Sport Pilot and Stratus 1 or 2

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MRoitman

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MikeJeffries
Hey everyone!

I currently fly the Cessna 162 Skycatcher Sport Light Aircraft. I will eventually move on to the 172's after I finish with my checkride on the 162 (just did the Solo XC today). I realized that I definitely need a stratus, but I dont know which one will be the best deal for me. Do I really need the Stratus 2? I keep hearing that it's best to spot larger aircraft, such as the jetliners.

I really need it to see as much other small aircraft traffic as possible. The second reason is for weather. Lastly, the AHRS is nice addition, but not something I am in desperate need of right now.

Can someone guide me in the right direction?

Thanks and this forum is pretty nice. Alot of helpful answers from what I've seen here!
 
What's a Stratus, and why would one need one?

Oh, and good luck on your checkride...
 
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Dunno if you need a Stratus 2, but if you're buying a Stratus, you probably want a Stratus 2 even if you don't need it. See this article for the details on the differences, including the emergency backup attitude system, but maybe the biggest thing is the white-cased Stratus 2 doesn't need a paper tent to keep from overheating in sunlight like the black-cased Stratus 1.
 
I would personally rather see you focus your time and attention on basics at this point in your training. At this point, even the idea that you "definitely need a stratus" is a flawed perception. No one "needs" a Stratus, certainly not a primary student.

Every extra device and power cord and Bluetooth/WiFi connection is just a potential distraction at this point.

If I were still instructing, I might include "iPad Basics" towards the end of primary training, but even then it might best be relegated to post-checkride status.

But good luck, regardless. Others will have more directed advice on what device best suits your perceived "need".
 
I actually have almost 80 hours of training in, and I feel pretty proficient in the Cessna 162 and also the 172 (where I started training initially).

The reason why I wanted the stratus was because during my first solo xc, the weather worsened and it got pretty hazy during my flight, and I was 10-15 minutes away from Rhode Island, over the long island sound (flying from Long Island, NY). I was worried about seeing other potential traffic. It got a little better on the way back, but the haze makes everything alot worse, so I would love to have something showing other potential traffic in my area, along with weather. In a situation like I found myself yesterday. The G1000 panel in the Cessna 172's is MUCH better than the G300 in the light sport because it shows the weather and traffic VERY clearly. I was looking around like CRAZY during yesterdays flight because I was scared someone else was going to pop out and I might not have been able to see them in time.

I just got my self in a situation that I couldn't get out of. I waited a bit in Rhode Island until it got a bit better, but even then the visibility didn't look much better than 3 miles, which isn't that good anyway...

Any suggestions on a unit that could help see traffic better. Someone that sold a Stratus 1 and got the Stratus 2 said that neither of them help with private planes, because most planes dont have the ads-b out, which would make them show up on foreflight. Im not sure if that's exactly true, but if it is... is there another unit such as stratus, that's good for private and light sport aircraft?
 
Why not just buy Garmin Perspective ? It comes with a free plane.
 
Unless the plane you are flying is equipped with ADS-B Out and "contributing" to the system, the traffic data coming back to you is extremely limited and not something you can rely on as the complete picture, whether with Stratus, Garmin's GDL39, Dual or others.

MRoitman said:
I just got my self in a situation that I couldn't get out of.
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Mike, this is the statement that needs some reflectivity ... not a radar return from a Stratus and Foreflight. You really don't want to find yourself in a situation like you did. Have you watched the video 178 Seconds To Live? It's no joke what can happen to us VFR pilots if we get caught in IMC or borderline MVFR ... and the least of your concerns are traffic. Were you using VFR flight following on this trip? ATC would have called out traffic (work load permitting) and may have been able to direct you to clearer areas based on pilot reports. That's where I'd put my $$ before spending it on a Stratus.
 
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MRoitman said:
I actually have almost 80 hours of training in, and I feel pretty proficient in the Cessna 162 and also the 172 (where I started training initially).

The reason why I wanted the stratus was because during my first solo xc, the weather worsened and it got pretty hazy during my flight, and I was 10-15 minutes away from Rhode Island, over the long island sound (flying from Long Island, NY).
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Just curious... the reason you didn't divert and decided to cross the Sound as the weather deteriorated was...?
 
