Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net> (Marvin Kaye)
To: lml
Date: Mon, 19 May 2003 19:34:07 -0400
Message-ID: <redirect-2355183@logan.com>
From: Barker Asset Mgmt <barkerasset@earthlink.net>
Subject: [LML] paperless cockpit
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References: <list-2354755@logan.com>

I have had dual MX20s for over a year, fed from an Apollo GX50 GPS.

MX20 is great. GX50 is horrible, no SIDs no STARs no ILS approaches.
Garmin and others work fine with MX20 and the new Apollo unit fixes all the
shortcomings of the former GX series as I understand it.

Chartview is a Jepp software product. Dealing with Jepp is often a maddening
experience but the product is Terrific with a capital T. I can load charts 2
ways. I call them dynamic and static.

Static is like paging thru paper copies. The MX20 screen is filled with as
much as can fit and you can pan and do some limited zooming. All approaches
are displayable in this mode. It's cumbersome and I would never consider it
as an alternative to paper. I can't imagine flying an approach just from
this static display. It could be used to copy down altitudes and such.

Dynamic is where it's at. I set my lower MX20 up to look just like a LIFR
enroute chart. The approach plate can then be overlayed on top of this. It
is "georeferenced" which means oriented exactly as the underlying chart.
Once loaded a small rectangle appears over the destination. As you get
nearer it blossoms into the plan view of the approach and your ownship image
flies right onto it. Situational awareness couldn't get any better than
that.

Text is skewed with the plate. That is, as the plate is oriented the text
goes with it. I carry paper but someone better than me could manage by
copying down the pertinents from a static display or maybe, just maybe
reading the georeffed one.

Not all approaches are georeferenced but I think it would be rare to find
one you wanted to fly that was not.

Bob Barker   N242PZ   Columbia 300