New Generation Vario's

All,


I am seeking contact with anyone who has recent experience with the any of
the latest generation of Vario (Butterfly, LX7, etc etc).


They do seem to full of many features that I will never use (apart from the
noise and the wiggly bit, I really only used a couple of things (wind and
final glide as a backup) on the 302 I was using in the Mozzie) as I find the
Oudie more than adequate for 'Compute' tasks.


Do the new devices add any value in things like gust rejection or wind
accuracy or anything that you find of personal value.


Am looking to possibly replace some older kit in an LS8 I am acquiring.


Regards


Richard

Richard,

I fly with a V7 and still have a 302 as well. The 302 is 99% as good as the V7. Unless you are racing I actually prefer the 302. It has better tones and of course has the logger as well. Why is the V7 1% better? It does have a better gust filter, so a few times a day it filters out false thermal the 302 does not.

If I was not racing I would buy a 302, it is a great value.

On Thursday, May 22, 2014 10:23:18 PM UTC-7, Richard Frawley wrote:
All,





I am seeking contact with anyone who has recent experience with the any of

the latest generation of Vario (Butterfly, LX7, etc etc).





They do seem to full of many features that I will never use (apart from the

noise and the wiggly bit, I really only used a couple of things (wind and

final glide as a backup) on the 302 I was using in the Mozzie) as I find the

Oudie more than adequate for 'Compute' tasks.





Do the new devices add any value in things like gust rejection or wind

accuracy or anything that you find of personal value.





Am looking to possibly replace some older kit in an LS8 I am acquiring.





Regards





Richard

Richard,

I have both the V7 and the Butterfly Vario in my glider. I have approximately 300 hours flying with both. I also compared the V7 to the 302 several years ago and found the V7 was a much superior vario. The 302 showed false thermals approximately 20% of the time.

I also sell both the V7 and the Butterfly.

Richard
www.craggyaero.com

On Thursday, May 22, 2014 10:23:18 PM UTC-7, Richard Frawley wrote:
All,





I am seeking contact with anyone who has recent experience with the any of

the latest generation of Vario (Butterfly, LX7, etc etc).





They do seem to full of many features that I will never use (apart from the

noise and the wiggly bit, I really only used a couple of things (wind and

final glide as a backup) on the 302 I was using in the Mozzie) as I find the

Oudie more than adequate for 'Compute' tasks.





Do the new devices add any value in things like gust rejection or wind

accuracy or anything that you find of personal value.





Am looking to possibly replace some older kit in an LS8 I am acquiring.





Regards





Richard

I have flown the last two seasons with the Butterfly, prior 10+ seasons with 302. I am a lover of technology for its own sake, and always poke around in the feature set. The Butterfly (and PowerFlarm) make a spectacular in-flight entertainment system. Functionally, the Vario seems to be a little quicker than the 302. The useful addition is inertially derived air mass movement which has two consequences: instantaneous wind, and instantaneous netto (by instantaneous I mean 20 times a second). The former gives you a much better picture of thermal structure (including the ability to center based on wind) and much quicker knowledge of shear conditions. Flying in the western mountains this has been enlightening. The latter helps to understand gust behavior, but I am still learning what to do with it.

If you are not a lover of technology for its own sake, and find the rather high price tag...well, rather high, then stick with the 302 - it works fine.. In fact I didn't have much problem flying with the red and green pellet - after all it does 90% of what a modern vario does.

The 302 showed false thermals approximately 20% of the time.

Richard (or anyone); I fly with a common total-energy vario. Please tell us what you mean by a "false thermal". Is this just a short duration signal or something else?
Thank you.

On Friday, May 23, 2014 9:44:19 AM UTC-7, Soartech wrote:
The 302 showed false thermals approximately 20% of the time.



Richard (or anyone); I fly with a common total-energy vario. Please tell us what you mean by a "false thermal". Is this just a short duration signal or something else?

Thank you.

The CAI 302 to me in the relative cruise mode would show lift that I would turn to center and no lift. Probably a gust.

Richard

I agree with Tim Taylor comments. I'm a long time user of the CAI 302.

I've heard some complaints that the software in the 302 was never updated.
Well I've never had a 302 Lock up, change settings all by itself, or switch to bluetooth because the lunar pull.
The 302 worked great form the get go and still does, IMHO

I think Richard from Craggy may have been getting false thermal indications because the TE setting in his CAI 302 was off for his particular glider.
The TE is easily adjustable.
BUT to do this and check it in flight you have to get the 302 to switch to CLIMB mode while cruising; this requires a switch installed, as the 302 automatically switches from Climb mode to cruise mode in straight flight.
You connect a simple switch to a couple of pins and you force the 302 to stay in climb mode, do some high speed zooms in calm air and you can see the TE compensation and then easily adjust it in flight.

Mike Borgelt and others have written quite a bit on what your looking for as far a TE compensation in your instruments and how to check them. This stuff is well worth reading if your not sure exactly how TE works and how it should be interfacing with your vario.


The 302 also has a option of pure electronic TE; you do not need a probe. I used this setting on my Twin Astir and it worked super good.

On Friday, 23 May 2014 09:15:40 UTC-4, Tim Taylor wrote:
Richard,



I fly with a V7 and still have a 302 as well. The 302 is 99% as good as the V7. Unless you are racing I actually prefer the 302. It has better tones and of course has the logger as well. Why is the V7 1% better? It does have a better gust filter, so a few times a day it filters out false thermal the 302 does not.



If I was not racing I would buy a 302, it is a great value.

Thanks Tim, thats good feedback.

Hi,

I was also looking between the Butterfly and the new S80.

Hard to filter thru all the guff, as to what the extra value is in the BF given is a lot more $$$. Any perspective on that.

Seems the extra value in the S80 over the v7 is just the larger screen and AH (which I cant use here legally), is that correct. I understand that they are the same (from a vario perspective) internally.

Richard

On Friday, May 23, 2014 2:38:35 PM UTC-7, Richard Frawley wrote:
Hi,



I was also looking between the Butterfly and the new S80.



Hard to filter thru all the guff, as to what the extra value is in the BF given is a lot more $$$. Any perspective on that.



Seems the extra value in the S80 over the v7 is just the larger screen and AH (which I cant use here legally), is that correct. I understand that they are the same (from a vario perspective) internally.



Richard

It also has inertial sensors and a tasking system

Richard
www.craggyaero.com