TSO skyBeacon - Certified Aircraft - ADS-B Discussions

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HomeHomeDiscussionsDiscussionsADS-B Discussio...ADS-B Discussio...TSO skyBeacon - Certified AircraftTSO skyBeacon - Certified Aircraft
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6/4/2018 10:00 PM
 

TSO skyBeacon - For Certified Aircraft

Well, the big (positive) news is the SkyBeacon will be approved...soon....maybe by late July? Many of us recieved a direct e-mail from IFly (thank you!).

I was very excited about this LAST YEAR when they said they were going to be approved by "early 2018" and then it slipped once or twice...

How confident are we that the certfied TSO version will be out next month? Where are we in the FAA approval process?

I think it is fair to ask....

Many of my flying buddies are still reeling over the Navworx debacle, and are skittish about "off brand" ADSB systems outside of the big-name producers who they say will back a product years from now....maybe. (A buddy of mine got stuck with a Navworx and is out thousands of $$$.)

So, many of us are still in the "wait and see" mode if the SkyBeacon is the "real deal" for a pernament ADSB-Out solution that is reliable, will pass all FAA certs, and will hold up with tech support, etc.

The price is right at $1849!  We really admire the folks at SkyBeacon for coming out with such an innovative and creative solution!

So, does anyone HAVE one already (non-TSO) and what do you think of it?  Anyone planning on a TSO version for their certified aircraft? Thoughts? I am interested....just seeking what others are thinking.  I can ONLY afford to do this ONCE!

Thanks, Mike Marra, N714AJ

 
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6/20/2018 10:38 AM
 

I have these same questions. Also it is my understanding that the approved model list will only include Cessna and Piper aircraft. I have a Citabria—what steps will I need to take with the FAA to install it as certified?


Warren Roddy
 
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7/6/2018 1:46 PM
 

Warren,

It's July and still have not seen any certificaiton paperwork from SKYBEACON...I am going to "wait and see" on this one...again, I can only afford to get this decision right one time! and one time ONLY on my budget! (kids in college!)

I do hope it gets approved as this is a big price breakthrough, especially for the installation phase.  Mike N714AJ

 
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7/6/2018 4:43 PM
 

I've done beta-testing on a non-TSO'd, pre-production skyBeacon and can report that it works flawlessly!  I initially did have a problem with it "sniffing" the transponder squawk due to it's location on my wingtip.  I had to make a custom mount to reposition it so it could receive the squawk. (The skyBeacon gets barometric altitude data and squawk code from the transponder.)  Once I did that, it functioned perfectly and has continued to do so for the last 8 months.

The current production skyBeacon has eliminated wireless "sniffing" of the transponder squawk and now uses a "power transcoder" that detects the transponder data utilizing the nav light's electrical wiring!  (I don't know if it is using the wiring as an antenna or if the transponder is inducing a data signal into the wiring - whichever, it apparently works!)  They've also added LED strobes since the skyBeacon typically replaces a nav/strobe unit.

They're aiming for TSO certification by AirVenture.  In fact, a press release said they've threatened the person leading the TSO certification program with installing a dunk tank at AirVenture and letting visitors dunk him if certification is not approved by then!

John

N750A

 
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7/8/2018 3:47 PM
 
Since the SkyBeacon gets altitude info from your xnder, does that mean that owners will have to certify their pitot/static system every two years (like IFR) to use it? (Seems that they would have to in order to have certified altitude info.)
 
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