Recreational Flying GPS

[Admin]

After some very serious negotiations the new Recreational Flying GPS has been shipped and on its way for us to commence testing.

 

I have negotiated a range of specialised features, enhancements and quality improvments to a branded GPS unit that I believe will be a great asset to any recreational aviator BUT at a real low discounted price.

 

I have also discussed an arrangement with MapTrax to provide the mapping software so instead of Jepessen maps that are found on almost all other GPS units, the maps you will have will be the Australian WAC Charts displayed on the full 5" screen of the Recreational Flying GPS unit.

 

The units will come in different versions for you to choose from:

 

A full 5" screen GPS unit

 

A full 5" screen GPS unit WITH Audio and Video recording ability so, with a suitable camera, you can record your flights, take it home and upload to you PC...even add music and uplaod to this site for eveyone to see

 

A Full 7" screen GPS unit

 

A full 7" screen GPS unit WITH Audio and Video recording ability so, with a suitable camera, you can record your flights, take it home and upload to you PC...even add music and uplaod to this site for eveyone to see

 

The features that the Recreational Flying GPS units will have at this stage are:

 

• LCD Screen: 5 or 7 inch high resolution TFT touched screen with 800*480 pixels
   
   
  
• CPU: YF 82F SIRF ATLAS V
   
   
  
• O/S: Windows CE6.0
   
   
  
• DDR: 128M
   
   
  
• Memory: 4G /2G memory inside;TF CARD(2G,4G,8G,16G)
   
   
  
• Channels: Satelite 24 channels
   
   
  
• Locates: Within 10M with speed 0.1m/s
   
   
  
• Maps: Australian WAC Charts for aviation and Australian Road maps for in-car use
   
   
  
• Function: GPS Navigation/Games/MP3/MP4/E-book/Photo view
   
   
  
• Language: English
   
   
  
• Antenna: Built-in GPS antenna
   
   
  
• Battery: Built-in rechargeable li-n battery
   
   
  
• Accessories: Included Car recharger/Car Adapter/Car holder/Car mount/USB line/earphone/Manual/Touch pen
   
   
  
• Supports: FM, Bluetooth(optional), AV(optional), WMA9/MP3/WAV music
   
   
  

 

 

The units will also have the Recreational Flying 12 months clean swap full warranty.

 

Subject to our testing and any further feature enhancement requests we make to suit our functional and quality standard, I believe they will be priced at $299 for the 5" version and $399 for the 7" version. Testing should now take about 2 weeks (if we can get some decent sunlight here in Victoria) and if all is ok and no further enhancements are needed we should have stock in about 4 weeks after that.

 

Here are some pictures:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[winsor68]

Great!

 

 

[Admin]

This is just the start of many more "Recreational Flying" branded products that we are getting and like our extremely popular Recreational Flying Headsets, everything has to be built to our specifications and standards and are then extensively tested before our name goes on them...but they are all unique because they are our specs.

 

in a few weeks I will start spec'ing out a new 'Recreational Flying" Electronic Flight Bag but with this I will need to get your inputs first before I go out searching for a manufacturer who will build it to our specs...like with a tablet sized unit would you want it to have mobile phone capabilities for data to instantly update weather etc, what size, 7" or 9", Android/Windows etc Plus, as you know anything that is on the Wicks web site http://www.wicksaircraft.com/ you can get through Recreational Flying and it all helps to pay the bills and enhancements of this site

 

 

[winsor68]

What exactly is an "electronic flight bag"?

 

 

[Admin]

What exactly is an "electronic flight bag"?

Have a look at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_flight_bag

 

It is like an Ipad that has all your flying information on it like ERSA, Flight Plan, Flight Planning tools, Calculators, Fuel Calaculator, Charts, Aircraft Manual...anything that you would like to upload on to it and as I said it could even come with mobile phone capabilities for either connecting into your aircraft audio system or just as a data connection for updating weather, accessing the internet for information etc all on a tablet PC...a bigger and more powerful version of your mobile phone...but, we would together as users on the site have to spec it as default out of the box with what you want and at a price that is really affordable by nearly everyone...that is down the track soon

 

 

[denmit]

I would like the option of an external antenna to mount up on the glare shield to get the best view of the sky, but with those features and at that price point, you will sell truck loads Ian - including one to me.

 

 

[Admin]

Thanks Denmit for the suggestion...will make sure I can include that as an optional extra for those that want one...should be easy to get

 

 

[blueshed]

Hi Ian

 

Looks Great, could this EFB also include the feature's of the above GPS and have AIP's/Dap's/ ERC's with update system etc. USB port or spot for normal sim out of my telstra modem so it can update as you suggest. Will it be approved so we don't have to carry all the usual charlie rap?

