Foreflight PDC

[Ryan F.]

It's a good unit, but not for everyone. We passed on it because it cost more than Garmin, wouldn't send weather to the GTN, and the screen wasn't worth it because we don't have room for the transponder in the first stack, so it's pretty far out of the pilot's field of view (down near the bottom of the 2nd stack).

Re: the Lynx, I was interested in it too, when it came out. It's kind of a neat idea with the touch screen and all.

But it's too much of a stand-alone device which doesn't work with the most popular avionics out there. I was talking to my avionics installer last week and noticed the Lynx marketing poster he had on the wall. He is booked up doing an ADS-B Out install every week for the next year and a half. I asked him what was popular as I gestured to the Lynx. "Those had a little spark of interest early on but hardly anyone is installing it now," he said, citing the same reasoning I mentioned. "It doesn't play well with others and it isn't future proof." He said by far the most popular box is the GTX345 followed in distant second place by the Stratus ESG.

The Lynx box really isn't a major player in the game even at the peak of the ADS-B OUT frenzy.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Re: the Lynx, I was interested in it too, when it came out. It's kind of a neat idea with the touch screen and all.

But it's too much of a stand-alone device which doesn't work with the most popular avionics out there. I was talking to my avionics installer last week and noticed the Lynx marketing poster he had on the wall. He is booked up doing an ADS-B Out install every week for the next year and a half. I asked him what was popular as I gestured to the Lynx. "Those had a little spark of interest early on but hardly anyone is installing it now," he said, citing the same reasoning I mentioned. "It doesn't play well with others and it isn't future proof." He said by far the most popular box is the GTX345 followed in distant second place by the Stratus ESG.

The Lynx box really isn't a major player in the game even at the peak of the ADS-B OUT frenzy.

To be fair, it's not L-3's fault the Lynx doesn't work with Garmin, it's Garmin's fault. Nothing but Garmin works with Garmin.

I think L-3 does work with everyone BUT Garmin. Unfortunately, just about everyone wants the rest of their panel to be Garmin. (I'm in the "just about everyone.")

 

[LDJones]

As others have pointed out, PDC is only supported at a relatively small number of major airports. I thought I read recently that the FAA is pursuing an initiative to deliver clearances digitally via e-mail/EFB. It would seem to be a no-brainer since so much else is available digitally already. It would save a lot of radio bandwidth at the busy reliever airports that have no dedicated clearance delivery freq.

 

[Ryan F.]

To be fair, it's not L-3's fault the Lynx doesn't work with Garmin, it's Garmin's fault. Nothing but Garmin works with Garmin.

I think L-3 does work with everyone BUT Garmin. Unfortunately, just about everyone wants the rest of their panel to be Garmin. (I'm in the "just about everyone.")

I made that bet in 2001 when I redid my panel the first time -- all "King" and no Garmin. Turned out to be a bad bet.

In 2016 I redid the panel again, but I didn't make the same mistake twice.

If you want to entertain ethos when it comes to aviation mfgrs, so be it. But if it's a true business decision, devoid of emotion, there's only one logical conclusion.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

I made that bet in 2001 when I redid my panel the first time -- all "King" and no Garmin. Turned out to be a bad bet.

In 2016 I redid the panel again, but I didn't make the same mistake twice.

If you want to entertain ethos when it comes to aviation mfgrs, so be it. But if it's a true business decision, devoid of emotion, there's only one logical conclusion.

What do you have now?

 

[Ryan F.]

What do you have now?

I replaced one KX-155 and a KLN-94 with a Garmin GTN650. Shortly after the GTN650 was installed I purchased a FlightStream 510 (wow...) I replaced an old KT76 with a GTX345. I added one G5 as an ADI and plan to add an additional G5 as an HSI over the winter.

Eventually the KMA-24 audio panel will be replaced by a Garmin 350C and the remaining KX-155 will get dropped in favor of a GNC255, but that's a ways out... both work fine right now.

Absolutely love the Garmin panel. It is outstanding.

