Comments on AvMap EKP-IV

[Hans-Christian Prytz]

Hi folks,

I was looking around recently and found this:
http://www.avmapnavigation.com/
(large screen portable aviation gps)

Looks like an improved version of the EKP-IIIc.
Has anyone tested this (or the IIIc for that matter)?
Comments, is it as good as it seems?

Thanks

Hans-Christian

[Jay Honeck]

> Comments, is it as good as it seems?

I played with it at OSH '04, (I've got last year's model AvMap EKP IIIC) and
found that it addresses both of the weaknesses of my unit without
compromising its advantages.

1. Bulk. The IV is quite a bit smaller than my III, yet the screen is the
same size or larger.

2. Battery backup. The IV now has internal battery back-up, something the
III did not. (I worked around this by buying a battery pack to plug the
cigar lighter attachment into if needed.)

There is simply no substitute for screen size, and the AvMap has it in
spades. It is so much bigger and brighter than the competition, it's hard
to imagine why anyone buys the smaller, more costly Garmin 296.

Even though it's large, by hand-held standards, the III fits quite nicely in
the yoke. (The IV would thus fit even better.) Here's a pic of our
installation:

http://makeashorterlink.com/?V3EF424C6

With all of its features, the "paper clutter" in the cockpit is greatly
reduced. Need an airport diagram? It's in the AvMap. (And it's actually
big enough to read.) Need the next frequency? It's in the AvMap. Need
the FBO? It's in the AvMap. Want to know the instrument approaches into
any airport? AvMap's got it.

We still carry sectionals, but over time they've been relegated to "backup"
status.

To say the AvMap changed the way we fly is not exaggerating.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Hans-Christian Prytz]

"Jay Honeck" > writes:

>> Comments, is it as good as it seems?
>

[...]

Thanks for the reponse :-)

>
> Even though it's large, by hand-held standards, the III fits quite nicely in
> the yoke. (The IV would thus fit even better.) Here's a pic of our
> installation:
>
> http://makeashorterlink.com/?V3EF424C6

What did you use to mount it on the yoke? It seems like there is no
factory made yoke mount (at least for the -IV)


>
> With all of its features, the "paper clutter" in the cockpit is greatly
> reduced. Need an airport diagram? It's in the AvMap. (And it's actually
> big enough to read.) Need the next frequency? It's in the AvMap. Need
> the FBO? It's in the AvMap. Want to know the instrument approaches into
> any airport? AvMap's got it.

As i understand it, some of the map data is stored internally to the
unit (like Garmin does) so the unit itself is locked to a region
(Americas,Europe etc.) but you can expand this with CF cards containg
maps and Jeppesen data. Am I correct in that assumption?


[...]

>
> To say the AvMap changed the way we fly is not exaggerating.

Hmm, I currently hace a GPSMap 196, and I must say this looks a _lot_
better, unfortunatley so does the price. Lowest I could find in a quick
search here in Europe ca approx. 1900 EUR :-(
It seems to be much cheaper in the US, but I guess that's with the US
map data, which doesn't do me much good.
Pity.



Hans-Christian

[Paul Tomblin]

In a previous article, "Jay Honeck" > said:
>With all of its features, the "paper clutter" in the cockpit is greatly
>reduced. Need an airport diagram? It's in the AvMap. (And it's actually
>big enough to read.) Need the next frequency? It's in the AvMap. Need
>the FBO? It's in the AvMap. Want to know the instrument approaches into
>any airport? AvMap's got it.

Too bad it doesn't have JeppView type geo-referenced approach plates.


--
Paul Tomblin > http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
Their constitution is unwritten, and is mostly based on common law and
practice. In other words, they do something wrong and it then becomes
the norm. -- Laurie Couturier, on the British legal system

[Jay Masino]

Hans-Christian Prytz > wrote:
> Looks like an improved version of the EKP-IIIc.
> Has anyone tested this (or the IIIc for that matter)?
> Comments, is it as good as it seems?

I had one, used it for a few months, and then sold it. Despite it's
fairly extensive declutter feature, I found the display rather annoying.
The aviation features I wanted to stand out, were too small, and I could
never get a good combination of declutter for flying over mainly rural
areas. I found that airports, navaids and vertical obstructions tended to
get overshadowed by ground features and roads. I found myself really
longing to have my GPSMAP 195 back. So, I put my GPSMAP 195 back, and I
haven't regretted it since. Most of the "information" type of things that
the AvMap gave you for airports (frequencies, airport diagrams,
approaches, etc) have been in my 195 for years. I found that the large
color screen was actually distracting when I was trying to pay attention
to other (more important) aspects of flying. If you're the kind of person
that gets an instant erection every time some glitzy new toy comes out,
then you'll probably love it. If you're more practical about your flying,
then you would probably be satisfied with a Garmin 196 or Lowrance 1000.

--- Jay


--
__!__
Jay and Teresa Masino ___(_)___
http://www2.ari.net/jmasino ! ! !
http://www.oceancityairport.com
http://www.oc-adolfos.com

[Jay Honeck]

> If you're the kind of person
> that gets an instant erection every time some glitzy new toy comes out,
> then you'll probably love it. If you're more practical about your flying,
> then you would probably be satisfied with a Garmin 196 or Lowrance 1000.

