Avidyne SynVis - General

Yes, it does as long as you are using one of the Aviation 232 format ACK ELTs.  I'm not familiar with their entire product line but we do explicitly support the Aviation 232 variants.

(SynVis Progress Update - 25 Oct 2013) We still haven't gotten any traction with the FAA in having their signoff for conformity (required before we can do company test that counts as submittable).    In the meantime, here is a link to the draft pilot guide for R9.3 so at least you can see what's new/in store.   This version of the R9.3 PG is still in Draft format for two reasons - I have some formatting issues to resolve in the Table Of Contents and the FAA hasn't officially signed off on the release yet.  But, that being said, I fully expect the content to remain unchanged.  Let me know if you have any feedback.    This link will take to a page of various tech pubs.  At the top is a section of pilot guides.  The first is the current shipping version of software and the one labeled R9.3 Pilot Guide is the new version.

http://www.avidyne.com/support/downloads/r9.asp


For reference, here is a high-level list of the changes included in R9.3.

Major Items in Release:

1.      Synthetic Vision

2.      3-screen support including changing CAS behavior in 3-screen systems

3.      Weather Radar

4.      Improved map panning and user interface responsiveness

5.      Additional DME integration

6.      Improved ADAHRS alignment indications

7.      Added more capability to left IFD

8.      Added user option to suppress Flap Overspeed Aural Alert

9.      AXP340 Mode S ADS-B Transponder support

10.  Added Meridian aircraft type

11.  Added Epic aircraft type

12.  Honeywell IHAS traffic support

13.  WSI Datalink performance improvements

14.  Added Canadian, Mexican and Caribbean METARS and TAFs

15.  Additional ELT types support

16.  Additional datalogging

17.  Datablock enhancements

18.  Added Canadian Mandatory Frequencies to Freq List

19.  Added a watermark to expired Charts but continued display indefinitely

 

 

 

Software Issues Fixed:

1.      55X Integration Issues resolved

2.      Stale Datalink product issues resolved

3.      Cross-side VHF radio squelch break issues resolved

4.      Autopilot behavior on course reversals resolved

5.      Traffic alert suppression while on the ground

6.      Chart Day/Night mode now matches dimming bus day/night mode

7.      Mode S remote ident fixed

8.      SR22G3T checklist fixed

9.      Next DTK datablock error resolved

10.  Fixed integration issues with Shadin Miniflo fuel computer

11.  Ensure glideslope always automatically arms on a WAAS approach when it should

12.  Dozens of other subtle bugs resolved.

Looking forward to getting this capability.......FINALLY :)

Having one reserve unit sent out and the aircraft here upgraded one by one in rotation as the IFD goes back and the next one is sent out would be great if you can manage that. Means a delay in upgrading for the later aircraft but minimum downtime for each plane.

Steve - What piece of gear are we going to have to send in for upgrading. Is it the GPS blades or the whole IFD?
regards

We did check and it's not feasible to start the hardware upgrade ahead of time.   The detailed answer is very complex but suffice it to say we would have a hardware/software incompatibility if we tried to get a head start and upgrade the hardware right now.   Sorry guys.

Tom

(SynVis Progress Update - 3 Oct 2013)

(SynVis Progress Update - 3 Sep 2013)

Jake:

Someone at Oshkosh went to an Avidyne presentation and posted this on the COPA forum

Steve, don't ya just love software guys....they are always 95 percent complete...

No typo.

(SynVis Progress Update - 21 June 2013)

As of this afternoon, we have completed 793 of the 867 tests, leaving 8.5% still to go.    The rest do look tough.

Not sure. I'm on the west coast right now so I'll check on Monday when I return.

(SynVis Progress Update - 10 May 2013)

Data point update on SynVis test for credit progress....... 

Hit some tough tests recently (previous tests were a few years old and we have updated the test environment a lot since then so a lot of the tests need updating/rewriting).  No failures, just slow going.

As of Wed two days ago, we had completed 678 of the 849 tests meaning we have 21.1% still to go.

As expected, we won't have cert in time for your April trip but progress to the finish line continues.  We're in the middle of formal software test-for-credit for Release 9.3.  It's a massive undertaking and has a few weeks left to go.  So far, there have been no surprises or problems.    We started the testing in early March and the test metrics say we're about halfway through.

Sorry Andrew - missed the original question but no good news on the question.  We won't have cert in time for your April trip.  Sounds like a great trip, just wish our software was certified in time for it.

Good to hear there is progress. There are 3 R9 aircraft heading off on a flying safari to South Australia on April 15th. What do you think our chances are of having Synvis for the trip?
Regards
Andrew

(SynVis Progress Update - 22 Feb 2013)

What a nightmare!!!!

No, we have not reached any conclusions.   Avidyne submitted our proposed changes in a written response on/about 23 Jan and we haven't heard anything back from the FAA yet.

(SynVis Progress Update - 22 Jan 2013) -

Interesting but disappointing news today from the FAA.  They delivered their MPSUE findings to us and overall had 28 itemized issues with the "new and novel" features of the SynVis.

It is not quite as bad as it may sound in that most will be addressed through specific descriptions and notes in the associated Pilot Guide and AFMS update but 7 or 8 of the issues will drive a code change.  The issues that require a change are all on the adjustable field of view feature that SynVis has.

Avidyne is now trying to determine our best course of action to deal with those 7 or 8 required changes.  Options range from removing the feature altogether to engineering solutions for each of the specific gripes.  

So at this point, the process is:

1.  Avidyne determine our best course of action.
2.  Avidyne propose those changes to the FAA in writing to see if those proposed changes "scratch the itch" and adequately address their concerns.
3.  FAA reconvenes (I imagine through conference calls) the MPSUE team to come up with a collective position and then informs Avidyne.
4.  Avidyne makes the changes (but not until we have FAA buy-in that those changes are sufficient).
5  FAA re-evaluates (in a manner not yet decided - e.g. we send pictures, local FAA re-flys, etc) those issue areas.
6.  Once we have a positive indication from the FAA, we then move to take the software across the certification finish line.

One side note, while we had hoped that the FAA would not need to fly the TIA themselves, they have concluded that FAA flight involvement will be required.  That too adds schedule uncertainty to the program.

Will post update when proposed issue resolution has been mutually agreed upon.