In the meantime Honeywell had to withdraw HUNDREDS of procedures from the database because the airplanes would fly wrong turns on them.
I recently asked Team Sovereign when to expect the next update (5.2).
Heres what I got told:
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Phase 5.2 has been delayed a little due to a recently detected condition in Auto Preview mode where the aircraft will fly an approach that was previously entered into the data base. This can occur if there was no power cycle or the previous approach was not deleted. AFM Temporary Changes will be mailed shortly with recommendations to prevent this from occurring.
I do not have a list of all the corrections in 5.2 so I am not sure what will be corrected However, the corrections that I am aware of are:
· It will correct the deviation below the glideslope which will eliminate the autopilot off at 700 feet.
· FMS Turn Commands in Wrong Direction to make the shortest turn if the actual procedure is greater than 180 degrees.
· Auto Preview mentioned above
· MAU OTEMP corrected by raising the temperature threshold in the cabinets. This has been an issue especially in MAU # 1 with the Graphics Module for charts which runs hotter.
· Fluctuating Fuel Temperature noted on the EICAS screen.
We are currently testing the 5.2 software minus the Auto Preview and Fuel Temp corrections. Those will be provided as soon as possible. Testing the software that is available at this time will help shorten the certification process once the other corrections become available. Because of this latest development, Phase 5.2 software is now expected to become available before the end of the year.
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Note: the person writing this email did not mention the year. After the Phase 5 disaster I donŽt think it will be before this years end...
Well this sounds like a bunch of guys needing to lean on a bunch of cockpit gear..
I still freelance on a KingAir with an early romian empire radio stack and I get where I wanna get.
OTOH when my boss buys an airplane that is suppossed to have certain functions, then I expect to have them. As a little example I can tell you that we ordered the charts and maps option worth 75.000USD. I was promised that it will be available upon delivery and thus we cancelled the then available Universal Charts display option. When the airplane was delivered, there was a nice little sticker above the displays: use of charts and maps prohibited. It took almost a year to get the function.
Yes I can look at a paper approach plate, but when I buy it, I want it to work.
Regarding your DTO button on the FMS, try this in a Sovereign and you will sometimes get a nasty suprise. The airplane does not go directly to the selected waypoint, but calculates a point in front of you and turns only when it has reached this point. Sometimes this involves a slight turn in the wrong direction. Hardly the kind of behaviour youŽd expect from a modern avionic suite.
There is plenty of other things the EPIC in the Sovereign does badly.