I, too, like segregation between the different types of data & associated displays. The PA31 I fly for the owner had a JPI 760 installed to replace a digital display dual EGT. I think its wonderful! The aircraft already had a Shadin Fuel Flow so no need for the more expensive FF option for the 760. It also means no extra toggle switch to choose display modes of the 760. Instead, FF & endurance are permanently displayed which I find preferable. A downside is that the integral FF option allows fuel data to be included the rest of the data download whereas I have to record that separately. The factory Oil T./Oil P./CHT triple displays remain in place.
There's quite a bit of redundancy in the configuration so a single failure has little effect. Even leaning can be done fairly accurately for familiar power settings/altitudes without the JPI760, now that I've had time to regularly monitor the data.
If you go for a JPI7xx, make sure you specify the USB option when you order. Never thought in this day & age that a crappy serial port version would be the default. Had to send it back so that was a 1 week turn-around + 200 bucks. The serial port version requires a PalmPilot or laptop with a serial port & specific software & rooting around with serial ports & a terminal to download the engine data. The USB model just requires a USB stick and downloads automatically, ready to be plugged into any PC. There's an adapter kit as an alternative that will allow a serial port version to save to a USB stick but it's a bit clunky compared to having a USB conversion and being done with it.
A couple of niggles though:
The data port cable from the unit isn't particularly long. Its length limits where you can mount the data port in relation to the unit. The cable is integral so you can't just replace it. JPI's advice is to use a USB extender cable from any PC supplier. I don't like that because there's nothing to ensure the cable remains attached apart from the USB socket - and that isn't designed to be a locked connection. They should have made cable length an option.
The data is in a proprietary format. It's only a bloody table of data so why they moved away from a universal CSV text file is beyond me. You now need to use their Windows only software to view the data. Even their software allows the data to be exported to CSV (or it might be .XLS. Been a while since I've done it) so they've introduced an extra bit of buggerising around to get a universally understood file format. Bloody idiots.
Last edited by Tinstaafl; 22nd Nov 2009 at 05:47.