Forget the Status for the time being. Go take a course and study more about waether in your area. Then learn about flight following. Next, learn more about decision making to keep you alive.

A much better use of money while learning.

Just remember, people have been flying GA for decades without GPS or AHRS or.....And most are still alive.
 
murphey said:
Forget the Status for the time being. Go take a course and study more about waether in your area. Then learn about flight following. Next, learn more about decision making to keep you alive.

A much better use of money while learning.

Just remember, people have been flying GA for decades without GPS or AHRS or.....And most are still alive.
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Hush up, I might get it off eBay for $400 in a few weeks.
 
Thanks for all the comments. And you're all correct. I did make a mistake, that I learned from. I wont keep pushing into weather that looks like its deteriorating. It was a stupid mistake, and I wouldn't EVER do it again.
 
I trained on a plane with TIS traffic alerts on a garmin 430 (out of KFRG on Long Island) and remember feeling naked without it when I first started flying planes without that capability. While nice to have, it's far from a "must have" tool for traffic avoidance...in fact it can lead to over-dependence. Learn to use your eyes, flight following and situational awareness...all great tools.

I actually have a stratus 2 now...unless you have ads-b out on your plane, it's traffic feature is not very useful...it does have excellent weather capabilities however. It's great to have for that.

As far as your XC, I would be surprised your CFI would let you go if the haze was potentially to be as you describe. I think you may be surprised at how low 3 miles viz actually is. It very well could have been 6-8 miles viz. if the visibility was truly as bad as you say, traffic avoidance would be the least of your worries.
 
I used to fly out of FRG also, but decided to fly out of Brookhaven and get my sport pilot license first.

I might be exaggerating saying 3 miles, but I couldn't see the land across the Sound, and that caught me off guard, as I was used to seeing clear across, especially like on the previous flight where I went with my instructor. Plus going up higher was worse than staying at a lower altitude. So instead of going at a safe altitude of 5500', in case my engine would quit, I had to go at 3500-4000' to stay clear of the clouds and the worsening haze up there. So, that also made me a bit anxious of going across LI Sound to get to Rhode Island.

So, that's why I decided to get this Stratus, for both traffic avoidance, weather, and a better GPS panel, since the G300 is tiny compared to an Ipad Air. Either way, I was doing everything right in my opinion, except I was just unsure of myself on the first flight solo xc, and going across a large body of water alone.... I just had a bit of anxiety hit maybe.
 
MRoitman said:
I used to fly out of FRG also, but decided to fly out of Brookhaven and get my sport pilot license first.

I might be exaggerating saying 3 miles, but I couldn't see the land across the Sound, and that caught me off guard, as I was used to seeing clear across, especially like on the previous flight where I went with my instructor. Plus going up higher was worse than staying at a lower altitude. So instead of going at a safe altitude of 5500', in case my engine would quit, I had to go at 3500-4000' to stay clear of the clouds and the worsening haze up there. So, that also made me a bit anxious of going across LI Sound to get to Rhode Island.

So, that's why I decided to get this Stratus, for both traffic avoidance, weather, and a better GPS panel, since the G300 is tiny compared to an Ipad Air. Either way, I was doing everything right in my opinion, except I was just unsure of myself on the first flight solo xc, and going across a large body of water alone.... I just had a bit of anxiety hit maybe.
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Keep it pointed the right direction and eventually you get there.
 
You are a pilot now. Money is no object. Get the Stratus 2 and another one for a backup. :)
 
Agreed that if finding traffic is your main concern, you might be disappointed because the data shown on the Stratus will hide some traffic unless your plane has ADS-B out.

I actually went ahead and installed the "out" capability so that I would see more traffic on the Stratus.
 
Do you see all the traffic out there, after you did that?
 
MRoitman said:
Do you see all the traffic out there, after you did that?
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You'll see all the traffic that ATC sees in your area except for primary returns (as I understand it - please correct if I'm wrong on the primary returns).

With the full ADS-B in/out system I'm generally picking up traffic before ATC calls it. When ya work with one controller for awhile they figure out that you're getting traffic data - it's cool from that perspective.
 
Henning said:
Keep it pointed the right direction and eventually you get there.
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LOL.

