Navigation computers in club gliders
Jos Minnema
Hi,
In my club there is a discussion at this moment if we should equip one ore
more gliders with a modern navigation computer, types like LX4000/5000, VP
6/7/9, Westerboer ..., Cambridge and Zander are mentioned.
My main concern is how user friendly are these computers? And how long does it
take for the average club member to learn all the functions you need?
Another concern is how robust are these boxes full with fine electronics? Can
they resist the use in club gliders wich make many more landings and have many
more users than the modern private gliders they are usually used in.
Is it wise to invest now in these computers? Are there improvements to expect
in the near future?
Feel free to react and make suggestions wich brand/type is most suitble for
clubs.
Jos Minnema
Andreas Maurer
On Mon, 27 Jan 97 13:12:19 GMT, J.Mi...@pagv.agro.nl (Jos Minnema)
wrote:
>Hi,
>
>In my club there is a discussion at this moment if we should equip one ore
>more gliders with a modern navigation computer, types like LX4000/5000, VP
>6/7/9, Westerboer ..., Cambridge and Zander are mentioned.
>
>My main concern is how user friendly are these computers? And how long does it
>take for the average club member to learn all the functions you need?
Well, here in our club we use two LX-4000.
A Zander-820D was sold (in favour of the first LX-4000) since no-one
really got how to use it.
But unfortunately most of the members also do not cope with the
LX-4000. They basically use it as a "direction finder" and a
variometer. But some of them also take a look at the glidepath
calculator without knowink the catches.
The result was a severe crash of someone who trusted his LX-4000 more
than his eyes.
I usually do some familiarization flights for the LX-4000 with our
DG-505. I'm always amazed how much attention is focused on the
LX-4000... :-((
About user friendlyness:
These computers are complex. One needs quite some experience to cope
with them.
In our club there are only three out of 60 pilots who are really able
to program a task...
>
>Another concern is how robust are these boxes full with fine electronics? Can
>they resist the use in club gliders wich make many more landings and have many
>more users than the modern private gliders they are usually used in.
Yes. No problem at all.
>
>Is it wise to invest now in these computers? Are there improvements to expect
>in the near future?
Well, I do not think that there are major improvements to be expected.
I think that the flight computers with integrated GPS are going to
become much cheaper
>
>Feel free to react and make suggestions wich brand/type is most suitble for
>clubs.
Suitabe for clubs...?
Most probably a rather simple flight computer like the LX-4000.
Or a flight computer with no GPS at all.
Andreas
Denis Flament
Jos Minnema wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> In my club there is a discussion at this moment if we should equip one ore
> more gliders with a modern navigation computer, types like LX4000/5000, VP
> 6/7/9, Westerboer ..., Cambridge and Zander are mentioned.
>
> My main concern is how user friendly are these computers? And how long does it
> take for the average club member to learn all the functions you need?
Well, we've had LX 5000s for a while in our club and think to extend
them to some others gliders.
It's fairly easy to learn basic functions (vario, GPS navigation, glide
computer) - didn't say ALL functions, for only regular flyers may be
interested by advanced functions.
It would be perfect if FILSER could answer to my mails...
---
Denis Flament ( )
( )
( ) ( )
( ) ~~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~~
( ) ___
~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~~ \_____________!_____________/
2...@mail.dotcom.fr (_)
ASW 20 BL "2D"
WGC '97 in Saint-Auban official website :
http://wwwperso.hol.fr/~vav/wgc
Nogaro soaring club : http://wwwperso.hol.fr/~vav/result/nogaro-e.html
French, world's pilots ranking :
http://wwwperso.hol.fr/~vav/result/result.html
Robert Danewid
Jos
Without question: the Cambridge L-NAV.
Here in Sweden it is the most widely used vario-computer-system, simlpy
because it is simple to use, rugged and has a very good vario.
You do not have to spend several hours reading the manual before you can
go glide with the L-NAV. It really is very easy to use.
The old M-NAV, not produced anymore, was even more simple to use.
Jos Minnema wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> In my club there is a discussion at this moment if we should equip one ore
> more gliders with a modern navigation computer, types like LX4000/5000, VP
> 6/7/9, Westerboer ..., Cambridge and Zander are mentioned.
>
> My main concern is how user friendly are these computers? And how long does it
> take for the average club member to learn all the functions you need?
>
> Another concern is how robust are these boxes full with fine electronics? Can
> they resist the use in club gliders wich make many more landings and have many
> more users than the modern private gliders they are usually used in.
>
> Is it wise to invest now in these computers? Are there improvements to expect
> in the near future?
>
> Feel free to react and make suggestions wich brand/type is most suitble for
> clubs.
>
> Jos Minnema
Hendrik Gels
Jos Minnema wrote:
> In my club there is a discussion at this moment if we should equip one > ore more gliders with a modern navigation computer, types like > > LX4000/5000, VP 6/7/9, Westerboer ..., Cambridge and Zander are > mentioned.
Our club made the experience that Peschges variometer are one of the
best money can buy, also a lot of other clubs prefer VPs !
The problem is, that they are more expensive than comparable Filser or
Westerboer. The difference is, that in contrast to the other computers,
Peschges is very easy to handle and all info are on one screen.
VP9 has the possibility to program 3 different screens to show what you
want for. Andreas Maurer said too, that for instance LX4000 are not very
easy to handle and not all functions are available by one view !
If you compare the number of buttons and switches, VP uses usually less
than others, VP4 E H Nav GPS, we have it in our Hornet, is very easy to
handle, too, and with it features (electr. altimeter, Barograph, wind
direction finder etc.) it is a very good one for its price (less 5000
DM!)
Bye
Hendrik
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Fly in: http://www.segelflug.de/vereine/rheine/index.html
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Denis Flament
> Denis Flament wrote:
> > Well, we've had LX 5000s for a while in our club and think to extend
> > them to some others gliders.
> >
> > It's fairly easy to learn basic functions (vario, GPS navigation, glide
> > computer) - didn't say ALL functions, for only regular flyers may be
> > interested by advanced functions.
> >
> > It would be perfect if FILSER could answer to my mails...
Just after I posted this, I got all the answers I needed from Franz Otte
for FILSER. My previous mails in last September seem to have been lost
somewhere.... Thus please disregard my last sentence...
I'm still quite satisfied by LX 5000 (and LX 20 too)
---
Denis Flament
2...@mail.dotcom.fr
ASW 20 BL "2D"
WGC'97 Saint-Auban Webmaster : http://wwwperso.hol.fr/~vav/wgc
Nogaro soaring club : http://wwwperso.hol.fr/~vav/result/nogaro-e.html
French, world's pilots ranking :