uAvionics SkyBeacon functional?

Lachlan

Lachlan

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Lachlan
Does anyone know of an installed and operational SkyBeacon on any aircraft? I’m looking for a working example of a successful installation.
 
Just former Navworx owners.
 
Many owners, myself included, are waiting on the Tailbeacon. That unit is more apt to fit common Cessna models.
 
Why will the sky beacon not fit Cessna? I have a 150 that seems to have the same size and shape nav lights on some aftermarket droop wingtips. Is there something I am missing here?
 
Matthew Rogers said:
Why will the sky beacon not fit Cessna? I have a 150 that seems to have the same size and shape nav lights on some aftermarket droop wingtips. Is there something I am missing here?
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Yes. Call uAvionics and ask about it. Email them specific pics of your nav light and they may/may not have a mounting solution for you. It's not a plug-n-play installation on a 150. Not by a long shot, according to other friends that have 150s that tried to install one. You would think that an inexpensive ADS-B out solution like the SkyBeacon would be custom fit for inexpensive airplanes, like a 150, for example. ;)
 
Why deal with another vendor with a legal struggle? Garmin as the GTX-335 with WAAS position and WAAS antenna for $2995 until Dec 1st. It outputs 240 watts instead SkyBeacon's 22 watts as well. Also the nav lights don't have to remain on permanently.
 
NordicDave said:
Why deal with another vendor with a legal struggle? Garmin as the GTX-335 with WAAS position and WAAS antenna for $2995 until Dec 1st. It outputs 240 watts instead SkyBeacon's 22 watts as well. Also the nav lights don't have to remain on permanently.
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Um, gee I don't know, maybe because you're not gonna pay my labor cost? o_O

It's quite disingenuous to utter that aspersion against the skybeacon when the very option you're proffering comes from the same rent-seeking a-holes suing said vendor in the first place. I knew there were Garmin employees and sycophants all over this board, but this one takes the cake.

Process patents need to die a quick death. Rent seeking run amok in our everything's-for-sale-US-of-A.
 
There is nothing disingenuous. What I stated were facts easily documented.

Someone might hating Garmin doesn't change that.
 
NordicDave said:
Why deal with another vendor with a legal struggle? Garmin as the GTX-335 with WAAS position and WAAS antenna for $2995 until Dec 1st. It outputs 240 watts instead SkyBeacon's 22 watts as well. Also the nav lights don't have to remain on permanently.
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Different kind of legal trouble. The FAA is not suggesting an AD. The Company is getting sued by another company. You suggested a solution that will cost twice what the TailBeacon will. That’s not a comparable solution.
 
NordicDave said:
Why deal with another vendor with a legal struggle? Garmin as the GTX-335 with WAAS position and WAAS antenna for $2995 until Dec 1st. It outputs 240 watts instead SkyBeacon's 22 watts as well. Also the nav lights don't have to remain on permanently.
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I’m waiting for the Uavionics tail beacon myself, the zero install is attractive, but more than that, I think that having the ADS-B independant of any other system may offer dispatch advantages over more integrated systems.

I don’t care a bit about the power output of the silly thing anyway. It’s legal, it’s cheap, provides no real capability or utility, so it’s good enough.
 
Are there any updates on when the Tail Beacon might finally get certified? Been waiting on it forever and now with the ADS-B rebate I am licking my chops.
 
It wouldn’t surprise me at all if the tail beacon is delayed by the law suit. If so I doubt that they are anxious to let it be known.
 
MBDiagMan said:
It wouldn’t surprise me at all if the tail beacon is delayed by the law suit. If so I doubt that they are anxious to let it be known.
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I checked out their website and it says they will begin to ship November 15!
 
Yeah, the whole thing has a Navworx feel to it. I can't help but think folks who are committed to this path may ultimately regret it. I hope not, though.

The warning signs are all there. Have seen this enough times to know how it ends.
 
