JeppView
Jeppesen's new CD-ROM delivery system for approach charts, SIDs, STARs, text descriptions, airport diagrams, and Class B charts — called JeppView — is in testing at this writing but was scheduled to be released to the public in October. In the short view, the idea is for pilots to print out a set of approaches and airport diagrams before they leave home, enjoying the advantage of larger-format charts that are easier to read. Obvious questions come up. What will you do for charts if you decide not to go to the original destination? What if weather or mechanical problems force the pilot to land somewhere else? What if plans change once the outbound leg is complete and charts for the new destinations are needed? Jeppesen is aware of such concerns and suggests that pilots carry a paper backup for just such contingencies.
Jeppesen, however, is looking at the longer view. JeppView is just the beginning of an exciting new line of products aimed at creating a paperless cockpit. For example, Jeppesen is working with several makers of touch-screen computers and expects to offer one for cockpit use in a year. Pilots will call up the chart electronically while in flight, or can print out a trip kit before leaving home. In addition, Jeppesen is talking with several avionics manufacturers about a dedicated screen in the cockpit that automatically displays the charts you need, appropriate to the aircraft's position. Such a product could be offered in 2 or 3 years, says product manager Ronald T. Bauer.
Until those more exotic products are available, there is JeppView, which comes with a $329 software package to recall and print charts individually or for an entire trip. After the initial purchase of the software, users can subscribe to updates in much the way paper subscriptions are handled. They can purchase subscriptions for specific areas or the entire country; these will have costs comparable to paper subscriptions. What can JeppView do? Rather than sorting out the charts before leaving home, users can plot their destinations on a computerized map. Picking an alternate is simplified; find out where the better weather is and pick an airport from that area of the map. Double-clicking on the airport will produce the types of approaches offered at each airport, which appear in a list.
The software is simple to use. It runs on PCs using Windows 3.1 or Windows 95. The minimum system requirements are close to top of the line: a 486 machine with 8 MB of RAM, a CD-ROM drive, 20 MB of available hard disk space, and a 300-dpi laser printer. The recommended system, however, is a Pentium computer with 16 MB of RAM, an SVGA monitor, a quad-speed CD-ROM drive, and a 600-dpi color printer.
The map may be set up beforehand by limiting the display to only those airports with precision approaches, for example, and to only those airports within a certain distance of the route.
When the choices are completed, print out the desired approaches in two steps. The test version seen by the AOPA Pilot staff prints charts in 8.5 2 11-inch format, a size pleasing to bifocal wearers. However, the final version may also include the capability to print charts in the smaller size now used by Jeppesen. For the test, nearly 20 charts were printed without a hitch, and they were readable to the smallest detail. There was one little error noted, which serves as a caution about the entire computer revolution: Data must be entered correctly. A line above the approach chart for Avalon, California, noted that the chart was last revised in 1937, although the chart itself indicated a more recent date. Garbage in, garbage out, the saying goes.
That was one of the minor bugs seen in the test version, which will be corrected in the final product. One can begin to see a vision of the future in JeppView, a vision that continues the revolution started by GPS, which simplified navigation to following a line drawn on a moving electronic map. For more information, write to Jeppesen, 55 Inverness Drive East, Englewood, Colorado 80112-5498, or telephone 303/799-9090 or 800/621-JEPP. — Alton K. Marsh
British debut new GPS receiver
The British are coming to the GPS market with the Skymap II and the Tracker II from Skyforce Avionics.
The Skyforce products can be used as handheld, yoke-mount, or panel-mount units. The Tracker II is the same as the Skymap, except that the Tracker contains no GPS receiver. It is designed to be used with an existing GPS receiver.
We had the opportunity to make a few flights with a Skymap prototype and were impressed by the intuitiveness of the operating system. The unit measures 6.2 x 4.5 x 1.4 inches; at 5 inches diagonal, the LCD screen is the largest of any handheld receiver in the aviation market.
Most unusual about the box is a small joystick used to move a cursor around the display. Position the cursor over a waypoint from the Jeppesen database and hit one of the five "softkeys" along the side of the screen to display detailed information on the waypoint.
List price is $1,699 for the Skymap II and $929 for the Tracker II. For more information, contact Skyforce at 229 Stokes Airport Road, Front Royal, Virginia 22630; telephone 540/622-6222, fax 540/636-8130. — Thomas B. Haines
II Morrow updates 360 and Precedus
II Morrow has been at work updating two of its more popular products, the Apollo 360 Map and the handheld Precedus.
The panel-mount 360 Map has a new high-contrast black-and-white LCD that is backlit for better readability. The 360 Map can be tied into an existing GPS or loran unit or can be outfitted with its own optional internal GPS receiver; it fits in a standard 3-inch instrument hole. Some Precedus features have been worked into the 360, including the option to customize navigation screens. Price for the upgrade had not been set at press time.
II Morrow has also updated the popular Precedus handheld GPS with a new software version (6.0) and a memory upgrade. The new 4-megabyte memory includes a customizable database of highways and cities, plus enhanced panning and zoom capabilities. Price for the upgrade is $250. For information, write to II Morrow, 2345 Turner Road SE, Salem, Oregon 97302; telephone 800/525-6726. — Peter A. Bedell
Briefly Noted
LoPresti Speed Merchants of Vero Beach, Florida, has received FAA certification for its new Zip Tip wing tips for Piper PA-28, PA-32, and PA-34 aircraft with the "Hershey-bar" wing. By reducing the induced drag and integrating the navigation and strobe light under a transparent lens at the front of the tip, the Zip Tips are claimed to increase cruise speed by 2 to 4 mph. Zip Tips also house built-in 35-watt recognition lights. For PA-28s and -34s, Zip Tips cost $1,495. For PA-32s the cost is $1,895. For more information, call 800/859-4757. — PAB
Finding transportation at away-from-home airports can be a real bear, and the possibility of bringing your own wheels is usually complicated by a lack of baggage space. The Di Blasi Folding Motorbike is intended to fit into 5 cubic feet of baggage space; it weighs 68 pounds. Powered by a two-stroke single-cylinder engine, the Di Blasi is said to get 100 miles' travel from the 3/4-gallon fuel tank. Top speed is listed at 30 mph. Fitted with suspension front and rear, as well as all lighting to make it street legal, the Di Blasi sells for less than $1,500 by mail order. For more information, contact Di Blasi of North America, 705A Curtiss Hill Road, Chehalis, Washington 98532; telephone 800/342-2214 or 360/245-3274, fax 360/245-3353. — Marc E. Cook
Unless otherwise stated, products listed herein have not been evaluated by AOPA Pilot editors. AOPA assumes no responsibility for products or services listed or for claims or actions by manufacturers or vendors. However, members unable to get satisfaction regarding products listed should advise AOPA. To submit products for evaluation, contact: New Products Editor, AOPA Pilot, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701; telephone 301/695-2350.
