Difference between revisions of "Aspen EFD1000"

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(Quick fix release)
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== Release notes ==
== Release notes ==
=== V100 (Waiting for release) ===
=== V100 ===
* Initial release
* Initial release



Revision as of 07:17, 2 May 2018

Buttons and features overview

General description

The Aspen EFD1000 panel consist of three instruments, the primary flight display (PFD), the navigation display (ND) and the bezel. Together they form the EFD1000 in it's original aspect ratio (400x760 px). You can scale the panel as a whole to make it fit in your instrument panel, usually replacing the attitude indicator and gyro compass or HSI. The original panel size is 503x1007 px, representing the instrument screen in it's real pixel size. The instruments in the panel were made in twice the size, assuring the image quality stays to an optimum.

Primary Flight Display

The primary flight display consists of four parts: airspeed, attitude, altitude and data bar.

Airspeed

The airspeed becomes visible at 20 knots up to a maximum of 450 knots. The airspeed tape has 4 different color markings, which can be set manually if you select the EFD1000 PFD in the panels list. The following settings can be made:

  • White lower: Vso, stall Speed with landing configuration, that is flaps out and landing gear down.
  • White upper: Vfe, known as Maximum Flap Extended Speed. This is the speed in which you can fly with flaps extended.
  • Green lower: Vs, stall speed with a “clean” aircraft configuration.
  • Yellow lower: This is the Vno upper limit, this where the part between Vno and Vne begins. Normally it is only allowed to fly in this part when being in smooth air.
  • Red lower: Vne, this is the 'Never Exceed Speed'.

The indicated airspeed turns red when exceeding Vne. On top of the airspeed tape is the IAS indicator value. This IAS value can be set with the left Mode/Sync button and is also represented by a bug along the airspeed tape. The IAS is for pilot reference only, and can be used to help you keeping your desired speed.

Attitude

The attitude indicator holds more than just the attitude, it contains:

  • Roll indicator: Indicates roll/bank with marks at 0, 10, 20, 30, 45 and 60 degrees roll.
  • Slip indicator: Indicates side slip, one rectangle indicating the equivalent of a full ball deflection.
  • Attitude indicator: Roll and pitch with red chevrons at 15º and more nose up, and 10º and more nose down.
  • Flight director: Magenta colored flight director.
  • Navigation source indicator: Indicates to which source the HSI is connected, either Nav1 or GPS1.
  • CDI: Green triangle indicating course deflection in dots, turns hollow when deflection is greater than 2 dots. Becomes visible when there is a valid signal.
  • GSI: Green triangle indicating glide slope deflection in dots, turns hollow when deflection is greater than 2 dots. Becomes visible when there is a valid signal.
  • Minimums setting and warning: Shows the minimums altitude set and a minimums warning when descending below set minimums altitude. Minimums altitude can be set between 0 and 15.000 feet with 10 feet increments.

When the bus voltage drops below the minimum value, a battery warning indicator will be shown and the device will start to run on it's internal battery. The battery lasts for approximately 30 minutes, after this the device will turn off. Set your aircraft default bus voltage in the user properties, either 14 or 28 volt.

Altitude

Minimums and trend vector

The altitude tape shows the altitude from -500 feet up till 40.000 feet, and a couple things more:

  • Minimums indicators: Green triangle indicating 500 feet above minimums setting, yellow hollow triangle indicating between 100 and 200 feet above minimums, red and yellow triangle indicating set minimums altitude. Descending below set minimums altitude triggers a one second tone.
  • Altitude bug: Indicates the altitude set on the autopilot. A tone sounds and the alerter settings window turns yellow 200 feet before reaching the set altitude, the yellow warning extinguishes after 15 seconds. The alerter becomes active when deviating more than 200 feet from your set altitude.
  • Trend vector: This is the magenta bar along the altitude tape, showing the expected altitude within the next 6 seconds.

The window on top of the altitude tape shows your altitude alerter setting. In this instrument the alerter value is connected to your autopilot altitude setting, and can be set with the right Mode/Sync dial.

