Gumdrop Cones

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   Is there any way to turn off those big-assed blue gumdrop shaped cones that appear over every tower? I was flying a practice approaches today near a windmill farm and dozens of those #$^& blue cones effectively obliterated my IFD screens. There was traffic in the area but it could not be seen due to these things. Very annoying! 

I don't see any safety benefit from them and would really like to get rid of them. 

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ronl Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 08 Apr 2015 Status: Offline Points: 88	Post Options Post Reply Quote ronl Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Gumdrop Cones Posted: 07 Apr 2017 at 11:12pm
	Is there any way to turn off those big-assed blue gumdrop shaped cones that appear over every tower? I was flying a practice approaches today near a windmill farm and dozens of those #$^& blue cones effectively obliterated my IFD screens. There was traffic in the area but it could not be seen due to these things. Very annoying! I don't see any safety benefit from them and would really like to get rid of them.
	Ron L

oskrypuch Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 09 Nov 2012 Location: CYFD Status: Offline Points: 3058	Post Options Post Reply Quote oskrypuch Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 08 Apr 2017 at 9:07am
	I would read up a bit on FLTA (forward looking terrain avoidance) in the manual, it is a very valuable feature that really shouldn't be ignored. But, if you really want to, you will probably find a way to do that with that search. * Orest

ronl Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 08 Apr 2015 Status: Offline Points: 88	Post Options Post Reply Quote ronl Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 08 Apr 2017 at 1:01pm
	I do not believe this is a FLTA issue. I know how to turn FLTA off (even though I haven't). These are obstacles and they are below my altitude. I have read the manual and I haven't found any way to turn them off.
	Ron L

oskrypuch Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 09 Nov 2012 Location: CYFD Status: Offline Points: 3058	Post Options Post Reply Quote oskrypuch Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 08 Apr 2017 at 6:36pm
	Actually, if it is these "gumdrops" ... ... it is FLTA. FLTA also paints warnings over obstacles. Check out page 3-28 ... Any obstacle in the database within a 5nm radius of the aircraft position and whose top is within 2000’ vertically (above or below) of the aircraft altitude will generate a cyan (blue) threat bubble over the obstacle on the map pages. Obstacles inside a 3nm radius of the aircraft position and whose top is between 100’ below aircraft altitude and 1000’ below aircraft altitude will generate a yellow threat bubble over the obstacle. Obstacles inside a 1.5nm radius of the aircraft position and whose top is between 100’ below aircraft to anything above aircraft altitude will generate a red threat bubble over the obstacle. Edited by oskrypuch - 08 Apr 2017 at 8:13pm

ronl Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 08 Apr 2015 Status: Offline Points: 88	Post Options Post Reply Quote ronl Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 09 Apr 2017 at 10:03am
	OK. thank you for your help. I use the 550 as my primary interface/display and the 440 as mostly as just a traffic and FMS display. I'm trying to declutter the 440's tiny display as much as possible (I use the 550 for TAWS, etc). It's interesting that turning off TA and FLTA on the 440 User Setup page does not eliminate the cones. I think I'll try turning on "external TAWS" on the 440 main setup page and see if that eliminates them.
	Ron L

oskrypuch Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 09 Nov 2012 Location: CYFD Status: Offline Points: 3058	Post Options Post Reply Quote oskrypuch Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 09 Apr 2017 at 3:40pm
	Sure, roger that. * Orest

dmtidler Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 12 Feb 2016 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 616	Post Options Post Reply Quote dmtidler Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 09 Apr 2017 at 5:50pm
	FWIW - Turning off FLTA in AUX - SETUP - User Options appears to only suppress the FLTA CAS messages in both the iPad and PC IFD trainers. The FLTA depictions on the MAP (obstacle "gumdrops" and terrain coloring) do not appear to be affected.

ronl Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 08 Apr 2015 Status: Offline Points: 88	Post Options Post Reply Quote ronl Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 Apr 2017 at 8:35am
	Just to finish off this thread. I have tried everything I can think off and there does not appear to be a way to turn the cones off. I even turned on "external TAWS" in the configuration pages. That is supposed to disable all the IFD TAWS functions. Didn't work. They are very persistent . On the brighter side, they are a little less overwhelming on the SVS view.
	Ron L