uAvionix (Aerovonics) AV-30 Certified - $1,995

[SNKDTR]

Would be nice, but I am not sure there will be much future interest in the legacy ILS/VOR capabilities... little reason for them to include the legacy options...

We once thought we would purchase these options with our Aspen install, but a short year later, not any more... We will be losing our VOR and ILS here sooner than later. Actually hoping they keep the NDB as a backup if GPS ever porks, intentionally or not.. At least AM radio stations are still broadcasting.

… I kno… but I am at least half serious here..

Never good depending on one nav system... only...

Cap

Exactly why I maintain my KR87 stuff......If GPS ever craps out well you know …..reasons

 

[Tweety]

https://www.avweb.com/news/faa-wants-to-cancel-736-ndb-vor-dme-approaches/

Plenty of GPS outages, some due to intentional "degradation".

 

[cappy48]

Also, I haven't noticed the YFC VOR in NavCan's decommissioning plans; I'm guessing it will be part of the reduced backup network, like the YOW VOR.

Correct, YFC is still in... But at the Nav Can meting this summer in Halifax, most left the meeting with the strong feeling that the timeline for these Nav Aids is limited...

Other than the Flight College training on them, little used...

Cap

 

[Canuck]

Correct, YFC is still in... But at the Nav Can meting this summer in Halifax, most left the meeting with the strong feeling that the timeline for these Nav Aids is limited...

Other than the Flight College training on them, little used...

Cap

We need some kind of a backup to RNAV for safe flight, even if it's little used (because RNAV works most of the time). If they want to pull out the VORs, they'll have to come up with something else (and it will have to be something realistic; if they ask us to reequip our Pipers and Cessnas with $20K+ of new equipment, it won't go over well).

In theory, NDBs would have been a better backup choice. They're significantly cheaper to operate and maintain (the main cost is periodic testing), and a network of high-power enroute NDBs, along with a collection of low-power approach ones, would cost a fraction of what it costs to maintain even the reduced VOR and ILS network, and would work further out at lower altitude (unlike VORs, which are line-of-sight) for the rare occasions RNAV is blocked, U/S, or degraded.

Unfortunately, too many planes have already torn out their ADFs, and most A/P's can't pair with them any more, so that's not a realistic option either.

 

[cappy48]

We need some kind of a backup to RNAV for safe flight, even if it's little used (because RNAV works most of the time). If they want to pull out the VORs, they'll have to come up with something else (and it will have to be something realistic; if they ask us to reequip our Pipers and Cessnas with $20K+ of new equipment, it won't go over well).

In theory, NDBs would have been a better backup choice. They're significantly cheaper to operate and maintain (the main cost is periodic testing), and a network of high-power enroute NDBs, along with a collection of low-power approach ones, would cost a fraction of what it costs to maintain even the reduced VOR and ILS network, and would work further out at lower altitude (unlike VORs, which are line-of-sight) for the rare occasions RNAV is blocked, U/S, or degraded.

Unfortunately, too many planes have already torn out their ADFs, and most A/P's can't pair with them any more, so that's not a realistic option either.

Until we need the panel real estate, the ADF will stay in DQT..

Still some AM radio stations around!

Cap

 

[Canuck]

Until we need the panel real estate, the ADF will stay in DQT..

Still some AM radio stations around!

Cap

That's my strategy too, since I'll often be well below 10,000 ft because of icing layers above, so won't be able to climb for VOR reception in the remaining skeleton network if there's an RNAV outage when I'm in IMC > 40 nm from a VOR. I love that the CFS still lists AM radio transmitter frequencies and locations.

 

[cappy48]

That's my strategy too, since I'll often be well below 10,000 ft because of icing layers above, so won't be able to climb for VOR reception in the remaining skeleton network if there's an RNAV outage when I'm in IMC > 40 nm from a VOR. I love that the CFS still lists AM radio transmitter frequencies and locations.

With you here... !

It's a viable backup… Unless the AM radio market dies...

Loran would have been an ideal backup, but I have that paperweight too....

Dave

 

[Rick G]

uAvioinix informed me that approval is expected early 2020 (Caution FAA timelines) and they are taking pre orders for the AV-30.

I have already ordered one for my aircraft and a few for local customers and I am really excited to install and sell these! The AV-30 embodies my mission to bring new affordable tech to our legacy aircraft that improve safety and reliability.

I am not taking any payments until we have FAA approval and are ready to ship. If you would like to pre order please go to my website via the link below and select "preorder" during check out to submit the order with out payment.

I have links to video's and manuals on this site as well : https://wolfaviationsales.com/shop?olsPage=products/uavionix-av-30-certified-pre-order

Sanjeev
Wolf Aviation
[email protected]
702-430-2255

@Jeev can you get an answer on something for me related to the certification? The details are sketchy. I know that the AV-30 will be certified as an attitude instrument. Does it also qualify to be a certified turn coordinator / slip? My strategy here is to maybe use this as the required backup for a G5, Aspen or other. I need to know if I'm on the right track or if the certification only supports AI replacement.

Thanks.

 

[cmmguy]

VFR, no, but IFR, we still need a backup to RNAV (approach-level availability is excellent, but still not 100%, and wide-area blackouts still happen). Not supporting VOR/LOC/GS in the AV-30 means that purchasers still need to keep an extra CDI in their panel—legally and safety-wise—while G5 or (I assume) Aspen purchasers don't.

At their price point aren't they considered more as a vacuum instrument replacement? There are tons of vfr only airplanes that don't care or need that integration. It is however something that should be considered. It is only competition to the G5 in the vacuum replacement market.

 

[Rick G]

At their price point aren't they considered more as a vacuum instrument replacement? There are tons of vfr only airplanes that don't care or need that integration. It is however something that should be considered. It is only competition to the G5 in the vacuum replacement market.

I agree about being a vaccum replacement. Maybe not even replace - yet. Instead, I would think of this as a companion to a G5 installation.

I don't agree that this is just for VFR panels. It's a certified instrument. The no VOR/ILS argument I can see in some cases where there are actual GPS outages. But I haven't encountered a GPS outage in 16 years of flying. Compare that to experiencing two vaccum system losses and three gyro instrument failures. Which is more likely? I mean, you can't prepare for everything, can you? What about bird strikes? Those are more common than GPS outages.

"But what if I lose my GPS"... I know @Canuck is going to ague this.

From AV-30 FAQ:
Does the AV-30 support a magnetometer?

By default, the AV-30 is a non-slaved DG. The good news it that this reduces installation complexity dramatically (no GPS antennas required, no remote mount magnetometers, no field mapping, no calibration). Power and ground are the only required connections when the unit is installed as a DG. The bad news is that it operates the same as a non-slaved DG. On power up, a minor heading adjustment will be required. (last known heading is saved). During flight, it will require minor corrections.

In other words, it works exactly the same as your vaccum gyro. There will be some precession. I'm willing to bet it's much more stable than a compass. So saying it's for VFR only - I disagree.

Per the Garmin G5 installation manual, it is certified for IFR in certain configurations. Being that that the turn/slip is still require in all the pictures below and the AV-30 is a certified attitude / slip instrument, I think you can directly replace that gyro.

So I see the AV-30 as a backup system for vaccum failure, OR backup for a G5 or Aspen E5 failure.

One could argue that the electric gyro is more reliable. However, consider actually having to fly IFR partial panel. We all like to think we can - but can you? Really? In all situations? Statistics alarmingly say "no"!

Another market (albeit small market) is to have copilot instruments. The AV-30 is an all-in-one instrument set that does the job for inroute.