Data bar

  • TAS: True airspeed in knots, visible above 20 knots.
  • GS: GPS ground speed in knots.
  • OAT: Outside air temperature, either in Celsius or Fahrenheit. Can be set in the PFD user properties.
  • Wind speed and angle: The speed and angle of the wind on the aircraft. Becomes visible when the wind speed is higher than 10 knots and the aircraft is in the air.
  • Barometric pressure setting: Either in Pascal (mB) or Inches Hg (in). Can be set in the PFD user properties. The barometric pressure setting can be adjusted with the right Mode/Sync dial.

Navigation Display

CDI navigation information

On the left top corner of the instrument you will find the 'Selected CDI Navigation Source Information Block'. This displays the available data from either Nav1 or GPS1. For Nav1 either the frequency or if available the name of the source is displayed. Below this, if there is a valid signal, the bearing, and if there is a DME signal as well there is the (DME) distance to the station and below that the time in minutes to reach the station.

Center top

From left to right: Set course for the HSI (CRS), the magnetic direction in degrees, autopilot heading bug setting (HDG). Below this there is a rate of turn indicator, with a range of 0 to 6 degrees per second. The inner white tick represents a half standard rate turn, the outer white tick represents a standard rate turn. When exceeding 6 degrees per second a white triangle is displayed.

Navigation display

Either in 360 or ARC mode. Press the button on the right side of 360 or ARC to switch between the two. Holds a CDI, connected to either Nav1 or GPS1. The green arrow represents the OBS course setting, and will show a deviation bar when there is a valid signal. The deviation bar turns hollow when the deviation becomes more than 2 dots. A to / from indicator is present as well, either on the needle or besides the CDI indicator in ARC mode. The aircraft in the center can be either a fixed wing or helicopter, this can be set as a user property when selecting the ND in the panels tab. Along the compass runs a bug indicating the autopilot heading, and a blue diamond indicating the GPS ground track.

Vertical speed indicator

The vertical speed is indicated as a number with 20 feet increments below +/- 1000 feet per minute, and 100 feet increments above +/- feet per minute. Vertical speed is displayed up to +/- 10.000 feet per minute. In 360 mode the vertical speed is displayed on a graph bar as well. The text and graph bar become visible above +/- feet per minute.

Hot key labels

To the right of the instrument there are 5 labels, corresponding to the 5 'hot keys' on the bezel.

  • Empty label, will be implemented in a later version.
  • Min: Turn on and off Minimums alerter.
  • 360/ARC: Switch between 360 and ARC mode, the displayed label indicates the current mode.
  • GPSS: Not available.
  • Baro: Pressing this will make the Mode/Sync dial adjust the barometric pressure setting.

Source bar

The 5 source bar labels

The bottom source bar shows 5 different labels from left to right. We will number then 1 to 5 explaining all their different features.

1. Press the left Mode/Sync dial-button to cycle through the options. The option will stay highlighted magenta for 10 seconds, indicating it is active. After 10 seconds of no input it turns back to it's default state, being CRS.

  • CRS: Either cyan or magenta colored. When colored cyan the CRS mode is inactive, when pressing the dial-button or rotating the dial the CRS label turns magenta and the OBS course for the HSI can be set by turning the dial. The course value above the HSI will also turn magenta to indicate it is active. Pressing and holding the Mode/Sync dial-button will trigger the synchronization. With a normal VOR or GPS it will set the bearing to the station or waypoint, when on an ILS/Localizer it will synchronize the course pointer with your current magnetic heading.
  • IAS: Colored magenta when selected, the bug along the airspeed tape and the IAS text will color magenta as well. Turning the dial will move the IAS bug along the airspeed tape. Pressing and holding the Mode/Sync dial-button will sync the IAS speed with your current airspeed.

2. Pressing the left source button will let you cycle through the RMI sources, the single line bearing pointer will show up, pointing in the direction of your selected source. When cycled passed all sources the bearing pointer will hide. When there is no signal from the selected station, the bearing pointer 'parks' in a 90 degrees direction.

