LXNAV S80 Pilot Reports?

On Wednesday, 29 July 2015 01:47:03 UTC+2, webbsimax wrote:
Does anyone have any experience with the LX Navigation EOS compared to the S8/80?

EOS seems similar but has IGC approval etc too.

Any thoughts?

The EOS looks like a decent vario but I wouldn't purchase it if I was going to integrate it with XCSoar.

LX Navigation apparently ignore any requests for documentation relating to their serial protocols and even customers receive the silent treatment. The main XCSoar developers have given up trying to support the devices through reverse engineering.
Yes, it's their right to withhold proprietary information but I'd rather support a manufacturer who is more helpful with integrating and interfacing their products with other devices.

LXNav have thus far been VERY helpful with my questions regarding their hardware so that is where I will take my money next year (for an upgrade to the S80).

History is littered with (former) companies that have taken this approach. It's like watching a Trump presidential tilt from the outside. A self-engineered suicide run that although catastrophic, you find you just can't look away!

Thankfully, there are companies like LXNav & Naviter that respond promptly to customer communication, innovate in response to customer suggestion and are more than keen to integrate their products with those of other manufacturers. Love ya work!

CJ

On Tuesday, July 28, 2015 at 4:48:53 PM UTC+2, Dan Marotta wrote:
Sounds like a great system!
thx Dan!

Since you mentioned XCSoar, your map displays airports with a good
turnpoint file.* If you want a list, simply draw a backwards "L" on
the screen (down then left) and you'll get a list of alternates
ordered by distance.

Likewise, with a .sua (special use airspace) file selected in
XCSoar, you'll get airspace warnings.
Yes, this is how i currently use the entire system. It just that I would like to have a backup device in case the mobile phone fails.
The device would be near perfect if it could do the airport and airspace calculations. You could go Cross Country with just the Vario. I currently use a kyobo e-reader and the mobile phone is the backup since it contains a standalone GPS. I also carry a powerbank for the phone and kyobo just in case..

Swiss airspace is very packed, and due to terrain you often have to skim the TMAs / CTRs in order to get somewhere. Without tech that is near impossible, that is why i'd like to see those functions in the vario.

- Folken

tiistai 28. heinäkuuta 2015 20.51.59 UTC+3 kirjoitti:
I have both. Butterfly for two years in an ASH25 and an S80 this summer in a Libelle. Both are better than any equipment I have had previously.

The instant winds on the Butterfly are cool but of little practical value (an exception might be ridge flying).
DLB

I think it has a lot of practical value. Thermals act as a barrier to surrounding wind, and wind is almost always much weaker in the area close to thermals. With instant wind readout it's easy to judge if you are inside this area, as it is usually the first sign of thermal nearby. And vice versa, if you don't see any difference in wind speed, trying to thermal is usually pointless as you are not yet in the best area. Crossing cloudstreets is really eye-opening: 25 km/h headwind in thermals changes to 50 km/h headwind between streets. And sometimes when glider seems not to glide as good as it should, answer is that you flew inside area of much higher headwind. My thinking about variations of wind in normal flatland thermal weather has really transformed based on BF vario. Lots of things to learn still with this instrument.

Tip for users: in expert-menu you can calibrate IAS and wind calculation improves.

krasw, where do you set your ISU% ? at Richard's (Craggy Aero) suggestion I have mine set at 50%. I am not even certain I know what adjusting the ISU percentage actually does. Anyone that has an opinion on that subject pleas jump in here.
I have Butterflies in both seats of my ASH25 and will assign the co pilot the job of mapping thermal probability using instant wind variation, Perhaps you have discovered a secret weapon.
Dale

On Monday, August 3, 2015 at 7:15:06 PM UTC-7, wrote:
krasw, where do you set your ISU% ? at Richard's (Craggy Aero) suggestion I have mine set at 50%. I am not even certain I know what adjusting the ISU percentage actually does. Anyone that has an opinion on that subject pleas jump in here.
I have Butterflies in both seats of my ASH25 and will assign the co pilot the job of mapping thermal probability using instant wind variation, Perhaps you have discovered a secret weapon.
Dale

The percentage inertial mix affects only the Vertical Air Mass needle, not the wind or vario as far as I am aware (that is what Butterfly told me). I have it set to 80% inertial. If it is set to 100% it gets pretty jumpy and hard to interpret. The wind is always 100% inertial (though perhaps with some drift correction using GPS) and the vario seems always to be barometric. The vario and VAM also have separate time constant settings. The difference between the vario and VAM needles gives clues to thermals and horizontal gusts.

On Tuesday, 4 August 2015 05:15:06 UTC+3, wrote:
krasw, where do you set your ISU% ? at Richard's (Craggy Aero) suggestion I have mine set at 50%. I am not even certain I know what adjusting the ISU percentage actually does. Anyone that has an opinion on that subject pleas jump in here.
I have Butterflies in both seats of my ASH25 and will assign the co pilot the job of mapping thermal probability using instant wind variation, Perhaps you have discovered a secret weapon.
Dale

I have used vario/inertial mix between 75-85%. I think you loose a bit of inertial data with 50% mix, though ISU installation "quality" might affect optimum mix. My ISU is in very good place at rear fuselage (yes it was pain to install), it gives sensible readings even at 100% mix.

My vario time constant is slow 3,4 sec and inertial netto time constant fast 1 sec to get instant readout of vertical gusts (helpful when thermalling).. Wind calculation time constant is 5 sec.

Following wind variations during flight really takes time and learning (mainly to start build mental 3D image of the airflow around you). No proper instrument existed before to measure it this fast and reliably.