My first flight with my in-laws was from northern Connecticut to Block Island. The over-water distance from Westerly Rhode Island is a whopping 8 NM but it was a hazy day and I sure started getting nervous when Block Island wasn't appearing as shore behind me started fading. I thought very seriously about turning around if both were not visible (this like 24 years ago, so no GPS or moving map to help out; just me and the Sandy Point VOR (or was there just an NDB back then?)). But just as the shore behind me disappeared, the island in front came into view. Big sigh of relief.
 
midlifeflyer said:
LOL.

My first flight with my in-laws was from northern Connecticut to Block Island. The over-water distance from Westerly Rhode Island is a whopping 8 NM but it was a hazy day and I sure started getting nervous when Block Island wasn't appearing as shore behind me started fading. I thought very seriously about turning around if both were not visible (this like 24 years ago, so no GPS or moving map to help out; just me and the Sandy Point VOR (or was there just an NDB back then?)). But just as the shore behind me disappeared, the island in front came into view. Big sigh of relief.
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This was kind of my situation, except from KMTP to KWST, is longer than 8nm (17nm to be exact), and not seeing that land was exactly what worried me too. I could see the water below me, but nothing else. The fact that it was open water and it was hazy, was probably the reason I thought I was gettin 3sm vis, but it was probably more. Seeing the coast of RI, was the relief I needed too....

I got myself a good deal on a Stratus 1, so I took it. We'll see how much better things are with the stratus :)
 
FastEddieB said:
I would personally rather see you focus your time and attention on basics at this point in your training. At this point, even the idea that you "definitely need a stratus" is a flawed perception. No one "needs" a Stratus, certainly not a primary student.

Every extra device and power cord and Bluetooth/WiFi connection is just a potential distraction at this point.

If I were still instructing, I might include "iPad Basics" towards the end of primary training, but even then it might best be relegated to post-checkride status.

But good luck, regardless. Others will have more directed advice on what device best suits your perceived "need".
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That

You're a VFR pilot, keep your eyes outside the plane, if you can't navigate VISUALLY you need to land.

I never let my students bring iPads or anything into the plane for any stage of training, that's something you can do when you have your license.

Only exception I made was brining a forward looking gopro for dual flights, allows them to couch fly the lesson over and over again, I do prohibit this for solo flights.
 
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NoHeat said:
Agreed that if finding traffic is your main concern, you might be disappointed because the data shown on the Stratus will hide some traffic unless your plane has ADS-B out.

I actually went ahead and installed the "out" capability so that I would see more traffic on the Stratus.
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I did the same on my Bonanza (GDL 88). I am waiting for the RangR to be certified (scheduled for this spring according to their CEO) to install it in my C 172 M. As a CFI I appear to be in the minority regarding the iPad for student pilots. In the KFDK area with P40 and the SFRA associated with the Washington DC airspace, I will not permit a solo student to exit the traffic pattern without the tool. It would be different if the restricted areas followed ground referenced points. I actually got called out (call Potomac upon landing at KHGR) for an incursion into P40. I was south of I70 and they said I went into its expanded airspace (10 mile arc). Having just audited NTSB, I quickly indicated that I would permit them to download the data from my GPS (they have that capability) and they then changed their tune that I was too close. I asked them should we fly 11 miles or 10.5 when 10 miles is the arc. They dropped the adverse action. Another time going north of the SFRA taking housing photos, I got a call from the KFDK tower to call Potomac. They said I was too low. I sent them my geotaged Jpg photos with altitude encoded meta data and they dropped that. One of my students without his GPS coming back from Harpers Ferry did not track the FDK VOR very well (kept recentering the needle instead of tracking the specific radial) busted the SFRA and had to send his medical into the FAA for 30 days.
I also would not recommend the stratus because it is centric to the Foreflight app. I fly with two apps (down from my 6 when I was testing) and I wanted the ability to use two iPads (one for my student and one for me Instrument instruction). Two iPads because when I had one going into Erie PA in Dec my iPad3 turned off because of overheating. Upon multiple occasions I have had one iPad (or mini) not work with one of my ADS_B in devices (iLevel SW, Dual 170 and backup Skyradar - do not use that one because of all the wires). Usually it is an O/S or application update. Additionally, I have my Kindle DX with my approach plates if something happens to both iPads (same O/S release usually after one has been updated and proven to work.) If all else fails I do have Wing X on my iPhone.
 
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