EAA Sport Aviation - April 2011

1PXFS'MJUF¥;4UBSUFS;
Approved on many TCM models els
t;;;;;MFTT;DVSSFOU;ESBX
t;-POH;MJGF;CSVTIFT
t;/FX;öFME;XPVOE;FMFDUSJD;
NPUPS;EFTJHO;XJUI;OP;
QFSNBOFOU;NBHOFUT
t;#BMM;CFBSJOH;EFTJHO;XJUI;MPX;
JOUFSOBM;GSJDUJPO;BOE;IFBU
t;/P;JOUFSOBM;DMVUDIFT;PS;
QMBOFUBSZ;HFBST
See us at
Sun ‘n Fun
Booth #C 081

ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT BREAKERS

A major benefit of the Dynon’s SkyView is its extensibility. Using industry standard interface protocols wherever possible, it can integrate with external third party devices like the GNS 430 (via ARINC-429) and traffic awareness systems, and display information from these devices on a SkyView Display. On March 1, Dynon announced that SkyView will support the VP-X Pro and VP-X Sport electronic circuit breaker systems from Vertical Power with software that displays and controls the VP-X directly within integrated SkyView software.

VP-X is an innovative system that lets pilots monitor and control their electrical system. At its core is a box that contains electronic circuit breakers that can be customized for each circuit. Pilots specify the current limit for each circuit and wire the box directly to all electrical devices in the aircraft, including avionics, motors, pumps, and lights. But the real power comes from customizing parameters for notification and control of each circuit.

For example, I just completed my multiengine seaplane rating in a Grumman Widgeon with a flap operating speed of 104 mph and a clean stall speed of 98 mph. That’s an extremely narrow operating range in which to operate the flaps before falling out of the sky. With the VP-X system, a pilot can configure the flap circuit with overspeed warnings or to inhibit flap extension commands when above flap extension speed.

For lights, you can program the system to notify you when a light has failed or to blink the landing light above a specified airspeed to make yourself more visible in the air to other aircraft. You could also set up VP-X to disable the starter motor while the engine is running.

Clearly, innovation is alive and well in general aviation. Builders and fliers of experimental and light-sport aircraft will increasingly be the first to benefit. In the meantime, those of us who own and fly certificated aircraft can only dream of these kinds of capabilities.