One of my biggest concerns as a pilot is having a collision with another aircraft. Scanning helps most of the time, but there are times when even the best scan in the world will not prevent a collision. As Dr. Rick mentioned in his response to “chutes & spins,” he has had two near misses that would not have been prevented by scanning. In those cases the aircraft at fault was not equipped with a transponder, but this is usually not the case. I have heard that it is possible to get a stormscope with skywatch. Is the optional stormscope offered by Cirrus equipped with skywatch? If not, is it possible to switch? I suppose my real question is how can I get TCAS or skywatch in my SR20?
Thanks for the help.
I have heard that it is possible to get a stormscope with skywatch. Is the optional stormscope offered by Cirrus equipped with skywatch? If not, is it possible to switch? I suppose my real question is how can I get TCAS or skywatch in my SR20?
Actually, the real question is can you get these items installed by the factory before you pick up the plane. With any aircraft prior to the SR20, you could easily have it installed later (well, maybe not easily). However, with the Cirrus instrument panel design and the need to interface everything with the arnav display, it would seem to be much more difficult to implement aftermarket installations in this plane than in others.
The answer to your question may well be what Cirrus is willing to do on a customer by customer basis. If their plan for the A,B and C versions is completely rigid with no other options available, that may be the short answer. However, this is where an owner’s organization comes in handy. If it turns out that lots of people want this type of equipment, the company will probably add it to the list. I think they already missed the boat by not making a 6 cylinder CHT/EGT installation like the GEM or JPI or Electronics International systems standard. I have no idea how hard it is to interface that with the arnav display by an aftermarket installer.
What I’d suggest to start with is that you call the factory. Tell them what you want and ask if they’ll put it in. Then, of course, let the rest of us in on the answer. Curious minds want to know.
The answer to your question may well be what Cirrus is willing to do on a customer by customer basis.
The short answer, at the moment, is “not much”. Cirrus will only deliver what has been certified, they don’t do custom mods.
The background to the engine monitoring is that Arnav have the inputs built into the MFD to accept all the sensors needed for full engine monitoring, and the fuel flow sensor is already there. Extra CHT and EGT probes are needed, but the firewall connector for this is there, with pins reserved.
The missing link is the software; Arnav have engine monitoring software for their smaller displays, but it is still not working for the large display. Cirrus originally told Arnav they didn’t like their (Arnav’s) monitoring software, and would do their own for the SR20. Of course, this never even got started, so by the time the SR20 was ready to sell, neither Arnav nor Cirrus had the software.
I believe Arnav are working on it now (and Cirrus have abandoned their plans to get involved). At some point in the (hopefully not too distant) future, a software upgrade will become available for the Arnav that, along with fitting of the EGT and CHT sensors, and some wiring, will give you full engine monitoring on the Arnav display.
As far as Skywatch, TCAD or whatever, I have no doubt this will come, but when I don’t know. In the meantime, a lot more people get killed by weather and fuel exhaustion than mid-airs (but I accept that the threat of a mid-air is scarier, simply because you have less control over it).
As far as Skywatch, TCAD or whatever, I have no doubt this will come, but when I don’t know. In the meantime, a lot more people get killed by weather and fuel exhaustion than mid-airs (but I accept that the threat of a mid-air is scarier, simply because you have less control over it).
I was told by Bruce Gunter that it’s really up to the avionics manufacturers (i.e. Arnav and BF Goodrich or Ryan TCAD in this case), but as soon as an interface for TCAD to Arnav was developed, that Cirrus would offer it. He suspected it would be Ryan TCAD rather than Skywatch as it’s cheaper.
What I didn’t ask was why not offer TCAD today, interfaced to the Garmin 430 – I believe that is possible to do, right now.
[and of course the follow up question which is whether the main MFD should be had from a different manufacturer… Arnav seems painfully slow in developing the appropriate software and/or interfaces to their equipment – engine monitoring, TCAD, only the very recent addition of Stormscope capability, etc. Even real-time weather broadcast information, which seems to be their main focus now - I haven’t seen mention of this capability on the MFD in the Cirrus.]
Steve
[and of course the follow up question which is whether the main MFD should be had from a different manufacturer… Arnav seems painfully slow in developing the appropriate software and/or interfaces to their equipment – engine monitoring, TCAD, only the very recent addition of Stormscope capability, etc. Even real-time weather broadcast information, which seems to be their main focus now - I haven’t seen mention of this capability on the MFD in the Cirrus.]
I’ve heard through grapevine that the engine monitoring should come this year and the weather broadcast has been moved back to next year.
Has anyone visited ARNAV’s website recently. It looks like the entire weather network has been put on hold. Does anyone have any better info?
Back when I was a position holder I called Arnav twice to see what they had planned for the SR20. Both times a very friendly secretary told me the “person who handles that” was not at his/her desk but would call me back (I say “his/her” not to be politically correct, but because the first time “she” wasn’t in, the second time it was “he”).
That was about two months ago. No call, of course.
Joe
[and of course the follow up question which is whether the main MFD should be had from a different manufacturer… Arnav seems painfully slow in developing the appropriate software and/or interfaces to their equipment – engine monitoring, TCAD, only the very recent addition of Stormscope capability, etc. Even real-time weather broadcast information, which seems to be their main focus now - I haven’t seen mention of this capability on the MFD in the Cirrus.]
I’ve heard through grapevine that the engine monitoring should come this year and the weather broadcast has been moved back to next year.
Has anyone visited ARNAV’s website recently. It looks like the entire weather network has been put on hold. Does anyone have any better info?