Appareo Stratus for iPad

[sonicyouth]

Anyone looking at getting one? Are there altitude restrictions?

http://www.sportys.com/PilotShop/product/17165

What are the benefits of going with XM Wx (for iPad)??

 

[ttflyer]

Anyone looking at getting one? Are there altitude restrictions?

http://www.sportys.com/PilotShop/product/17165

What are the benefits of going with XM Wx (for iPad)??

I ordered one w/the extra antenna... Ships the end of April (so they stay). We'll see if it works at FL450.... If not, I'll send it back.

As far as XM, I'm still not happy with the current solutions. Many boxes and wires... I'm hoping for something like a puck someday. Of course if the stratus works, the weather is free so... Win-win.

 

[ultrarunner]

That looks like a reasonable solution, especially if you don't fly to or transition the middle part of the country where there is no coverage.

We went with the Barron XM solution. And have had no trouble. Now, we have an externally mounted antenna, which terminates into a former Jepp box where the hardware sits and has electricity, and as you know it talks wirelessly to the iPad. No wires, no fuss. We do look forward to the next update so the Barron box will talk with multiple devices, but that's not really a big deal.

Another plus of the Appareao system and others that use the ADS-B feed is that it will put some pricing pressure on Barron.

 

[Bleeds On]

The only language I can find relating to coverage is "up to 25,000'", although foreflight demonstrated it at FL340 riding in a 737. I plan on getting one as well. If it doesnt reach, I'll throw it in our PC12.

 

[ENCOREPILOT]

ultrarunner...sporty's claims that it covers the entire continental US. Is the ADS-B not in service in the middle states? We are considering it for our Citation, concerned about the quality of images and coverage. Please post if you have first hand experience with this unit.....thanks.

 

[Bleeds On]

ultrarunner...sporty's claims that it covers the entire continental US. Is the ADS-B not in service in the middle states? We are considering it for our Citation, concerned about the quality of images and coverage. Please post if you have first hand experience with this unit.....thanks.

Current coverage interactive map

This isn't pulling up correctly on my computer but maybe it will for you. Currently, portions of central US aren't covered but are supposed to be next year. No one I know has given a report on reliability for flights in the 30's and 40's where coverage is shown.

 

[ultrarunner]

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org...lance_broadcast/coverage/media/coverage01.png

 

[ttflyer]

Well, I had my first operational test and it's a mixed bag IMO... I only flew a few flights with it so your mileage may very.

Good:
GPS was accurate
Two Ipads could connect at once
Lots of weather available (Pireps, Ceilings etc)
Worked at FL430 without extra antenna

Not so good:
Coverage was good at FL430 but spotty in the 20s.
Radar looks OK when you are near it, but outside your general area, you get highly pixelated radar (at lease that was my experience).
It's big and slides around and could be a hazard during takeoff, landing and turbulence if it's on the glairshield.
The big one: It gets hot sitting on the glareshield in cruise flight.

The last one is my major concern. There is a warning label on the bottom about not leaving it in a hot place so the batteries don't overheat. Well, in a nice comfortable cockpit, it got VERY warm sitting in the sun. I don't think the glairshield would be a good spot to have one of these things have a thermal runaway...

When I set it down out of the sun, it still received weather but the GPS was hit or miss.

Just my two cents...

 

[Bleeds On]

Well, I had my first operational test and it's a mixed bag IMO... I only flew a few flights with it so your mileage may very.

Good:
GPS was accurate
Two Ipads could connect at once
Lots of weather available (Pireps, Ceilings etc)
Worked at FL430 without extra antenna

Not so good:
Coverage was good at FL430 but spotty in the 20s.
Radar looks OK when you are near it, but outside your general area, you get highly pixelated radar (at lease that was my experience).
It's big and slides around and could be a hazard during takeoff, landing and turbulence if it's on the glairshield.
The big one: It gets hot sitting on the glareshield in cruise flight.

The last one is my major concern. There is a warning label on the bottom about not leaving it in a hot place so the batteries don't overheat. Well, in a nice comfortable cockpit, it got VERY warm sitting in the sun. I don't think the glairshield would be a good spot to have one of these things have a thermal runaway...

When I set it down out of the sun, it still received weather but the GPS was hit or miss.

Just my two cents...

Nice review. Thanks. My intention is to stash the box in the shade and run the optional antenna up to a window. I wonder if the signal will improve down low as the system expands.