Best Glass Panel Ever? My In Depth Review of Dynon SkyView HDX for Certified

FlyingMonkey

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5 months ago I flew from California to Florida to replace all my steam gauges in my Piper Cherokee 6 with the Dynon Skyview HDX for Certified system. Do I miss them? Here is my full in depth review of the Dynon HDX. Hopefully you will get a good taste of what it is like to fly with it! When I was researching the various glass panel options, it was hard to get a sense of what it would really be like to actually fly with each model. I hope this helps someone with that so feel free to share it.

The video description on Youtube has clickable table of contents style links for specific features for future reference.

 
@FlyingMonkey .... As time marches on, what sort of updates to function could we expect via software?

@Jesse Saint ... same question to you....

I am hoping they are easily able to navigate the software update/certification thing. I know the experimental version will be getting support for the new-ish ADSB weather products like LIGHTNING in a coming release according to Dynon along with some kid of Vertical Nav improvements. It sounds like from their forums they have a good history of updating their software with additional features. I think they could improve the GLIDE RING which currently does not use wind or terrain data in showing the glide- it is always just a circle, so I don't use it but have the firelight glide ring on which at least takes in to account terrain. I could normally come up with a long list of nit picky improvements but the HDX is very well thought out and full featured in its current state. They really do need to get that new ADSB weather up though!
 
Their only real Achilles heal is speed/time for certification. The AML is small compared to Garmin, especially for the autopilot. Also better when HDX get IFR certified for internal navigation.

Terrific system.
 
Their only real Achilles heal is speed/time for certification. The AML is small compared to Garmin, especially for the autopilot. Also better when HDX get IFR certified for internal navigation.

Terrific system.
If they were ever able to do that (IFR gps cert) it would be a major disruptor in the IFR Navigator market, depending on the price. I wonder if they are working on it - it must be incredibly expensive to certify I imagine.
 
5 months ago I flew from California to Florida to replace all my steam gauges in my Piper Cherokee 6 with the Dynon Skyview HDX for Certified system. Do I miss them? Here is my full in depth review of the Dynon HDX. Hopefully you will get a good taste of what it is like to fly with it! When I was researching the various glass panel options, it was hard to get a sense of what it would really be like to actually fly with each model. I hope this helps someone with that so feel free to share it.

The video description on Youtube has clickable table of contents style links for specific features for future reference.


Flying Monkey,

Fantastic video BTW. Nicest overview and demo yet of the HDX system. Beautifully done and congratulations.
 
Flying Monkey,

Fantastic video BTW. Nicest overview and demo yet of the HDX system. Beautifully done and congratulations.
Wow thank you for the kind words! I appreciate the feedback.
 
You know it to be true ObiMonkenobi


images




Not just the avionics...but that plane is sweet too. Nicely done on all accounts.
 
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Their only real Achilles heal is speed/time for certification. The AML is small compared to Garmin, especially for the autopilot. Also better when HDX get IFR certified for internal navigation.

Terrific system.

Even Garmin didn't get the G3x certified for internal IFR. For either Dynon or Garmin to do this, they'd basically be creating a retrofit G1000 touch screen. Definite disruptor, but would require all sorts of certification drama
 
Even Garmin didn't get the G3x certified for internal IFR. For either Dynon or Garmin to do this, they'd basically be creating a retrofit G1000 touch screen. Definite disruptor, but would require all sorts of certification drama
Garmin probably has no incentive to do it since maybe it would cannibalize a segment of their other products? Dynon has no separate IFR GPS box on the market so they maybe have more incentive? It seems like they are focused on getting the Skyview autopilots certified and software for all versions of the Skyview, which makes a lot of sense.
 
Garmin probably has no incentive to do it since maybe it would cannibalize a segment of their other products? Dynon has no separate IFR GPS box on the market so they maybe have more incentive? It seems like they are focused on getting the Skyview autopilots certified and software for all versions of the Skyview, which makes a lot of sense.

If Garmin thought they could make money from it, they would.

