uAvionix reveals SkyBeacon-the first near zero-install ADS-B Out

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HomeHomeDiscussionsDiscussionsiFly General Di...iFly General Di...uAvionix reveals SkyBeacon-the first near zero-install ADS-B Out SolutionuAvionix reveals SkyBeacon-the first near zero-install ADS-B Out Solution
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10/24/2017 9:26 AM
 

Needs a strobe option though as many of us have combined wingtip nav/stobe lights.

 
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10/27/2017 7:09 AM
 

For those interested, I received a pre-production skyBeacon for evaluation and review.  I've published a blog covering the installation here: http://www.zenith.aero/profiles/blogs...tion-and-review

John

N750A

 
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10/27/2017 3:15 PM
 

Great find and post, John. Many thanks.

I am really hoping this does the trick for me in Feb when it comes out as CERTIFIED. 

My only hope is that the price stays relatively low and affordable, which to me is $2000 or less.

Mike

 
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10/27/2017 7:14 PM
 

Right now the least expensive certified ADSB-out is the King KT-74 at around $2400.  If you have a KT-76 now, then it is a slide in replacement.  But you need a WAAS signal from a certified WAAS receiver like a 530 or 430 as the KT-74 does not have an internal WAAS receiver.   Also the gray code from the altitude encoder needs to be brought into the KT-74 at install time. The KT-74 uses the existing transponder antenna and cabling. If you would be replacing an old NARCO or Garmin 327 transponder, then the install is a bit more costly, but not much. Total all in should be around $3K if you have a certified WAAS receiver to get a signal from.

I just installed a Garmin 335 for a friend.  The 335 kit came with a solid state altitude encoder GTE170 from Garmin that was stuck on the back of the install rack.  The encoder is .75 by .5 inches in size with just 3 wires going directly to the 335.  The 335 can use the old transponder antenna and cabling. All I had to do was transfer over the 12 volt + and_ wires from the old KT-76 and fit the rack which is the same size as teh KT-76s.  The 335 has its own internal WAAS gps receiver. We then test flew the plane in approach control airspace for 30 minutes to do teh ADSB test required for a certified install.  Within an hour the FAA responded with a clean report with no discrepancies so the owner got his $500 rebate.  The 335 kit from Chief's Aircraft was $3400. We threw away the old encoder and all the wiring as the new tiny encoder worked like a charm. The owner then bought a Merlin from IFly for his ADSB IN to play on his IPad.

 
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10/27/2017 7:27 PM
 

As with most things, there's a caveat to "Slide in replacement".  My Avidyne AXP340 was also a slide-in replacement (plus wiring to the audio panel and IFD440).  Except that the existing transponder antenna location under the tail was too far away for ADS-B specs, and a new antenna had to be installed closer to the unit.  That wasn't foreseen by myself or the installer and added (only) two hours to the installation, with the bonus that the old antenna became my external ADS-B In antenna for the Stratux.


Jeff Nokomis Clark, Mooney M20G, iFly app on ASUS ZenPad Z8s, ASUS ZenFone AR, ASUS Windows 10 tablet, Stratux ADS-B w AHRS
 
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HomeHomeDiscussionsDiscussionsiFly General Di...iFly General Di...uAvionix reveals SkyBeacon-the first near zero-install ADS-B Out SolutionuAvionix reveals SkyBeacon-the first near zero-install ADS-B Out Solution