect the signature of the lightning at multiple locations and calculate the position by time delay. This includes cloud to ground and cloud to cloud strikes.
You can do a lot of science on this as the biggest customers for such solutions seem to be insurance companies. They monitor the lightning very precisely and then when you file a false claim they will bust you because there was no lightning at the location at that time. For aviation purposes we need at lot less precise data. We do not really care about a super precise location but 1km is more than enough. Also if it was cloud to cloud or cloud to earth and many more details do not really matter. If there is lightning we want to stay away with 20NM margin anyway.
The big difference compared to radar is that the receiver does not need a line of sight due to the nature of the signal. Right now there is a big thunderstorm in the US and you can use this map here and also display the receivers receiving the signal. You see that a lightning on the US east coast of often received by devices on the west coast:
https://www.blitzortung.org/de/live_lightning_maps.php?map=30
Therefore such systems also reach out far on the ocean. But they need a lot of receivers to work properly and regions like Africa or the Pacific seem simply not covered. I also read about satellite based systems but I am not sure they are used commercially.
@sedatedokc Did you already evaluate how much insurance and hangar is yearly?
Updated after everyones input! Thanks for everyones help so far!
—YES—
Honeywell KN 63 DME
Avidyne TAS 605
Garmin GWX 70 Radar
Garmin GSR 56 Iridium satellite datalink
Garmin Synthetic Vision
Garmin GTX 345R ADS-B in/out
Flight stream 510
TKS
Oxygen – You all have convinced me that even if I don’t need it now, I will want the cleaner built in solution!
Tablet mount
—NO—
Becker 3500 remote ADF
WX 500 Stormscope
Flight data recorder
Digital standby altitude module
Air conditioning
Bubble canopy incl sun protection
—Unsure—
Am safe belts with airbags
Electrically operated rudder pedals
Jeppesen PilotPak IFR bundle – I imagine the sales rep can clear up what this is vs. Foreflight.
Removeable right hand stick – Still unsure! I would think the occasional passenger would enjoy some handflying? Or for example an emergency situation?
LeSving wrote:
Where are you based, and do you have a hangar?If it isn’t installed by default, the first thing I would mount is electric engine heater and battery charger to plug into the mains. Preferably connected to an app on the pone.
I will be making phone calls about hangar space in the Oslo area after easter.
Can you elaborate on the electric engine heater? Or something connected to an app? Is this something I ask diamond about or an aftermarket solution?
Sebastian_G wrote:
Just a second thought on that. For the estimated 1 million you have quite some pre owned options. For example you could buy a nice pre owned Piper Meridian and still have a big chunk of cash left to run it. That would give you pressurization, 260kt TAS, FL300, a heating system which works in -50C, a stair for the passengers instead of crawling over the wing and more. There are good reasons to choose a brand new DA42 but before spendig such an amount I would try to make sure this is really the best option for your mission.
My plan is to get a few hundred hours of experience here before moving into the Turbine world. If I had a thousand hours under my belt then I would be doing as you suggest.
Peter wrote:
How much as the ADF option for a DA42? It should cost much less than the aircon option.
About $15000 with tax.
Hodja wrote:
sedatedokc, just in case you didn’t mention this…Make absolutely sure you order the premium seats. (reclinable & w/lumbar support)
I had the standard seats in my old DA40 & after 2 hrs you started wishing you were somewhere else. (pre-Oregon Aero cushions)
Conversely I’ve had +12 hr days in the DA42-VI premium seats & felt completely comfortable.
My DA40 had the manual rudder pedals – I bought the electrical ones for the DA42-VI. Don’t go cheap. The electrical ones are just neater.
Oxygen – I bought a portable MH Oxygen cylinder & O2D2 regulator. I enjoy the flexibility as I use the cylinder across different aircraft. Also the built-in stuff require added maintenance during annuals. Your call, either solution is fine. If you’re 3-4 people in the cabin, the built-in is definitely the way to go.
I skipped Amsafe seatbelts. (which I had on the DA40)
Will go for premium seats!
Hard to know what to do on the pedals. It will be mostly me flying, but also they arent that expensive. Do they create any maintenance issues?
How much extra maintenance complications on the annaul for the oxygen?
How much maintenance / complications on the AM safe seatbelts?
BerlinFlyer wrote:
@sedatedokc Did you already evaluate how much insurance and hangar is yearly?
Not yet. Will be getting some quotes after easter!
sedatedokc wrote:
Removeable right hand stick – Still unsure! I would think the occasional passenger would enjoy some handflying? Or for example an emergency situation?
I’m not sure how easy it is to remove and put back, but I imagine:
How much maintenance / complications on the AM safe seatbelts?
I don’t think the airbags add any maintenance / complications. It only adds cost. The expiry date of the airbags is an airworthiness limitation, however. So it must be complied with. Compared to the million you‘re spending, negligible.
I guess p. 85 here lists it:
sedatedokc wrote:
Removeable right hand stick – Still unsure! I would think the occasional passenger would enjoy some handflying? Or for example an emergency situation?
It’s removable. If you plan to do training or fly with other pilots, it can be present, if you fly with a nonflying partner it can be removed, adding comfort.
Is the sat based lightning data as slowly updated as the rest of the connext data?
Would a „realtime“ onboard stormscope help offset the limits of small wx radar antennas?
sedatedokc wrote:
Can you elaborate on the electric engine heater? Or something connected to an app? Is this something I ask diamond about or an aftermarket solution?
It’s typically an aftermarket solution, but I would think Diamond already has delivered loads of this to different customers in colder climates. If you plan to fly in/from the Oslo area in the winter, you definitely need this, or a heated hangar.
With an app you can turn it on/off remotely, but this app thing can be connected to the socket in the wall, it doesn’t need to be part of the heater.
sedatedokc wrote:
I will be making phone calls about hangar space in the Oslo area after easter.
Unfortunately you will be hard pressed finding a hangar in the Oslo vincinity, at least long term. Give me a call after Easter, I might be able to help.
And I might be able to help you with your MEP rating (and IR), possibly on your own plane :)
Where would sedatedokc be without EuroGA..
