Magellan Systems' SkyStar Plus
Magellan Systems has upgraded its SkyStar handheld GPS receiver with some smart new capabilities, most notable of which are the ability to display man-made obstructions and the addition of information from AOPA's Airport Directory. Magellan has also trimmed the list price of the so-called SkyStar Plus to $649, perhaps to remain competitive with Garmin's GPS III Pilot.
Magellan has packed quite a punch into a relatively small package with the SkyStar Plus. Unlike its competitors, the SkyStar does not depict roads, lakes, or other cartographic features on its 2.75-inch diagonal screen. SkyStar keeps it simple by giving a pilot the meat-and-potatoes information without bogging down the processor with a bunch of background information. Although cartography features are nice, the software and battery power required to run them drive up the cost.
The svelte Magellan offers some clever features not found in the competition or even in units costing twice as much. Weight and balance calculations, which can be customized for as many as five aircraft, can be entered in a snap. Likewise, five 10-item checklists can be customized and entered into the SkyStar's memory. The SkyStar can also perform fuel calculations and the usual E6B functions found in many other handheld GPSs.
"Plus" denotes the addition of National Ocean Service's vertical obstruction information, which pinpoints such hazards as towers, buildings, power lines, and other man-made barriers that may poke into your flight path. A chevron-like icon denotes these obstructions right on the map screen. Next to the icon will be the altitude of the obstruction in feet msl. Want to know more information? Punch the Near key and request the nearest obstructions. SkyStar answers with a list of those obtstructions and the bearing and distance to them, as well as their heights in both msl and agl. Although obstruction information can be found in the databases of some other handhelds, the SkyStar Plus is the only unit to offer airport, FBO, and other travel information normally found only in AOPA's Airport Directory.
AOPA data in the SkyStar Plus can be accessed by pressing Menu while viewing any Airport screen that has the standard Jeppessen data. A pop-up menu appears, showing what AOPA data is available, including FBOs, hotels, rental cars, restaurants, and other amenities. Let's say en route weather forces you to land a few hours short of your destination. You can call up the AOPA data to choose an airport that has a restaurant on the field or within walking distance. If no restaurant is nearby, you can check the FBO listing to see which facility has a courtesy car or rental car available. Weather not clearing out as you expected? Call up the Hotel database and SkyStar Plus will list phone numbers of nearby hotels to allow for comparison shopping. Both the AOPA directory information and the obstruction information are available in the North American database only. Current owners of standard SkyStars can upgrade their units for $150 through the end of June.
New additions aside, the SkyStar is far more adaptable to a "permanent" yoke mount than are other portable units. In the cockpit of a Piper Arrow, the clever yoke mount worked very well, offering a clear view of the panel and allowing unobstructed yoke movements. Other units' sheer bulk can cause a real problem in more cramped cockpits - something to keep in mind when purchasing any portable GPS.
Display options abound with the SkyStar. Five nav pages and three map pages with customizable fields allow the user to tailor each screen to best suit individual navigation needs. Those with subpar vision can opt for the Position screen. With its large digits and basic position information (bearing, track, and distance), the position page will keep you guided in the right direction with no superfluous information. For the more eagle-eyed user, the SkyStar's other nav screens provide more and more information, albeit with smaller and smaller characters. An HSI screen is also available.
Map presentation is good, with scales ranging from 1/4 mile to 120 miles. Screen redraw is slow when pulling up the larger scales, especially in cluttered areas. For those of you who like to see the map in a north-up orientation, the airplane depicting your current position points only four directions: north, east, south, or west. On a northeasterly heading, for example, it will point either north or east. If this is an annoyance, the map can be oriented track up.
Driving the Magellan is a GPS receiver that can track up to 12 satellites at one time. Acquisition of satellites can be slow at times, even if the SkyStar hasn't been moved a great distance. A simulator mode is also installed, so the new user can get accustomed to the unit in some place other than the cockpit.
With all of the features, new and old, that the SkyStar now offers, Magellan hopes to give the general aviation pilot a clever device that covers all segments of a trip from preflight to postflight. From performing weight and balance calculations before flight to finding a rental car company at the destination, the SkyStar is ready to deliver.
For more information, contact Magellan Systems, Aviation Products Division, 960 Overland Court, San Dimas, California 91773; telephone 909/394-5000; fax 909/394-7050; or by e-mail ( [email protected]). - Peter A. Bedell
American Aeronautics weight and balance plotter
American Aeronautics, of Rockford, Illinois, offers a quick and easy weight and balance calculation system for pilots of general aviation airplanes up through airliners.
