IFR Currency for Jack - KSMX KPRB KSBA (Full ATC)

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Soareyes
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Joined: Fri Feb 28, 2020 12:47 pm
First Name: Dan
Aircraft Type: DA42-VI
Aircraft Registration: N518R
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Re: IFR Currency for Jack - KSMX KPRB KSBA (Full ATC)

Post by Soareyes »

I have 1,000 hours experience with the legacy G1000 in my previous DA40s, 700 hours with the Cirrus Perspective and about 6 hours so far trying to get comfortable with the NXi in the new DA42. I'm really missing the keypad.

Spinning and dialing big buttons and little buttons, scrolling through the alphabet and numbers to add a frequency or list of waypoints is less than optimal user interface. It's coming back to me, playing the game of which way to spin to get to the desired digit with the least clicks.

The hardest thing about the keypad in the Perspective was searching for letters arrayed in ABC format when every other keyboard in your life is QWERTY. They fixed that in the Perspective Plus.

The new plane has a FlightStream 510. I expect I'll do as Dave says so the iPad will function as the keypad. Trying to get my knob turning skills back first though. I've had iPads shut down in flight. Last January I flew away and forgot my iPad at an FBO. Now I carry two.

The armrest in the 62 is an afterthought kind of place to put a keypad. In terms of relative importance, does the parking brake, defrost and heater control deserve to be front and center? A keypad in that prime location would be better use of that space.

No doubt, with time we get used to whatever tools we have and become efficient with them.
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