GDL88 Traffic Alerts Work!

netsurfr

netsurfr

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Jose
About a week after getting a GDL88 & FS210 installed I got to see the real benefit of the audio traffic alert callouts. One thing that was important to me in finding a traffic solution was having audio alerts when traffic was close specifying where exactly to look for the traffic instead of having to look at the traffic screen in the plane to first figure out what's going on and then look outside. So far I've had 2 times when the GDL88 reported a traffic alert (close proximity). First time was traffic coming at flying about 500' below but yesterday it was even more relevant.

So my CFII and I had just departed and made our turn away from the airport at 500' AGL when tower alerts incoming aircraft and us a traffic report when we were about 2 miles away from each other with about 500' separation and closing. He was inbound to land. My CFII and I both start scanning for the traffic but initially we actually are looking for the traffic in the wrong direction so no contact. Then the GDL88 calls out the traffic straight ahead, high, less than 1 mile and we quickly adjust our scan and find the traffic at the same time they see us. We both veer right a bit and all is fine. Although it's not perfect or 100% having this type of technology in the cockpit is great and very happy I went with a solution with those aural alerts as that's critical in my opinion. Here's a short clip. Watch in HD quality so you can better see the other traffic.


 
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Nice video! After you've had it for awhile, you'll feel naked in an airplane without it...enjoy!!!

Jim
 
Wow. I'm on the fence with a GDL88 and just upgrading my 330 to ES now after seeing this. The GDL looks very nice!
 
Yup hard to argue with this upgrade and I'm glad I did it sooner rather than later. The closer we get to 2020 the better this technology will work. In my opinion having that audio alert calling out traffic with specific info (altitude, bearing, distance) is key as when there's a real traffic threat there is no time to look at any cockpit display to sort out the traffic and then scan outside and during busy phases of flight our visual scan outside is not as effective given all that's going on during takeoff/landing. The GDL88 was the only ADSB solution with that capability although I'm sure others will implement it as well.
 
netsurfr said:
In my opinion having that audio alert calling out traffic with specific info (altitude, bearing, distance) is key as when there's a real traffic threat there is no time to look at any cockpit display to sort out the traffic and then scan outside and during busy phases of flight our visual scan outside is not as effective given all that's going on during takeoff/landing.
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Those were/are my thoughts exactly, which is why when N4524B comes out of Annual next week GDL88 will be in. Considered GDL84 but voice alerts were just too compelling.
 
I liked the gdl84 till I found out it had no audio panel interface so went with the gdl88 and fs210 and really liking it.

wrbix said:
Those were/are my thoughts exactly, which is why when N4524B comes out of Annual next week GDL88 will be in. Considered GDL84 but voice alerts were just too compelling.
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ahkahn said:
Wow. I'm on the fence with a GDL88 and just upgrading my 330 to ES now after seeing this. The GDL looks very nice!
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I'll just be ESing my 330, eyeballs have been working since the W brothers took flight.

Besides I'm lower level than most GA unless I'm IFR in which case it's on ATC.

All else fails eyeballs and my existing TIS, which is secondary to eyeballs anyways.


So unless something comes out in 2019 1/2 that's under 1k and works wonders, it'll be a ES upgrade, traffic is a would be nice, but it's below HIDs, BAS belts, etc.
 
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James331 said:
Besides I'm lower level than most GA unless I'm IFR in which case it's on ATC.
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It is your responsibility to maintain seperation from vfr aircraft when you are operating under IFR, not ATC.
 
Seems like a great set up! I'm still working with foreflight Bluetooth-ed to my PSE audio panel for alerts (I also have a 330es for ads-b out). It's nice to have a second set of eyes looking out for you.

Is that a Monroy 300 on the glareshield? Nothing like belt and suspenders along with an elastic waistband....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
jesse said:
It is your responsibility to maintain seperation from vfr aircraft when you are operating under IFR, not ATC.
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As a CFII could you please explain how I do that IMC?
 
James331 said:
I'll just be ESing my 330, eyeballs have been working since the W brothers took flight.

Besides I'm lower level than most GA unless I'm IFR in which case it's on ATC.

All else fails eyeballs and my existing TIS, which is secondary to eyeballs anyways.


So unless something comes out in 2019 1/2 that's under 1k and works wonders, it'll be a ES upgrade, traffic is a would be nice, but it's below HIDs, BAS belts, etc.
Click to expand...

James331 said:
As a CFII could you please explain how I do that IMC?
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Imc is different. You didn't say imc. IMC != IFR
 
Tmcdavitt said:
Seems like a great set up! I'm still working with foreflight Bluetooth-ed to my PSE audio panel for alerts (I also have a 330es for ads-b out). It's nice to have a second set of eyes looking out for you.

Is that a Monroy 300 on the glareshield? Nothing like belt and suspenders along with an elastic waistband....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
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This is the setup I am looking at. I am an avid ForeFlight user. Does ForeFlight do callouts also for ADS-B via Stratus or is that a GDL-88 only feature?
 
TRACON kept calling the same traffic, 3 o'clock 6 miles co-altitude, same direction, and same speed. Never did see him, would have been nice to see him on a display. But the TIS-B was not playing on the GTN750.
 
It's a Zaon MRX so yes belts and suspender approach!

Tmcdavitt said:
Seems like a great set up! I'm still working with foreflight Bluetooth-ed to my PSE audio panel for alerts (I also have a 330es for ads-b out). It's nice to have a second set of eyes looking out for you.

Is that a Monroy 300 on the glareshield? Nothing like belt and suspenders along with an elastic waistband....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...
 
I'm going to end up with a GDL-88 and a 1090ES transponder so I should have a double force field of traffic protection.

Why both? Class A airspace will require 1090ES but if I want the traffic callouts via TIS-B then I have to spring for the GDL-88 (and only use the 987 UAT "in" portion of it). :mad2:
 
Just got my GDL-88 installed a few weeks. I've only had a few flights with the new equipment but I can already see the benefit particularly of the aural alerts. It has captured all of the traffic I have spotted or heard on the radio and quite a bit more.
 
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