We had one created for AOPA's 1997 sweepstakes aircraft, the Ultimate Arrow. Using a laminated center-of-gravity (CG) plotter and a specially designed plotting tool, we were able to zap through weight and balance calculations in minutes. With an erasable grease pencil and a little water, the graph could be wiped clean and reused over and over.
Simply supply American Aeronautics with your airplane's basic information, empty weight, and CG location, and it will create the required tool and graph. This product would be especially handy for Part 135 charter operators who are required to perform a weight and balance for every flight. For more information, contact American Aeronautics at 6107 Forest Hills Road, Rockford, Illinois 61114; telephone 800/359-4624. - PAB
Briefly Noted
General Aviation Modifications Inc., of Ada, Oklahoma, announced that it has received an STC for installation of its GAMIjector and turboGAMIjector balanced fuel injectors in most Continental (TS)IO-360 series engines. GAMIjectors are calibrated injectors that balance fuel/air ratios among cylinders, taking into consideration the design of the Continental's induction system. GAMI claims a fuel savings of three-quarters of a gallon per hour at typical rich-of-peak-EGT power settings. GAMI says that it is possible to run the (TS)IO-360 smoothly on the lean side of peak EGT, allowing for greater fuel savings. GAMI had previously certified its GAMIjectors for big-bore Continentals in May 1996 (see " Balance of Power," October 1996 Pilot) and claims to have sold more than 3,000 kits to owners of those engines. Cost of the GAMIjectors is $749, while the turboGAMIjectors list for $899. For more information, contact GAMI at 888/359-4264 or 580/436-4833; or on the Web ( www.gami.com). - PAB
Sporty's Pilot Shop is now offering the G-Meter, a self-contained gravity load indicator that adheres to the instrument panel. The gauge measures four inches X seven-eighths of an inch. Readings range from minus 4 to plus 8 Gs and are accurate to 0.1 G. Load limits for your airplane can be marked directly on the gauge. The G-Meter only measures G forces as they occur; there is no logging ability. The G-Meter retails for $90 and can be ordered by calling 800/SPORTYS or 513/735-9000. - PAB
For Piper PA-24, -30, and -39 Comanches and Twin Comanches, as well as some models of the Beech Bonanza, Knots 2U has introduced a new flap/gear warning system that provides an aural and visual warning if the flaps are deployed before the gear is down. The system is intended to give pilots more warning than the factory-installed throttle warning switches. The kit for Comanches with electric flaps lists for $169, while Comanches equipped with manual flaps can be outfitted for $199. For Bonanzas the system ranges from $325 to $365. For more information, call 414/763-6152. - PAB
With the new FAR Part 61 instrument currency requirements, pilots are taking renewed interest in holding patterns since holding procedures are now required to remain current for IFR flight. As a result of this rulemaking, Aviation Supplies and Academics, of Newcastle, Washington, is marketing its Holding Pattern Computer, a whiz wheel-type computer that graphically depicts how a holding pattern should be entered, given almost any clearance. The Holding Pattern Computer is available for $9.95 by calling 800/ASA-2FLY (272-2359). - PAB
MD Systems, Inc., has received a patent for an isometric hand-grip exercise device designed for lowering resting blood pressure. It will be sold to doctors and available to patients by prescription. Approval for the $720 device by the Food and Drug Administration is expected in mid-1998, following the completion of a clinical study this spring. In the meantime, MD has created a similar computerized hand-squeeze device, the IBX-H121. Intended for fitness training, it is available to the public, without prescription, for $499. For information, call 888/429-4747 or 614/818-3000, or write MD Systems, Inc., 975 Eastwind Drive, Suite 180, Westerville, Ohio 43081; or visit the Web site ( www.mdsystems.com). - Alton K. Marsh
Jeppesen announced that its FliteStar flight planning software will now support JeppView, the CD-ROM-based chart service. JeppView contains all approach plates, SIDS, STARS, and airport diagrams for the United States and Canada and eventually the world. Pilots can view and print only the charts needed for any flight. An updated CD-ROM is sent every 14 days, eliminating the need for constant airway manual revisions. Jeppesen soon hopes to support in-cockpit moving-map capability with actual routes laid over IFR charts. For more information, contact Jeppesen at 800/621-5377 or 303/799-9090 - PAB
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. Links to all Web sites referenced in this issue can be found on AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/pilot/links.shtml).
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