Wow, an updated version of the old saw "all we need is a road map and a
compass!" attitude toward flight.

Except now it's "all we need is our little black and white GPS's!"

This sort of thing seems to happen to everyone, I guess -- I catch myself
saying it about computer technology more and more -- but you must realize,
Jay, that this marks your official entry into old age.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Jay Masino]

Jay Honeck > wrote:
> Wow, an updated version of the old saw "all we need is a road map and a
> compass!" attitude toward flight.
> Except now it's "all we need is our little black and white GPS's!"

I don't know. I think that's an over simplification.


> This sort of thing seems to happen to everyone, I guess -- I catch myself
> saying it about computer technology more and more -- but you must realize,
> Jay, that this marks your official entry into old age.

I considered that, but I sit in front of high tech computers, all day long
at work. I've developed a somewhat more practical attitude towards new
technology. If it REALLY helps you do something better, then great.
More often than not, however, it's just a lot of eye candy.

--- Jay


--
__!__
Jay and Teresa Masino ___(_)___
http://www2.ari.net/jmasino ! ! !
http://www.oceancityairport.com
http://www.oc-adolfos.com

[Jay Honeck]

> I considered that, but I sit in front of high tech computers, all day long
> at work. I've developed a somewhat more practical attitude towards new
> technology. If it REALLY helps you do something better, then great.
> More often than not, however, it's just a lot of eye candy.

Nah, it's old age, and there's little you can do to fight it. Personally, I
find myself less and less inclined to leap into new technology, simply
because it's new.

Of course, that's the first step toward calcification. Which is why I'm a
terrific Paradox programmer trapped in an Access world... :-)

However, regarding the AvMap, I still keep my (still semi-functional)
Lowrance Airmap 300 on the right yoke, as a backup. Whenever I need to
verify the fact that AvMap's new technology is superior, all I need to do is
fly copilot for Mary. The Airmap does a lot of the same things, but the
screen is simply too small to display all the data in a format that can be
easily (and quickly) absorbed.

In the case of the AvMap, size (and color) really *does* matter.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Ben Jackson]

In article <_AlCd.20105$wu4.3377@attbi_s52>,
Jay Honeck > wrote:
>
>However, regarding the AvMap, I still keep my (still semi-functional)
>Lowrance Airmap 300 on the right yoke, as a backup.

I hope you have those beefy 1.5" yoke tubes! ;-)

It's a shame that the yoke is really the only place to mount something
in easy view of the pilot. Personally I hate having crap on the yoke.

--
Ben Jackson
>
http://www.ben.com/

[Morgans]

"Jay Masino" > wrote

If you're the kind of person
> that gets an instant erection every time some glitzy new toy comes out,
> then you'll probably love it. If you're more practical about your flying,
> then you would probably be satisfied with a Garmin 196 or Lowrance 1000.
>
> --- Jay
>
>
> --
> __!__
> Jay and Teresa Masino ___(_)___

That is a little bit harsh, isn't it?

Perhaps it comes down to the type of flying you do, and personal preference.
Still, no reason to come down on the ones that like it, with a
characterization like that, IMHO.
--
Jim in NC

[john smith]

I used to mount my Garmin GPS 195 to the yoke. Then I got the suction
cup mount. Now I mount it at eye level off to the side. Much better for
situational awareness and watching for traffic.

> Jay Honeck > wrote:
>>However, regarding the AvMap, I still keep my (still semi-functional)
>>Lowrance Airmap 300 on the right yoke, as a backup.

> Ben Jackson wrote:
> I hope you have those beefy 1.5" yoke tubes! ;-)
> It's a shame that the yoke is really the only place to mount something
> in easy view of the pilot. Personally I hate having crap on the yoke.

[Ken Reed]

> It's a shame that the yoke is really the only place to mount something
> in easy view of the pilot. Personally I hate having crap on the yoke.

My AvMap is mounted on the co-pilot's yoke, angled to the left so it is
easily in my scan.
---
Ken Reed

[Bob Fry]

"Jay Honeck" > writes:

> > If you're the kind of person
> > that gets an instant erection every time some glitzy new toy comes out,
> > then you'll probably love it.
<cut>
> This sort of thing seems to happen to everyone, I guess -- I catch myself
> saying it about computer technology more and more -- but you must realize,
> Jay, that this marks your official entry into old age.

Only if it's not "instant" anymore.
<snicker>

[Jay Honeck]

> It's a shame that the yoke is really the only place to mount something
> in easy view of the pilot. Personally I hate having crap on the yoke.

Yeah, I do, too. (Although the AvMap's screen is big enough to not be hard
to read at yoke-level.)

I've considered removing my old DME (boat anchor) and moving my avionics
master switch over to make room for panel mounting the AvMap. I think it
would be an easy (and very nice) velcro installation.

The new model IV would be especially nice looking on the panel, being
thinner.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"