 

Will the GPS have waypoints as well as wac's/VTC/VNC etc

 

Cheers Guy

 

 

[rdarby]

What type of maps would be used? What I mean is, who do we subscribe to to get maps?

 

 

[Admin]

The maps which are the Australian WACs and VNCs are from MapTrax who support this site and we thank them for that...so I will be making sure that all MapTrax details are included in the package and you can always contact them as well as Neil (MapTrax) lives in basically a suburb away from me

 

 

[Allegro2000]

Ian,

 

Well done you can put me down for a 5" unit now.

 

Allegro 2000

 

 

[Admin]

Regarding the maps I am also exploring other opportunities that may have even more functionality like enhanced flight planning software for the PC that you can use with the units

 

 

[Admin]

Here is a picture of it as it comes:

 

 

 

[Admin]

Have found a couple of things that I am not happy with in these units so I have changed the specs a little. Spoke to the hardware manufacturer yesterday about this so they will build another one to the changed specs and send it to me in the next couple of days.

 

The current unit I have will be taken to an electronics person today for him to open it up and check the quality of what is inside...remember we want these units to be a high quality compared to what else there is on the market and with specs to suit at a real affordable price. These units will have unique specifications and quality to have the Recreational Flying name on them.

 

Last night I had the unit running and it had no problems whatsoever in picking up the satellites...and that was inside my house which has a corrugated iron roof as well.

 

 

[Allegro2000]

Ian,

 

I currently use Airnav for flight planning, if this could be loaded on then this would make the GPS a gem.

 

Allegro 2000

 

 

[Admin]

Ian,I currently use Airnav for flight planning, if this could be loaded on then this would make the GPS a gem.

 

Allegro 2000

That's who I am talking to as I am already a reseller for them :big_grin:

 

 

[Allegro2000]

Ian,

 

If it can fit Ozrunways onboard then it will include ERSA which now makes this the best thing since sliced bread.

 

Allegro 2000

 

 

[Admin]

Ozrunways is only for Apple and Android whereas the Recreational Flying GPS uses Windows CE...the Recreational Flying EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) is using Android v2.2 and it has a GPS built in and an external GPS Antenna to the 10.2" screen but more on that soon.

 

Recreational Flying will have:

 

5" GPS

 

7" GPS

 

10.2" EFB

 

but we need to make sure the hardware is spec'd right and high quality for low cost and then the software to suit the hardware and the user's needs

 

 

[.Evan.]

Looks great Ian. The Android EFB sounds very exciting to me!!!! *waits with baited breath*

 

Wait a minute - I need to do my cross country endorsement before I have a real need for an EFB... Count me in for one when I finally pass that!

 

 

[Mazda]

What about updates on AIRAC dates? Will chart updates be downloadable and what is the expected cost for this?

 

 

[Skykroozer]

When you get the updated GPS I would like to see some screen shots, particularly the screen with all the basic info, font size etc, and could the screen be customised? I was looking at the aera 500 but I will wait for this one at half the price. It would be great though if Oziexplorer maps could be loaded, but understand the idea is to keep the cost down. Great work.

 

 

[Admin]

The way it is looking so far and talking to the manufacturer yesterday there are some more options coming up...various models including the Windows CE one for Oziexplorer - MapTrax - AirNav and an Android one with 3G, camera, web browsing etc...The software options will come like having AirServices licence for ERSA and charts as soon as I get the hardware and operating system right...I am going as fast as I can.

 

Also yesterday sourced and now waiting for a sample of a screen protector to suit the size of the units...as I said these units are getting done properly and will have everything you need

 

 

[mlpinaus]

Answer to a prayer..... get rid of the paper clutter to the rear cavern. The screen covers are a good idea, likewise Android and Maptrax..... Some sort of indicative map pricing would be good... put me down for a 7 inch display one.:big_grin:

 

regards

 

Marcus

 

 

[Admin]

You have to remember, and the reason why I am focusing on hardware first, is that there have been a lot of advances recently in putting a complete image on a device, and flashing the rom to the operating system of your choice between Windows CE or Andoid, so you can put whatever software you prefer on them (other then apple off course)...so if you want Maptrax then you just upload the apps that you need, or if you want AirNav, again the same thing...I want to offer the best hardware units and then give you the choice of image options (the software etc) that you want on it...which apps etc...remember there are new apps, maps, etc coming out all the time and what is popular today may be old news and technology tomorrow so why should you be hampered by just having what you initially purchased for the next 5 years etc...MapTraps may be good today but tomorrow a new mapping and ERSA software comes out...this is why I am spending the time getting the hardware spec'd right for you to have many options available to suit your needs...even a Jeppesen image for example for those that prefer those maps...does this all make sense?

 

 

[fly_tornado]

Having used my android tablet for a while, the only major issues I have had is brightness and glare with the screen.