Xavion

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SkyVoyager

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SkyVoyager
I thought Xavion was really cool until I read a posting on the red board (it looks to be a response from the author of the code). It's the need to keep the iPad dedicated to the app that got to me. (I was about to pluck down the 99 bucks to buy this, but now I really don't know.) Thoughts?

I have a few questions:
1) If xavion and another program, like skycharts pro used as my EFB, for example, are used simultaneously on an Ipad2, when I am using Skycharts pro, will xavion be in the background constantly updating engine out scenarios, or does xavion need to be on the active desktop screen.

no
it needs to run in the foreground the whole time to really be ready to guide you down, and be ready as a set of backup instruments


2) Where does your terrain database come from so that one can have confidence in the synthetic vision picture and that the engine out solution is correct and safe?

USGS space shuttle terrain topography mission.. very very very widely used




3) How often is your terrain database updated?


never… because mountains do not pop up where they were not before in our lifetime. the terrain does not change shape enough to matter.
what needs to be updated all the time is the airports and obstacles, and we are working on plans in that area.



4) Where does your airports runway data come from and how often are they updated?


DAFIF, and then x-plane users, and now Xavion users as well that can add them as indicated at xavion.com, coverage section




5) Are there additional charges for database updates, or are they incorporated in the purchase/renewal like wingx, for example?

none yet, but there will be in time
this will be a (probably optional) monthly payment for updated airports and obstacles0



6) Are program upgrades free or will they cost extra?

free, for as far into the future as i can currently envision.



7) From review of your online materials, it appears that the IPAD2 must be mounted vertically on the panel. Is thus true or can it also be retained on a lap?

vertical, unless you have a LEVIL gyro sending in attitude info… then it can be in your lap



7a) What if an ilevil or other adhars is used and mounted appropriately, does this relieve the vertical mounting requirement for the iPad ?

yup!
exactly.

austin
Click to expand...
 
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SkyVoyager said:
I thought Xavion was really cool until I read a posting on the red board (it looks to be a response from the author of the code). It's the need to keep the iPad dedicated to the app that got to me. (I was about to pluck down the 99 bucks to buy this, but now I really don't know.) Thoughts?
Click to expand...

The Xavion was recently updated so it works in the background.
 
SkyVoyager said:
I thought Xavion was really cool until I read a posting on the red board (it looks to be a response from the author of the code). It's the need to keep the iPad dedicated to the app that got to me. (I was about to pluck down the 99 bucks to buy this, but now I really don't know.) Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I was wondering if Xavion supports the iLEVIL though...saw the blurb in the red there but wasn't sure of an update.
 
sailbv@gmail.com said:
The Xavion was recently updated so it works in the background.
Click to expand...

I've owned Xavion for a couple of weeks now.

Unfortunately, with the new update it no longer functions in the background.

"Now we completely terminate the App if you put it in the background. This saves your battery and your CPU for other stuff!"
Click to expand...
 
Not a user, but I probably would be if I owned an iDevice.

Sounds like that should be an option available in the settings.

Austin, the guy who makes the app and X-Plane, has a history of making unpopular design decisions and being quite stubborn about it.
 
bqmassey said:
Not a user, but I probably would be if I owned an iDevice.

Sounds like that should be an option available in the settings.

Austin, the guy who makes the app and X-Plane, has a history of making unpopular design decisions and being quite stubborn about it.
Click to expand...

The rational was the huge amount of battery it sucks, but I agree, I would love to see it as an option.

I notice he uses the same UI for settings as X-plane has. Trying to change each digit individually in increments of one is really inefficient on the iPad.
 
Sure is an interesting idea. I'm curious about it as well. It's too bad there's not a 30 day trial period for the app.
 
Tony_Fletcher said:
Sure is an interesting idea. I'm curious about it as well. It's too bad there's not a 30 day trial period for the app.
Click to expand...

He just came out with Xavion Sim - a free simulator that only works with X-Plane.

You might want to give that a shot.
 
SkyVoyager said:
He just came out with Xavion Sim - a free simulator that only works with X-Plane.

You might want to give that a shot.
Click to expand...

That's cool. Thanks for the heads up.

I ordered a rockin' video card for my Mac, just so I can crank up my X-plane settings. I'll check it out!
 
SkyVoyager said:
It doesn't, yet, for weather, but it should for AHRS.
Click to expand...
It does work with the other units from Levil. But the new iLevil does Wireless...well, Apple protocol crap as my other real-standard-wireless hardware around the house can't see the ssid.
But anyway, I think the iLevil is another beast so apps would need to update there apps to get the data some other way than ye ole hardware.
Well, I can wait I suppose as it only started shipping so I suspect the coding can start now that the product is real.
I suppose WingX took the chance so have an early run of things--but the subscription costs for WingX is a killer.
 
I think this is intriguing enough to warrant a backup iPad dedicated to it, especially for single-engine night ops. I popped the $100 to check it out.
 
LDJones said:
I think this is intriguing enough to warrant a backup iPad dedicated to it, especially for single-engine night ops. I popped the $100 to check it out.
Click to expand...

Xavion now supports the iLEVIL device..so no need for a real rigid setup for hte iPAD. It supports the ADS-B for weather and traffic as well from the iLEVIL.

The Xavion status also shows what's going on with the feed from the iLEVIL which is good to know *something* is going on under the covers.
The capabilities of Xavion is simply amazing and with only a single button push! And it does NAV too (although that is not the focus).
The only negative is that I forget to have it running when I take off--to get the take-off performance history/tracking. It used to urn in the background but enough folks complained I guess that it was eating up battery--but I plug mine in anyway so I wish it was an option and I would have it running all the time there. Oh yeah.. a very minor one is the units--my airplane airspeed is in MPH.
 
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