Dynon definitely needs to focus on getting their stuff certified in more airplanes, especially the autopilot. Where Garmin really wins here is the full integration for a reasonable price.
 
Thanks for posting the video. I will definitely try to convince my friends to install it (I'm the guy who messaged you on FB, didn't know you were here)
 
Even Garmin didn't get the G3x certified for internal IFR. For either Dynon or Garmin to do this, they'd basically be creating a retrofit G1000 touch screen. Definite disruptor, but would require all sorts of certification drama

Good perspective.
 
Any information about the HDX “cross talking” to iPads and ForeFlight?

our Skylane has the GTX345 transponder. Can we keep that?
 
Any information about the HDX “cross talking” to iPads and ForeFlight?

our Skylane has the GTX345 transponder. Can we keep that?

The HDX has a WiFi USB key that you can plug in one of the ports on the back. It provides WiFi connectivity with a Foreflight and supports flight plan transfer and communication of position and assb data from HDx to iPad I believe. I also think it works with other apps. The HDx pilot guide does describe

Yeah I think you would want to keep your gtx345 gps/transponder for sure since it is an IFR navigator which the skyview is not. It would be setup similarly to my avidyne in its connection to skyview. I do not think the skyview can utilize the adsb in data from the Garmin unit so you would want the skyview adsb in for it to display traffic and weather on the skyview display but it is relatively cheap and just a plug in module to the system as far as I know.

I do not use the skyview WiFi because my foreflight iPad is connected via WiFi to my ifd540 which sends all gps info and adsb traffic and weather to foreflight. The skyview then has its own traffic and weather through its own adsb in. The IFD can receive a flight plan from foreflight and is always feeding the skyview it’s flight plan.

Make sense? It would be nice if the skyview could take adsb in data from other sources - there may be some transponders that it can do that with but I haven’t looked in to it.
 
I'm curious. Do y'all get a discount from the manufacturers to make/post these videos?
 
I'm curious. Do y'all get a discount from the manufacturers to make/post these videos?

No. I have nothing to do with Dynon except I bought an HDX and I really like it. When I was shopping for my avionics I couldn't find any complete/thorough videos on what it would really be like to use the HDX in real world flying. I'm a professional cinematographer so I already have a bunch of camera gear and editing gear. If I would receive anything from the company whose product I review I would certainly disclose that up front.
 
As I began my research for a future panel upgrade on my Seneca, this video gave me an excellent start. I am impressed by the way you presented the intro of the new gadgets while flying oh so smoothly! Thank you for posting the video.

By the way, do you happen to know if Dynon works as well with Garmin as with Avidyn? It seems like Dynon likes to pair up with Avidyn over Garmin.
 
No. I have nothing to do with Dynon except I bought an HDX and I really like it. When I was shopping for my avionics I couldn't find any complete/thorough videos on what it would really be like to use the HDX in real world flying. I'm a professional cinematographer so I already have a bunch of camera gear and editing gear. If I would receive anything from the company whose product I review I would certainly disclose that up front.

I think they should give you a dual screen HDX 10” setup and you should donate it to me. I promise I’ll install it and post a thorough review of the whole process from install to flying
 
As I began my research for a future panel upgrade on my Seneca, this video gave me an excellent start. I am impressed by the way you presented the intro of the new gadgets while flying oh so smoothly! Thank you for posting the video.

By the way, do you happen to know if Dynon works as well with Garmin as with Avidyn? It seems like Dynon likes to pair up with Avidyn over Garmin.

Glad you found the video useful. From my understanding, the HDX works equally well with a Garmin Navigator. The HDX does not control the Avidyne unit at all and the information is just one way from the IFD unit to the HDX. I am fairly certain the Garmin navigators output the same information in the same format. I had heard at one point that Dynon and Avidyne might be working on allowing the HDX to tune the IFD radios or something. In any case, if you want to edit the GPS flight plan you have to do it on the Avidyne unit but then the HDX instantly and automatically updates with the plan. I imagine it is the same with a Garmin Navigator. A year in to flying with the HDX and I love it even more now than when it was first installed. :)
 
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