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5/1/2014 1:26 PM
 

Good point: The FAA is broadcasting the "known" traffic, meaning they know the aircraft's position and altitude. Without mode C altitude isn't known, so is not included in their stream.


Walter Boyd
President, Adventure Pilot
 
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5/13/2014 11:26 PM
 
Walter, or anyone....

Two questions.... unrelated to each other really:

# I'm flying a rather basically equipt aircraft (except I'd say for my iFly which is anything but "basic" IMO).
No transponder .... though it's on my wishlist. Ideally of course would be class C transponder and ADS-B in and out.
Considering getting the Skyguard VisonPro being discussed BEFORE getting a transponder. Budget says I'm NOT getting both in forseeable future.
The Skyguard is about the same price as installing a mode-C transponder, but in many senses seems it does a lot more for my situational awarness and safety than the mode-C transponder alone (which give me NO information about other traffic or weather and does not make me visible to folks who have no radar on their aircraft... which is to say most aircraft.)
I don't fly into any airspace that requires mode-C and don't expect to in forseeable future.
Only other obvious disadvantage of having no transponder would seem to be I can't get flight following.
Or will eventually flight following be following us by our required ADS-B out anyway?

I do fly class D reasonably often.
Right now I'm not terribly well visible to other traffic and ATC as I'm a ragwing (doesn't make quite as good radar target as metal covered).
Seems to me that with ADS-out I'd actually be more visible to more traffic than with transponder.
Questions here are:
Other opinions and thoughts on this "buy transponder or buy Skyguard" choice?
Do all (most?) class D towers see ADS-B out already? Or soon?


# Can Boyd or anyone explain the "options" shows here on iFly for the Skyguard?
Vision-Pro Options
978/1090ES ADS-B Transceiver
978 ADS-B Transceiver w/ AHRS (+ $400.00)
[iFly 700] 978/1090ES ADS-B Transceiver (- $100.00)


I understand the AHRS buys me an artificial horizon.... but anything else in that option?

And explain Minus $100???

Alex
 
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5/14/2014 6:00 AM
 

In terms of visibility to ATC, my personal opinion is that a mode C transponder would be better than a Skyguard. I think that as of today, very few ATC facilities are processing ADSB-out signals and presenting any data from them to controllers. A Mode C transponder will at least respond to a radar ping and allow your return to get tagged with a datablock that includes your tail number and altitude on the controller's display.

Keep in mind also that the Skyguard device is not certified compliant with the 2020 ADSB-out mandate, and probably won't ever be, at least in its current form. I doubt any portable device will be. You will eventually need something certified with ADSB-out unless you want to be highly restricted (or illegal) in your flying.

The benefit to a device like Skyguard is weather and traffic in the cockpit. It's sort of an "early adopter" way for pilots to get the in-cockpit benefits of the ADSB system right now.

If budget is limited, there are ADSB-in receivers that give you all the ADSB weather benefits, but traffic is not complete since it will only work when someone near you with an ADSB-out device "wakes up" the transmitter and your device can hear the broadcast.

 
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5/14/2014 8:14 AM
 
Cobra wrote:

In terms of visibility to ATC, my personal opinion is that a mode C transponder would be better than a Skyguard. I think that as of today, very few ATC facilities are processing ADSB-out signals and presenting any data from them to controllers. A Mode C transponder will at least respond to a radar ping and allow your return to get tagged with a datablock

Also, a Mode C transponder will allow your plane to be seen and (hopefully) avoided by any plane with a TCAS or PCAS system. The final choice is yours, but I think that a transponder should be high on your priority list.

Vaughn Simon Nexus 7 with Dual XGPS170
 
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5/14/2014 3:35 PM
 

ComputerDoc,

"[iFly 700] 978/1090ES ADS-B Transceiver" has a serial interface, but no wifi. So it's compatible with the iFly 700. It can also be used on the 720, but wired. I've re-labeled this option to make it more clear, thanks for asking the question.

-Walter


Walter Boyd
President, Adventure Pilot
 
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