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- Jan 25, 2013
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Close call last weekend bringing my new (to me) Dakota home set in stone my next upgrade, I think.
My mechanic was flying back with me after taking delivery of the plane in San Diego. We got out of SD without issue and could stay below the bravo out there, so no real problems with the electrical issue we had that was causing transponder weirdness. Turned out to be a loose ground after checking the next morning, no big deal, but in the meantime our transponder output was intermittent.
We told DFW approach of the issue and that we were ok with circling south around the DFW bravo due to a transponder issue, but our controller says "seeing you fine, clear to enter the bravo, aim toward LCN to avoid approach paths".
Ok no problem, off we go straight through to our destination on the east side of town.
Right as we get passed off to the next guy, someone handling a Citation warns them "Piper at 9500 feet at your 11 o'clock", that's us. The Citation never said he saw us, just that he was looking. Again the controller tells him after giving that guy another descent clearance "Piper at 9500 still in front of you, at your 12 o'clock". Guy still hasn't seen us. On the third call the controller makes to the Citation he stutters a second and sounds a bit shaky, maybe he spilled his coffee? Or maybe he thinks we're gonna hit...he asks the Citation to verify he sees us and that's when the Citation passes us right across the nose, I'd say 1500-2000 feet out front. At that point the Citation says "never saw em!"
So with that being my first foray into the DFW bravo ADS-B now sounds a lot more useful to me. Apparently Garmin thinks they'll have the 530 software ready by March, and I'm told I'll need a 1200 dollar upgrade to my GTX330 as well. The ADS-B box from Garmin itself seems to be about 4k. So I'm guessing all told, a 6 to 7k upgrade?
Anyone else done this as an add on yet? Thoughts/experiences?
My mechanic was flying back with me after taking delivery of the plane in San Diego. We got out of SD without issue and could stay below the bravo out there, so no real problems with the electrical issue we had that was causing transponder weirdness. Turned out to be a loose ground after checking the next morning, no big deal, but in the meantime our transponder output was intermittent.
We told DFW approach of the issue and that we were ok with circling south around the DFW bravo due to a transponder issue, but our controller says "seeing you fine, clear to enter the bravo, aim toward LCN to avoid approach paths".
Ok no problem, off we go straight through to our destination on the east side of town.
Right as we get passed off to the next guy, someone handling a Citation warns them "Piper at 9500 feet at your 11 o'clock", that's us. The Citation never said he saw us, just that he was looking. Again the controller tells him after giving that guy another descent clearance "Piper at 9500 still in front of you, at your 12 o'clock". Guy still hasn't seen us. On the third call the controller makes to the Citation he stutters a second and sounds a bit shaky, maybe he spilled his coffee? Or maybe he thinks we're gonna hit...he asks the Citation to verify he sees us and that's when the Citation passes us right across the nose, I'd say 1500-2000 feet out front. At that point the Citation says "never saw em!"
So with that being my first foray into the DFW bravo ADS-B now sounds a lot more useful to me. Apparently Garmin thinks they'll have the 530 software ready by March, and I'm told I'll need a 1200 dollar upgrade to my GTX330 as well. The ADS-B box from Garmin itself seems to be about 4k. So I'm guessing all told, a 6 to 7k upgrade?
Anyone else done this as an add on yet? Thoughts/experiences?
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