Ryan F. said:
Yeah, the whole thing has a Navworx feel to it. I can't help but think folks who are committed to this path may ultimately regret it. I hope not, though.

The warning signs are all there. Have seen this enough times to know how it ends.
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I’m hoping your warning comes to naught. I think that it may be a bit too soon to get reports from installed certified units. I think we can wait a bit longer since many have been putting this decision off for awhile already.
 
MajorTurbulence said:
I’m hoping your warning comes to naught. I think that it may be a bit too soon to get reports from installed certified units. I think we can wait a bit longer since many have been putting this decision off for awhile already.
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I hope so too, truly. I don't want to see owners inconvenienced, or worse, lose money.

But if one approaches the situation from a business perspective, devoid of emotion, doubling down on uAvionix just doesn't make any sense. You're going with an option that is borderline doubtful to have a good resolution when there are other products on the market which aren't completely out of whack with the price segment in which the uAvionix product is competing. Tons of question marks here... anyway, good luck and choose wisely.
 
Ryan F. said:
I hope so too, truly. I don't want to see owners inconvenienced, or worse, lose money.

But if one approaches the situation from a business perspective, devoid of emotion, doubling down on uAvionix just doesn't make any sense. You're going with an option that is borderline doubtful to have a good resolution when there are other products on the market which aren't completely out of whack with the price segment in which the uAvionix product is competing. Tons of question marks here... anyway, good luck and choose wisely.
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Right Ryan. This product has captured the imagine with a fever not seen since NavWorx. It's another low-cost miracle with high anticipation. Almost any questioning is met with rebuke.

Forget the Garmin GDL-82 which has been shipping for a year and costs less, 50% greater power output, and not difficult to install. Also your nav lights are not permanently turned on, and eligible for FAA rebate today.
 
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The only 'fantasy' here is a shop installing a GDL in under 1AMU. It's a splice job on 3 fronts, and more labor intensive than a standalone transponder install like the 335/345.

At any rate eff Garmin's hegemony on this hobby. I was gonna go 330ES as a backup plan, but I just found out the Appareo Stratus ES is available for 2.5AMUs to those of us with qualifying GPS navigators, so that might be my ticket since it qualifies for the rebate. Good alternative to patronize.

Still holding out for the skybeacon. There's still plenty o time.
 
NordicDave said:
Right Ryan. This product has captured the imagine with a fever not seen since NavWorx. It's another low-cost miracle with high anticipation. Almost any questioning is met with rebuke.

Forget the Garmin GDL-82 which has been shipping for a year and costs less, 50% greater power output, and not difficult to install. Also your nav lights are not permanently turned on, and eligible for FAA rebate today.
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The hardware cost is not what is especially attractive, rather the ease of installation. I've received more than one bid for the GDL-82 and they all surprisingly came in within a few dollars in total cost. I just hope the uAvionix doesn't meet the same fate as the Ameri-King ELTs.
 

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farmrjohn said:
The hardware cost is not what is especially attractive, rather the ease of installation. I've received more than one bid for the GDL-82 and they all surprisingly came in within a few dollars in total cost. I just hope the uAvionix doesn't meet the same fate as the Ameri-King ELTs.
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I'd shop around on install fees. The GTX-345 labor was less than that for my 182 last year. I know the Av shop are overloaded with business. Thanks for sharing the quote.
 
The unknown on the date is the STC approval from the FAA. The modified STC has been accepted and is due for signature before Nov 30. Until that happens, they cannot ship anything.

Despite the gleeful cackles by some about the Garmin lawsuit, it has no bearing on the release date.
 
I got a photo from my boss that our three units arrived in the mail. Install as soon as mine gets here!
 
Easy Install, very inexpensive, no plane downtime.

It took my A&P 20 minutes for the install, then another 10 minutes to program it using my iPhone. It helps to have your registration info available to program it. You also have to have a 337 signed by AI to be legal and get your FAA rebate.

