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Integrated GPS+Vario 2002.
Review by Jérôme Daoust. Created 2002/3/11, revised 2002/5/29.

I’m choosing an integrated GPS+Vario unit for myself, so I made the following table to help highlight the differences (Conclusion).  A United States perspective is taken.  Also check out this discussion and Getting used to an Aircotec / Top Navigator 2002.

 

 

Aircotec (USA) / Top Navigator 2002

Bräuniger / Galileo

Availability

2002/3/22

2002/3/22

Compe-GPS compatible (2002 US PG Nationals)

Yes.

Expected

Check’in compatible

Expected.

Expected

SeeYou compatible

Yes

 

Previous model comments

From a reliable source (not me) :  Low performance GPS (8 channels), battery hungry.

No previous model offering Vario+GPS in a single unit.

On-line discussion

Thread.

Thread.

Documentation

Previous model (Zipped 1.08 MB pdf file).

Draft (138 kB Word document).

Protection (replaceable plastic cover)

Can be done by pilot.

We will do this later this summer.

Picture

 

Screen, Unit.

For more information

Achim Hagemann (E-mail) of Aircotec USA.

Wolf Willershausen (E-mail) of Bräuniger Germany.

Price

1298 $US.  Includes airspeed, clamp, software, bag and all cables.

1298 $US.  Includes pitot type airspeed for HG, PG can connect vane type speed probe, clamp (arm clamp for HG or velcro for PG), software PC-GRAPH 2000 free from our homepage, C-cable, 12 charging cable and AC adapter.

Update policy

Free replacement E-prom that can be installed by the user.

To be confirmed.

Rumor :  100 $US for firmware updates and requires the unit to be sent to Germany by parcel post uninsured. They do not trust Wills Wing to do the update in the US even though they can do repairs.

Explanation of the rumor :  The rumor was based on the update for an IQ-COMPETITION instrument.  This unit has NO flash EPROM and needs for an update a change of the EPROM. As EPROM are soldered it must be done in the factory.  Please understand, that this work must be done here from us as you need special equipment to do the job correct. The update price here in our lab is 40 $US + postage.

Fact :  The pilot himself can do the update.  We will support updates for download from our homepage and the first 4 updates are free.  Later the price will depend of functions, which will be added.  The unit will be delivered complete with connection cable to serial port (COM).  The download works as you are used from a GARMIN GPS.

Position accuracy

5 m (15’), and can use UTM data.

Theoretically 5 m (15’), depending of satellites received (will be displayed).

Switch to next waypoint

Yes (manual or automatic ?)

Manual or automatic.

Battery type

NiMH quick carge without memory effect. Charge by AC/car.

4500 mAh NiMh.  Batteries are quick charge types without memory effect. They can be charged from a wide range AC power outlet or directly from the car or directly by different solar panels.

Battery life

Double the life of previous model.

10 hours with GPS 1sec update rate. With 3 Ah batteries :  20 hours.

Theoretically 32 hours battery live time. Knowing that capacity will decrease if temperatures goes very cold we say : 25 hours for save use, battery time is displayed all time

Mounting

 

All our clamps used at the IQ-series may also be used here.  Brauniger will be making a specially adapted instrument panel/bag.

US Road Maps

No

No

Choice of units :

1) Metric (km/h, m, m/s, °C)

2) Imperial (mph, ft, fpm, °F)

Yes.  All Aircotec instruments have been able to switch from metric to imperial for many years.

Possible through the basic settings of the unit.  Maybe we will add the possibility to set one of the customer available field to height in feet while main field is in meter ( for example ).

GPS channels

12 (8 in previous model).

12

Thermal tracker map

Yes

No

Navigation to the last best lift

Yes.  Special “thermal tracker” map.  2D map shows the shape of the lift area and relative strength.

Yes.  It shows inside the compass circle the direction of the maximum rising during the last minutes.

FAI sector notification

Visual + Audio.

Visual + Audio

Flight information stored

All + temperature (every second).

Longitude, latitude, altitude (pressure + GPS based), true airspeed, speed over the ground, wind direction, event marker.

Flight track logged :  usual flight track for PC-GRAPH 2000 + IGC file with digital signature (no fake possible).

Polar curve definition.

4 pre-defined paraglider polar curves.  Can also be user-defined (3 points).

No pre-established curves, since they are never correct. 2 curves can be stored, self-defined (very easy to set).  Curve definition :  It is the same as at the IQ-COMP. instrument, you enter 2 points : minimum sink + speed, and sink at 2/3 of max speed.

Display size.

64 x 64 mm.

60 x 80 mm.

Display resolution.

128 x 128, full graphic.

320 x 240.

Start cylinder

Yes

Yes

Adjustable volume

2 steps.

Yes

Indicates airspeed for best glide.

Yes.

Yes

Wind speed.

Yes.  2D graph of speed versus orientation.

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Wind direction.

Yes.  2D graph of speed versus orientation.

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Time.

Yes

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Flight duration.

Yes

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Ground speed

Yes

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Air speed

Yes

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Diff speed

Expected

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Height over destination

Yes

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Relative time to destination

Yes

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Absolute time to destination

Yes

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Distance to destination

Yes

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Bearing

Yes

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Track

Yes

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Distance to best climbing

No

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Temperature

Yes

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Cumulated altitude gain

Yes

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Altitude

Yes

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Pressure

Yes

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

L/D ratio (reference to air)

Expected

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Glide ratio (reference to ground)

Expected

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Final glide

 

The Galileo is able to store 100 Waypoints and you can choose one of them by the selecting with the "goto" button. During flight to this selected waypoint the Galileo is simultaneously calculating the data ( distance and height ) to the next 5 nearest waypoints. This is a very important strategic information for the pilot in a competition.

Voltage

Yes

Yes (max of 6 user-selected displays).

Communication

TN to TN.  TN to PC.

Between Galileos (Infra red).  Galileo to PC.

 

Conclusion

 

·       Top Navigator (my favorite).  The thermal map is a good feature.  The unit has been around for a while (debugged).

·       Galileo.  Higher resolution screen than the Top navigator.  Polar curve definition is poor (2 points).