Dynon D1 - Anyone tried one?

[Unusual Attitude]

Just decided to order one of these as a 'get out of jail' emergency attitude ref since I have an extremely minimal panel in my single seat tailwheel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR_q-xCTUYA

Reviews look excellent and its actually small enough to fit on my panel, will also add vertical speed which I dont have at the moment and lets just say my compass is less than accurate so the track display will be very usefull. Just wondering if anyone has tried one in the real world? The update rate looks excellent with no lag at all...

Before anyone starts, I've no intention of using it to go IMC or indeed to set off in more marginal conditions than I otherwise would, its purely the sort of thing I'd rather have on board to give me more options should I be caught out by the Scottish weather....

Regards

UA

[Genghis the Engineer]

Yes.

I've been teaching lately in an aeroplane with one fitted as a backup instrument (and primary compass).

It works, it's accurate, it's reliable.

It's also cluttered and requires considerable practice to read well. The compass symbology is definitely anti-intuititive. So if fitting one, I'd fit it reasonably high and centrally to make it easily read, and make a point of practicing using it fairly regularly.

G

[flybymike]

If only they had combined it with synthetic vision a la Garmin 795....

[Proteus9]

I've got one for similar reasons as to before, it will be useful to have a backup to the vacuum gyro. But it is primarily for my usual no.2 in the back seat who can't see any instruments. Combined with a moving map gps it should give some useful extra references. Haven't had a chance to use it yet though unfortunately.

[Unusual Attitude]

Thanks for the feedback on this chaps, its now ordered.

Genghis, funny you should mention fitting it high and centrally as thats exactly where I'm planning on putting it, in the pic below it will be going where the slip ball is right above and between the ASI and ALT. It will stick up a little above the panel but wont cause any issues with the canopy or my forwad vision since the nose gets in the way anyway!

My thinking is that it will be excellent for en route Nav but I'll probably switch it off in the circuit as the GPS derrived speed and Alt might be distracting on the approach....

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/6764/photoyoci.jpg

Will let you know my thoughts once its installed and tested....

Regards

UA

[stevelup]

It is a shame that you can't switch off some of the unwanted 'features' to declutter the display.

[Unusual Attitude]

Well its installed and I've done 3 flights with it now:-

http://imageshack.us/a/img259/8731/photo4dcl.jpg

I have to say I dont find it cluttered at all however if it were mounted lower down or off-centre I can see it would be.

Very impressed so far and no matter how much abuse I've thrown at it (a lot!) I cant get it to topple or stop working.

As I expected its too distracting to leave it switched on during finals so I simply switch it off on the downwind to avoid being drawn to the GPS derrived speed, fantastic bit of kit for en route however.....

Regards

UA

[bergermeister]

Have you done any hi g stuff with the Dynon D1?

What is the actual clarity of the horizon/ aircraft symbol like? I had a D10 and found I a little "lightweight" that needed time to interpret.

Any chance you could post a close up HD picture of the screen?

The GPS altitude should be quite useful as it will be good for genuine MSA awareness.

Bergermeister

[simonrennie]

Unlike many I went flying yesterday with winds of 15 gusting 30 so quite turbulent at times, have had the D1 about 6 months and overall very pleased and impressed with it but in real IMC yesterday we moved it from the pilots view as we got suspicious about its information. I don't think the unit has or is developing a fault but from day one, one comment I made was I wish I could damp down the sensitivity. Yesterday when in a really bumpy bit it was almost like it picked up the instant 50ft height change or 15 degrees bank with a small time delay as if it was working hard and struggling to keep up. I then toppled it on purpose and it seemed without actually timing it, that it was several minutes to recover, but it did recover whereas normally even that is PDQ taxi in, in torrential rain and it was rock solid and behaving normally. Maybe just asking a bit too much for what is just a damn good toy at the end of the day? More playing and experimenting now required. I have had it set up in front of the DI as the least needed steam driving dial in the primary scan as my initial concern was it gives so much information and data put it to one side and I was concerned about screwing up a well ingrained scanning pattern.

[cessnapete]

I have been using a D1 as back up in a C180 for 3 months. Fitted in the vacant recently junked ADF instrument hole.
Works very well and not too cluttered in my opinion. The GPS aerial is permanently connected through discrete hole in panel for the cable. GPS alt is always within 100-200ft of QNH on pressure alt. GPS speed always the same as the fitted G430W.
Much safer than a Turn and Slip/Turn Coordinator in the event of vacuum failure etc. (In most failure scenarios the main ASI and Pressure alt will still be available)
Longest on Batt pwr 3.15 so far, although we do have another discrete power cable from cig lighter socket.
All quickly removable when the CAA/EASA man snoops around during the Annual of course !!