Release 9.2.1 and DFC100 Install

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The feedback so far from the DFC100s that have been installed has all been very positive, almost jubilation.  I wanted to outline the installation process for the DFC100 and R9.2.

First of all, make sure that you take your airplane to a reputable avionics shops, i.e. not a maintenance facility.  Preferably bring it to one that has done R9 installations.  The work is straight-forward but the shop must know how to crimp wires, load R9 software and flight test aircraft.  If any one of these criteria are skipped then you installation could take longer or be more of a headache.

The general steps of the installation include:
1) Removal of the IFDs to access the harness.
2) Crimp and wire the databus wires (ByteFlight) to and from the DFC100.  These eight wires were tied up behind the displays and autopilot tray since the communication between the 55x and the IFDs was different.  There were only 8 installations that had harness rev -000, which didn't include the ByteFlight wire.  In these eight, Avidyne is shipping the wire to the installation shop at no cost.
3) Connect three wires with some in-line resistors for the flap inputs to the DFC100.
4) Re-connect the IFDs and slide in your new DFC100 into the 55x tray.
5) Load the Release 9.2.1 software into the IFDs.
6) Fly the airplane to confirm the autopilot operation.   This will verify all the DFC100 modes, the operation with the servos and the communication between the R9 and the DFC100.
7) Add documentation to the logs and maintenance records.

That's it.  If you bring it to an R9 shop, this is a very standard procedure.  It should take no longer than 8-12 hours.  If your shop of choice has issues with this procedure then have them call our technical support staff.

- Mike Ingram
R9 Product Manager
(321) 751-8418

Edited by AviMike - 07 Mar 2011 at 9:34pm

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AviMike Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 24 May 2010 Location: Melbourne, FL Status: Offline Points: 33	Post Options Post Reply Quote AviMike Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Release 9.2.1 and DFC100 Install Posted: 07 Mar 2011 at 8:01pm
	The feedback so far from the DFC100s that have been installed has all been very positive, almost jubilation. I wanted to outline the installation process for the DFC100 and R9.2. First of all, make sure that you take your airplane to a reputable avionics shops, i.e. not a maintenance facility. Preferably bring it to one that has done R9 installations. The work is straight-forward but the shop must know how to crimp wires, load R9 software and flight test aircraft. If any one of these criteria are skipped then you installation could take longer or be more of a headache. The general steps of the installation include: 1) Removal of the IFDs to access the harness. 2) Crimp and wire the databus wires (ByteFlight) to and from the DFC100. These eight wires were tied up behind the displays and autopilot tray since the communication between the 55x and the IFDs was different. There were only 8 installations that had harness rev -000, which didn't include the ByteFlight wire. In these eight, Avidyne is shipping the wire to the installation shop at no cost. 3) Connect three wires with some in-line resistors for the flap inputs to the DFC100. 4) Re-connect the IFDs and slide in your new DFC100 into the 55x tray. 5) Load the Release 9.2.1 software into the IFDs. 6) Fly the airplane to confirm the autopilot operation. This will verify all the DFC100 modes, the operation with the servos and the communication between the R9 and the DFC100. 7) Add documentation to the logs and maintenance records. That's it. If you bring it to an R9 shop, this is a very standard procedure. It should take no longer than 8-12 hours. If your shop of choice has issues with this procedure then have them call our technical support staff. - Mike Ingram R9 Product Manager (321) 751-8418 Edited by AviMike - 07 Mar 2011 at 9:34pm

MASYC Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Release 9 Insiders Joined: 28 Aug 2009 Location: KFUL Status: Offline Points: 8	Post Options Post Reply Quote MASYC Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 Apr 2011 at 4:09pm
	Mike, I just finished my R9.2.1 upgrade and the DFC100 install. Not all things went well. First of all: I read on page 9 of the R9 manual "The Aircraft Configuration Module" retains personal and aircraft settings. Storing all aircraft-specific avionics configoration information. and that if changes need to be made "calibrations, aircraft configuration and pilot preferences are automatically loaded into replaced units" Sounds very cool after all the G430W issues with updates. But getting my R9 back, all the configurations were gone (as far as setting up the keypad, and MFD) and the waypoints I had spent so much time setting up were wiped out as were all my flight plans. Is this what you should expect at each R9 software upgrade. I'm thinking that the documentation is a little misleading or the SC does not know how to do an Upgrade. Your thoughts? Russ Stenquist, N476Y
	R9

AviMike Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 24 May 2010 Location: Melbourne, FL Status: Offline Points: 33	Post Options Post Reply Quote AviMike Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 Apr 2011 at 2:18pm
	Russ, Yes, the ACM is supposed to contain all of your aircraft configurations. I have discussed your install issues with our service guys and engineers. There are improvements that we can and will add to the service manual, like a proper procedure of 'restoring from the ACM'. In a normal configuration servicing, the IFD that remains in the panel will copy it's configuration over to the new one. When you replace both IFDs or Compact Flash drives then the only location for the configuration is on the ACM and you need to manually do a 'restore'. This didn't seem to be performed so your configuration was not retained. We will improved this so our service centers and support staff will know in the future. My apologies for your troubles. - Mike

MASYC Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Release 9 Insiders Joined: 28 Aug 2009 Location: KFUL Status: Offline Points: 8	Post Options Post Reply Quote MASYC Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 Apr 2011 at 2:38pm
	Great to hear that the process will be improved. As I paid the price, could you provide me with a copy of the enhancements so I can understand this will not happen next time. (Summer and SynVis right!) Also, I am a late checker of my logs from my Sept 09 R9 install. But with Tax Time, I had to pull all my flights for 2010 for details. This is when I noticed that I had NO Engine logs. Also I could see that until I had my previous update, the airport identifiers were not there either. Everybody should check their logs! So I scan the COPA board, and others have had the same problem. I call Mark Koch, ask for new data cards and you guys send out two of them to my SC ~ Easy. When I fly out to get my DFC100 installed, I am told Avidyne want's to play with my plane and not to install the cards, "let the software do it". Of course that did not work and the new cards did. But I lose a day, where I had an instructor lined up to train me on the new Autopilot. After I get my ship back, guess what??? It's now configured as a FMS-400! And I did not even get a rebate for all the functionality I lost. By the way I figured this out after blowing two GPS approach's trying to understand why LPV are showing up as LNAV. Both Luke and I were VERY perplexed. How could this happen, it should not be possible to change a FMS-900W to a FMS-400 without many warnings and such. If it were not for COPA no one would have known this was happening. (and yes this has happened to others, so I don't stand alone) *I think there are MANY drinks owed to me at M9, see you guys there.* Russ Stenquist, N476Y
	R9

AviMike Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 24 May 2010 Location: Melbourne, FL Status: Offline Points: 33	Post Options Post Reply Quote AviMike Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 Apr 2011 at 6:29pm
	Argh. Drinks are on us.