 

[PPC1052]

Can you use PDC to get a clearance from an uncontrolled airport within the Class C airspace? I fly out of KEYE, and raise KIND clearance delivery directly on the radio for IFR clearances.

 

[Ryan F.]

Can you use PDC to get a clearance from an uncontrolled airport within the Class C airspace? I fly out of KEYE, and raise KIND clearance delivery directly on the radio for IFR clearances.

PDC is only available at airports which specifically offer the service. PDC at a Class C or B does not translate to satellite airports beneath or in its airspace.

 

[oskrypuch]

I just signed up for FF's PDC service, I have a subscription that includes it. I fly a lot through KBUF, which does offer it, so it is a natch.

Bizarrely, the week prior to doing that, I called up for my clearance at KBUF and controller said, I sent it to you by PDC. I said that I wasn't registered for PDC, and he said, "Oh", and just gave it to me. Later, when I landed, I noticed a PDC clearance on my email, sent from FltPlan! I called them up, and said I wasn't $ubscribed for that, and they promptly fixed that.

* Orest

 

[Sundancer]

I don't get religious about tech - I got FF back in the day, when I first saw it when doing an IPC with a CFII.

A couple years ago, a friend who uses WingX and I did an in-flight comparison. Not a groats worth of diffrence for our purposes. FF app navigation seemed more intuitive in my subjective opinion. But neither of us saw any reason to swap over - not worth the learning curve. I don't see PDC as a strong reason to change. I do like that FF bluetooths to our Garmin now.

 

[Hank S]

Providing you fly out of an airport with CD. For me the value is all the airports I usually go that do not have CD. I have to call 1-800-wx-brief, they relay the message to ATC then relay it back to me. Then it's a rush to get going before the clearance expires or worse yet you have to stand by for clearance while you are baking in the airplane and burning gas.

The other option is to get it in the air but I am always worried I will get some convoluted amended clearance and have to sort it all out while trying to fly the airplane.

You're doing it the hard way! Call Clearance Delivery directly, not WX Brief.

888-766-8267

This works wherever you have cell service. Most phones can now make calls through wifi, too, so you should be good most places.

 

[MTWings]

You're doing it the hard way! Call Clearance Delivery directly, not WX Brief.

888-766-8267

This works wherever you have cell service. Most phones can now make calls through wifi, too, so you should be good most places.

What is that number too?

 

[Hank S]

What is that number too?

It's the national toll free number to a recorded line for Clearance Delivery. Leaving an untowered field in IMC, you can't depart VFR and pick up in the air--call this number while taxiing out. The times I've called it, maybe 5 minutes, but that will vary with your airspace and traffic levels.

You're welcome, I just saved you $100 "upgrade" on ForeFlight. Get Avare, that just saved you whatever your annual FF subscription is, because its all free, too--EFB, sectionals, low enroutes, etc.

 

[gsengle]

It's the national toll free number to a recorded line for Clearance Delivery. Leaving an untowered field in IMC, you can't depart VFR and pick up in the air--call this number while taxiing out. The times I've called it, maybe 5 minutes, but that will vary with your airspace and traffic levels.

You're welcome, I just saved you $100 "upgrade" on ForeFlight. Get Avare, that just saved you whatever your annual FF subscription is, because its all free, too--EFB, sectionals, low enroutes, etc.

Using any part of flight service for clearances is PAINFULLY slow.... they have so much stuff they just feel the need to tell you about: notams, airmets, the standard plea for pireps, etc. So different from the rapid fire clearance delivery at a Bravo...

If you’re worried about saving $100, you’re not flying into the sorts of airports this is useful at...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Hank S]

. . . you’re not flying into the sorts of airports this is useful at...

Tru dat! Don't go them places.

 

[Clip4]

To be fair, it's not L-3's fault the Lynx doesn't work with Garmin, it's Garmin's fault. Nothing but Garmin works with Garmin.

I think L-3 does work with everyone BUT Garmin. Unfortunately, just about everyone wants the rest of their panel to be Garmin. (I'm in the "just about everyone.")

Once all these guys install Garmin and see their Pilot or FF subscriptions increase 30% over 3-4 years maybe they will figure it out.