3. Pressing the middle source button let's you cycle between the different HSI sources. For now this is Nav1 and GPS1. In FSX and Prepar3D this is sometimes locked by the GPS and the only option to let you cycle between these two is by pressing the button on the GPS in the sim. A red slash through the source indicates there is no valid signal from the source.

4. Pressing the right source button will let you cycle through the RMI sources, the double line bearing pointer will show up, pointing in the direction of your selected source. When cycled passed all sources the bearing pointer will hide. When there is no signal from the selected station, the bearing pointer 'parks' in a 90 degrees direction.

5. Press the right Mode/Sync dial-button to cycle through the options. The option will stay highlighted magenta for 10 seconds, indicating it is active. After 10 seconds of no input it turns back to it's default state, being HDG.

  • HDG: Either cyan or magenta colored. When colored cyan the HDG mode is inactive, when pressing the dial-button or rotating the dial the HDG label turns magenta, as well as the heading value and the heading bug along the compass. Rotating this heading sets the heading for the autopilot or gives you an indication when the autopilot is turned off.
  • ALT: Let's you set the autopilot altitude setting. The label turns magenta, as well as the text above the altitude tape and the bug along the altitude tape.
  • BARO: Let's you set the barometric pressure setting. The label turns magenta, as well as the barometric pressure value in the data bar. As a shortcut to this setting you can also press the corresponding hotkey.
  • MIN: Let's you set your minimums warning altitude, a value between 0 and 15.000 feet can be set. The label turns magenta, as well as the text in the minimums window. A shortcut to this setting is pressing the corresponding hotkey, this is also the way to turn the minimums warning on and off.

Buttons and dials

  • PWR: No function at this moment.
  • RNG: No function at this moment.
  • MENU: No function at this moment.
  • 5 Hot keys: Described above.
  • MODE/SYNC left: rotating the dial will adjust the selected function, either CRS or IAS. Pressing and holding the dial-button for more than 2 seconds synchronizes the selected function with the current value. For a GPS or VOR the course synchronizes with the station bearing, for an ILS/Localizer the source synchronizes with the current magnetic heading.
  • MODE/SYNC right: rotating the dial will adjust the selected function, either HDG, ALT, BARO or MIN. Pressing and holding the dial-button for more than two seconds synchronizes the selected function with the current value. For HDG this means it synchronizes with your current magnetic heading, for BARO this means the barometric setting will go to either 1013 mB or 29.92 in.
  • Source button left: Cycles trough RMI sources for the single line bearing pointer, off, GPS1, NAV1, NAV2, ADF1.
  • Source button center: Cycles through HSI sources, GPS1 or NAV1.
  • Source button right: Cycles trough RMI sources for the double line bearing pointer, off, GPS1, NAV1, NAV2, ADF1.

Troubleshooting

The screen is dimmed and a battery warning shows up

This means that the bus voltage is below the minimum voltage for the instrument. You can set your bus voltage by clicking on the PFD instrument in the panels tab. You can choose between 14 and 28 volt. This will also show up when the aircraft is cold-and-dark.

The attitude indicator disappears and shows 'ATTITUDE FAIL CHECK PITOT HEAT'

This means that pitot icing is detected and the attitude information is no longer reliable. Turn on the pitot heat, and get out of the icing conditions if possible.

Release notes

V100

  • Initial release

V101 (Not released yet)

  • Trend vector initialized at 0 px height, caused issues with the Raspberry Pi.
  • Fix glide slope indicator staying on with X-Plane.

V102 (Not released yet)

  • Make altitude warning turn on at 200 feet for 15 seconds from selected altitude. Right now this is only 200 feet.
  • Make altitude warning extinguish when altitude is reached. Right now it extinguishes after 15 seconds.
  • Always have a piece of horizon and ground displayed on the top and bottom of the attitude indicator.
  • Make pitch chevrons move dynamically with the attitude instead of the static form they're in now.
  • Add all V-speed options and create pre-defined V-speed settings for various aircraft.