Passed the FAA adsb out check ride, first time. Check is in the mail
Since it is all one unit, there is no problem with compatibility of different equipment, it all works together.

They should have called it the "iSkybeacon"

I like that it is all on the wing and there is nothing to do behind the panel, note: you can either use it as a standard red led light, or hook up the extra yellow wire to a 12 volt wire to get the strobe function as an added bonus. DO NOT hook it up to the high voltage strobe wire, if you have one installed already.

You must have your navigation lights on all the time and a working transponder for it to work (good and bad)

Since the skybeacon is 978 MHz out, it is good for US only, under 18,000 ft.

Also the adsb 1090ES requirement took effect January 1, 2018, in Class E airspace over the Gulf of Mexico, at and above 3,000 feet msl within 12 nautical miles of the Mexican coast. Consequently, Caribbean trips are also out unless you have 1090ES, or you are flying under 3000 msl (I think).

Canada is intriguing in that you might need a “TOP” transponder.
This is bad for most all USA adsb 1090ES aircraft, because most aircraft do not have a "TOP" transponder mounted. See below.

From AOPA:
“Nav Canada is requiring a minimum transmit power of 125 watts, which matches the U.S. requirement,” he said. Canada originally said it was going to require “diversity” —meaning a transponder antenna on TOP of the airplane, as well as on the BOTTOM, to facilitate reception by the Aireon satellites high overhead—but it is conducting further testing on the diversity requirement based on user feedback, Duke added.”

The 978-MHz UAT datalink will not be compliant with the anticipated Canadian mandate. However, Duke said he has pressed the issue of overflights in southern Canada—where all radars will be retained—and he said Nav Canada was considering Mode C aircraft exemptions for this area. That would be good
The Canada mandate probably would begin in 2021.

Mexico.
1090ES required beginning January 1, 2020, in Class A, B, C, E (above 10,000 feet msl).

ALL in all, it is a cool system, except for the asymmetrical look on the port (left) side of the plane which looks kind of odd. But since I spend all my time on the starboard side of the airplane, I never see it. (I only have a starboard side door entry).
 
Installed the UavioniX ADSB today in my Cherokee 180. I puttered around alot, and took about 3 hours..............programming to go. It took longer because of Met-Co-Air Hoerner wingtips.

There are three screws, and they should have included 3 nuts and washers......8-32 screws. Luckily my neighbor had nylocks that fit.

Program tomorrow............go fly..............collect $500.......do not pass go.............do not collect $200.........etc.
 
I received my Skybeacon in early December, but I cannot install it yet without the wingtip adapter. Uavionix says the adapter will ship in mid January. It’s a bit annoying that they shipped the product knowing that I required the adapter to install.
 
I'm in the same boat as you waiting on the adapter. Last time I checked, they said late December. They had prototype parts made and it looked like they fit well according to the pictures. I would imagine they are waiting on FAA approval of the STC. This government shutdown may delay things further.
 
Do you have a link to pictures of the adapter? I ordered a skyBeacon last week for my wife's 150. I can modify her wing tip fairing with a bit of judicious cutting and fiberglass but if they have a better solution I'd rather just purchase it. I found their FAQ that said they have one in the works but didn't see any pictures.
 
Badger said:
https://goo.gl/images/Z9MC6q

Pic of fairing
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Thanks. Looking at the dimensions, that won't work on my wife's plane. The two screw holes that are vertically aligned on the skyBeacon line up with her existing beacon mount holes, but there's no room for the third (rearward) hole because the skyBeacon is longer than the existing beacon. Her fairing would need to be cut back to make room for the adapter and/or that third hole. That's what I was actually planning to do - cut back her fairing and fiberglass in a place for that third hole.

This page says it only works with the 150L or M. https://uavionix.com/product-catego...ceivers/skybeacon-fairings/?product_view=list
 
We got ours a few weeks ago. Not thrilled about having to keep the nav lights on, but it wasn’t my decision anyways lol
 
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