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Re: Just got my DA40! What should I do??
Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 4:33 pm
by Colin
I love my
Zuluworks mini-z kneeboard. One of the things I enjoy every time I fly is sort of trivial, which are
custom pads for my kneeboard.
I use a cheap K-Mart window cleaner (Sprayway!) before I use the Plexus (which is sort of pricey and might be the same formulation as Lemon Pledge).
I use an iPad Mini in the cockpit running Foreflight and you can see it
in this post about how it is a backup set of instrumentation.
Re: Just got my DA40! What should I do??
Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 4:34 pm
by Colin
Since you are crossing the country you might
want to peruse the page on my blog devoted entirely to that sort of journey.
Re: Just got my DA40! What should I do??
Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 6:43 pm
by Roxi5m9
Rich wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2019 1:39 am
pietromarx wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 10:43 pm
One consideration on the landing / taxi lights is to compare HID vs. LED. The HIDs are brighter, but the LEDs will use less power and last longer. Having had all three (old, HID, and LED), I would have the HIDs.
The XEvision system I put in many years ago are fabulous. And while MTBF for these lamps is lower than LEDs, still they're at 2,500 hours. However, installation of the LED's is simpler and would draw less power, should that be a factor.
Do you have a reference number for the XEVision kit you put in? Is this the only kit out there that everyone uses?
Re: Just got my DA40! What should I do??
Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 7:02 pm
by Rich
Roxi5m9 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 17, 2019 6:43 pm
Rich wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2019 1:39 am
pietromarx wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 10:43 pm
One consideration on the landing / taxi lights is to compare HID vs. LED. The HIDs are brighter, but the LEDs will use less power and last longer. Having had all three (old, HID, and LED), I would have the HIDs.
The XEvision system I put in many years ago are fabulous. And while MTBF for these lamps is lower than LEDs, still they're at 2,500 hours. However, installation of the LED's is simpler and would draw less power, should that be a factor.
Do you have a reference number for the XEVision kit you put in? Is this the only kit out there that everyone uses?
The best reference would be the XeVision STC:
SA01782SE. It is specifically for installation in the DA40. In turn it references master drawing for FastCap, LLC, document FC-MDL. The installation instructions are very detailed with pictures and engineering drawings. There is some skill and use of the right tools required in redoing wire terminations.
Mine have been in place for 10 years, now. They are the 35W (each) versions and did not require changing out breakers. When turned on in broad daylight you can see the glow through the white liner in the top of the lens.
For further details contact the company.
Re: Just got my DA40! What should I do??
Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 8:36 pm
by Roxi5m9
Rich wrote: ↑Sat Aug 17, 2019 7:02 pm
Roxi5m9 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 17, 2019 6:43 pm
Rich wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2019 1:39 am
The XEvision system I put in many years ago are fabulous. And while MTBF for these lamps is lower than LEDs, still they're at 2,500 hours. However, installation of the LED's is simpler and would draw less power, should that be a factor.
Do you have a reference number for the XEVision kit you put in? Is this the only kit out there that everyone uses?
The best reference would be the XeVision STC:
SA01782SE. It is specifically for installation in the DA40. In turn it references master drawing for FastCap, LLC, document FC-MDL. The installation instructions are very detailed with pictures and engineering drawings. There is some skill and use of the right tools required in redoing wire terminations.
Mine have been in place for 10 years, now. They are the 35W (each) versions and did not require changing out breakers. When turned on in broad daylight you can see the glow through the white liner in the top of the lens.
For further details contact the company.
Awesome info. Thanks! You mentioned having the 35 watt...do you ever wish you would have gotten the 50 watt? Or does that require the breaker change?
Re: Just got my DA40! What should I do??
Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 9:43 pm
by ZAV
Congrats. I’m sure you’ll love the freedom of having your own airplane and hopefully not come to hate the maintenance.
Plexus works well for the canopy. There’s some great info on this forum about cleaning the plane, search “best products for cleaning the plane.” I use Klasse polish after a wash. Seems to work great. Here’s a picture.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0UKNAsZ ... ss_Airport
I mount my iPad with a RAM suction mount on the canopy right above the little window. That puts that iPad pretty close to eye level and doesn’t obstruct any buttons or screens. I like having it there since it keeps my eyes closer to the outside instead of my lap.
Re: Just got my DA40! What should I do??
Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 11:07 pm
by Colin
my eyes closer to the outside instead of my lap.
Good plan. Rotating your head up and down those ninety degrees on that axis promotes spatial disorientation. Back when I was first doing my instrument flying I read a nice article about that physiology, along with a commercial pilot's experience with it in smokey conditions which obscured the horizon.
Re: Just got my DA40! What should I do??
Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2019 2:44 am
by YCCA
I just bought my own 2004 DA-40 so I don’t know anything but here’s what I just bought.. New 2 blade Hartzell prop so I could install the Powerflow exhaust.. my opinion only but don’t waste the money on WASS. You can still shoot GPS approaches and of course ILS is gonna be around for a long time.. If you are shooting approaches down to mins on a regular basis, you probably bought the wrong airplane to begin with.
Re: Just got my DA40! What should I do??
Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2019 2:53 am
by grantcollard
YCCA wrote: ↑Sun Aug 18, 2019 2:44 am
I just bought my own 2004 DA-40 so I don’t know anything but here’s what I just bought.. New 2 blade Hartzell prop so I could install the Powerflow exhaust.. my opinion only but don’t waste the money on WASS. You can still shoot GPS approaches and of course ILS is gonna be around for a long time.. If you are shooting approaches down to mins on a regular basis, you probably bought the wrong airplane to begin with.
Love it. I’ve been looking into the power flow. What does it run to swap out the prop? I’m going to be working on instrument rating so still kind of clueless on the waas stuff.
Re: Just got my DA40! What should I do??
Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2019 1:54 pm
by Rich
Roxi5m9 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 17, 2019 8:36 pm
Awesome info. Thanks! You mentioned having the 35 watt...do you ever wish you would have gotten the 50 watt? Or does that require the breaker change?
I don't know if the 50-watt ones are STC'd for the DA40 or not. In any case the 35's are terrific and I do. Mostly where the brighter light is needed is in taxiing. I doubt the higher wattage would require breaker change, either. Each has a 5A breaker and should only draw about half that when running. There is the question of inrush current to charge the ballast, but that only lasts 1/2 second or so. Breakers do have a time/energy component to trip. In my plane breaker additions/changes are a real pain. In the G1000 units this doesn't look too bad and the breakers aren't terribly expensive.