Avidyne Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > Avidyne General > IFD 5 Series & IFD 4 Series Touch Screen GPS/NAV/COM
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - IFD failure in flight
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

IFD failure in flight

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
Sanjiv View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie
Avatar

Joined: 20 Nov 2016
Location: N14
Status: Offline
Points: 48
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sanjiv Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: IFD failure in flight
    Posted: 10 Jul 2017 at 10:44pm
While flying back home from trying some approached N14-KACY(ILS31)-KGED(RNAV)-N14(RNAV). Thankfully it was all under VFR conditions.

Everything went just fine until I was on approach for my home base N14.

-          Started off with ADSB GPS location failure on IFD
-          followed by GPS Reversion warning message on Aspen.
-          Then IFD GPS turns from green to yellow.
-          GPS approach turns from LPV to VNAV + LNAV
-          IFD starts to X everything out. Lost Altitude info, airspeed data and GPS ,,,,,,
-          Aspen went X on AI and also X on DG. Lost Aspen completely.
-          Backup Garmin G5 worked just fine. Garmin 796 has full GPS coverage at the time IFD failed.
-          ForeFlight on iPAD also worked fine. Mechanical airspeed indicator and Altimeter worked fine.
-          Aspen throws same errors AI failed (Check pitot heat), DG failed (with check GPS data)
-          It all started from IFD and went downhill in few min.
-          Upon landing I reset all systems and everything seem to come back up normal.
-          I took pictures of different failures and downloaded complete logs from IFD.
-          FlightAware shows no adsb reporting from the time of failure as well.


Pictures are tagged with Zulu time, Aspen X picture was taken after landing on ground but it failed immediately after IFD went blank on all fields on approach.

All logs and pictures uploaded on the link below. Tech support will follow up with engineering to analyze logs so just want to share it out here if someone has any additional thoughts. .

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B99L_voHgNd5cmdlNVhMUjIzUGc?usp=sharing
PA28-236 @N14
Back to Top
LANCE View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 06 Dec 2014
Location: TEXAS
Status: Offline
Points: 277
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LANCE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jul 2017 at 7:19am
Could a bad external WAAS antenna on either the Aspen or IFD have taken the other antenna out?
Back to Top
ronl View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie


Joined: 08 Apr 2015
Status: Offline
Points: 88
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ronl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jul 2017 at 8:54am
I had a similar failure last fall with my IFD540. I was also in VMC at the time thank goodness.

In my case it turned out to be an internal failure of the 540's GPS hardware. I have a 540/440, APX322 remote transponder and Aspen EFD. I was able to switch the Aspen to GPS #2 (IFD440) for navigation but ATC lost my mode-C transponder return. My Aspen did not fail in attitude as yours did but did stay in revisionary mode.

When I landed at home base I taxied directly to my avionics shop. They sent the logs to Avidyne and Avidyne overnighted a replacement IFD540. I was back in business in less than 24 hours. Easy peasy. Way to go Avidyne!

BTW, you have a VERY nice panel!
Ron L
Back to Top
Sanjiv View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie
Avatar

Joined: 20 Nov 2016
Location: N14
Status: Offline
Points: 48
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sanjiv Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jul 2017 at 5:29pm
Waiting for Avidyne to review logs and send me their feedback. If they have to replace 540, I might go for 550 instead 🤣 Avidyne staff!!! Are you listening? It's just a 6 month old install.
PA28-236 @N14
Back to Top
AzAv8r View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 06 Dec 2011
Location: Arizona
Status: Offline
Points: 154
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AzAv8r Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jul 2017 at 9:43pm
The fact that the Aspen failed simultaneously is indicative of a non-IFD fault source.  An Aspen with a DG has to be a PFD, and therefore (if installed properly) has a revision GPS in the RSM.   For both to fail, I'd expect either an external electrical issue which caused damage to both, or a failure of some item which resulted in GPS interference clobbering the other instruments.    Logs should provide more evidence.

What is the GPS source for the G5?   Where is the 796 antenna (and the G5s, since it must have one) located relative to the Aspen RSM and Avidyne GPS antennas?


Back to Top
Sanjiv View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie
Avatar

Joined: 20 Nov 2016
Location: N14
Status: Offline
Points: 48
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sanjiv Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jul 2017 at 11:54am
796 antenna on glareshield. G5 uses internal GPS, iPad uses GDL39 on hat rack shelf. GPS failure started at Avidyne which followed by RSM reversion on avidyne as designed. Then somehow IFD failed to recapture GPS until rebooted. In mean time it could have caused either interference to RMU or a port communication which put Avidyne in confused mode and Aspen to X out.

Could have been many different issues. But for all of those to happen simultaneously is as likely as me hitting all the 6 numbers on lotto. Pitot had no issues, did a ground test yesterday and all pitot static checks come back good.

Edited by Sanjiv - 12 Jul 2017 at 11:56am
PA28-236 @N14
Back to Top
ddgates View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 12 Aug 2011
Location: Deer Valley
Status: Offline
Points: 1100
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ddgates Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jul 2017 at 12:02pm
Could you have had voltage irregularity?  Seems like electrical power sensitivity is common to both units.

Most EDMs show and record voltage?

I agree it sounds like Avi culprit but the Aspen red x scenario doesn't fit.
David Gates
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.01
Copyright ©2001-2018 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.141 seconds.