New ADI -- Pilot Report

[Raul Boerner]

I installed the new LX-NAV ADI into my LS6-B. Here is my report--keep in mind, please, that I have only had two flights with it. Short version: Nice--it is a beautiful instrument.

This instrument is an airspeed indicator, altimeter, and electronic variometer. It also can indicate TAS, OAT, and more. 

Of course, there are some improvements and changes that I feel are worthy of a review by LX-NAV. One has to do with loading the limitation airspeeds specific to the make and model aircraft. Another allows for the option to de-select the vario portion. Finally, being able to select the speed arc's starting and ending speeds would create more display space to further expand the distance between speed indices.

Loading the airspeed data was a challenge. the various Vne speeds must be loaded in a specific order: higher altitude speeds before lower altitude speeds. Also, I am not able to load Va because some of the Vne speeds are blocking any entry greater than the slowest Vne. 

I ran into this roadblock, also, when setting the yellow arc. 

Except where EASA rules dictate, being able to program the slowest indicatable airspeed would free up more display face for further expansion of indicated airspeeds in the important thermalling speed range. My LS-6 does not need an indicator that starts at zero; being able to start the speed arc at, say, 25 knots, would help.

Bottom line, I look forward to more test flights. Oh, I forgot to mention the warnings; I programmed the ADI to give me 10 seconds heads-up before climbing to 17,000' msl. In Colorado, we often fly very high and Class A airspace can be a challenge to avoid on strong days. Having an airspeed/altimeter flashing red is a good warning.

Raul Boerner

[rc.seccombe]

I too have the lxnav ADI installed, having flown with it for about 25 hours now, I have some thoughts.

My issues are with the presentation.  I find that the range arcs, especially in the mid to upper range becomes thinner seeming to partially disappear behind the bezel.  The yellow triangle and the blue radial need to be more prominent, slightly larger and brighter.

What I would like to see added is recommended flap speeds; and it wouldn't be too difficult I would think to get STF info from the S80.

I would like to also see the option of making the digital readout correspond to airspeed rather than altitude.  I have plenty of altimeters and I find that it isn't all that accurate comparing it to Winter.  Also, when I look at the digital and see it moving in the opposite direction to the needle, I am having to do a double take.

An internal battery backup would be nice too.

Of course all of this adds to the price, though they could be made options.

Thanks Raul for bringing this up.  I have been wanting to write something to lxnav.

Robert Seccombe

BE

[rc.seccombe]

This is the reply I received to the email I sent lxnav:

Thankyou for your comments. We will try to improve.

Please keep in mind, that is not gliding instrument, it is universal ASI and altimeter so there will not be STF.

We are preparing external battery pack as backup for ADI and Gmeter.

[Marc Arnold]

> On Jun 9, 2021, at 9:33 AM, rc.seccombe <rc.se...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> We are preparing external battery pack as backup for ADI and Gmeter.

This is already offered by Cumulus Soaring. I have one.

[Eric Greenwell]

You can select a digital display of the IAS above or below (or both!) the altimeter display. As for accuracy, it should be more accurate than a Winter mechanical altimeter, especially the 2 1/4" version. How do you know that the Winter is accurate, and not the ADI? Note that the Winter must be tapped or vibrated to get the correct reading. If the ADI is not better than your Winter, it is likely defective and needs repair or replacement; possibly, it's not connected to the same static as the Winter, or there is some other installation or setup issue.

Eric