No subject


Wed Mar 4 12:34:38 CST 2009


in the unit.  Other features technically would work, but Jim had to do all
the research.  They have a Rotax.  Greg said that it would work well.  It
turns out they were the first to install BM with a Rotax.  There was nothing
to copy from and BM didn't know Rotax at all.  Support was minimal.  It was
impossible at times to tell if the unit was malfunctioning or just not
calibrated correctly.  Jim is very savvy and very tenacious.  He dug in.  In
the process he found several bugs in the software.  He reported them to BM.
All the while getting more frustrated.  They were supposed to be flying not
debugging a very expensive piece of equipment.

 

When Jim had most of the EIS working they went flying.  The whole scenario
came back for the EFIS.  I believe the unit was pulled three times and sent
back for update or modification.  Jim is a very smart guy and he just was
not getting it to work.  During his test program, the ELT came up on his
card.  He had yet to turn it on during flight.  He did so.  When he keyed
the mic on the radio, the ELT went off.  How is that related to the EFIS????
Jim started working the problem.  He found that with the EFIS off, the
problem never happened.  With the EFIS on, it always happened.  He never
researched it further.  He had been fixing bugs for the better part of two
years and had just had enough; the last straw.  The unit was pulled.

 

Jim called BM and asked if an upgrade to the newer box might solve the
problems.  BM said it might, but that they would only give him pennies on
the dollar for his current unit.  That might well have been their last
contact with the company.

 

They replaced it with GRT.  Jim is not troubleshooting problems.  It works.
They are happy.  They are flying.

 

Over the years I have heard many stories about BM.  It is hard to be in the
Experimental Community and not know at least one person that bought BM,
tried to make it work, and then pulled the thing out and replaced it.

 

I have good friends that spent a great deal of money and got nothing but
headache and heartache.  These are my friends and I have always wished them
well.  I wanted this to work for them.

 

It is also hard at times to hold your tongue when you hear someone say they
want to buy BM.  I wince.  I hate badmouthing anyone.  I want to balance
that against someone getting burned because I didn't have the guts to speak
up.

 

I'm posting this in the genuine hope that it might be of use to someone in
the decision process.  I have nothing against Greg Richter.  I don't own his
products.  I think competition is good and the more options we have, the
better.  Let me qualify that, the more GOOD options we have, the better.

 

Like anything else,  please*10^10, do your research.  (field performance,
support, upgrade policy, etc.)

 

In the interest of disclosure:  My good friend Carlos works for Grand Rapids
Technologies.  My research has led me to believe I want their equipment in
my plane.  I don't work for GRT.  I have heard very good things about Dynon
as well.

 

FWIW,

 

Andy

 

=====================================

 

Andy Millin

amillin at sbcglobal.net

 

 


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<div class=3DSection1>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Ok Brooke, what do you want to know about engines?&nbsp; =
:)<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Andy<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>

<div>

<div style=3D'border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt =
0cm 0cm 0cm'>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span>=
</b><span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] <b>On =
Behalf Of </b>Brooke
Wolf<br>
<b>Sent:</b> 05-05-2009 4:06<br>
<b>To:</b> reflector at tvbf.org<br>
<b>Subject:</b> REFLECTOR: Blue Mountain and GRT<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</div>

</div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>Ok Andy and Michael. &nbsp;You are making it easy. =
&nbsp;For
me it will be Aerocomposite Prop and GRT avionics. &nbsp;Now about that
engine!!?<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

</div>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>Brooke<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

</div>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<div>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>On May 5, 2009, at 3:12 PM, <a
href=3D"mailto:reflector-request at tvbf.org">reflector-request at tvbf.org</a>=
 wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<blockquote style=3D'margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><span =
style=3D'font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"'>From:
</span></b><span =
style=3D'font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"'>Michael
Watson &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:mikewatsspg at gmail.com">mikewatsspg at gmail.com</a>&gt;</span=
><o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><span =
style=3D'font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"'>Date:
</span></b><span =
style=3D'font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"'>May
5, 2009 2:26:22 PM EDT</span><o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><span =
style=3D'font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"'>To:
</span></b><span =
style=3D'font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"'>Velocity
Aircraft Owners and Builders list &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:reflector at tvbf.org">reflector at tvbf.org</a>&gt;</span><o:p>=
</o:p></p>

</div>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><span =
style=3D'font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"'>Subject:
Re: REFLECTOR: Blue Mountain Avionics</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><span =
style=3D'font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"'>Reply-To:=

</span></b><span =
style=3D'font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"'>Velocity
Aircraft Owners and Builders list &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:reflector at tvbf.org">reflector at tvbf.org</a>&gt;</span><o:p>=
</o:p></p>

</div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br>
<br>
GRT HX is the way to go. These guys are innovative and have one of the =
best<br>
support system in the industry. They just added Flight Director and AHRS =
driven<br>
Angle-of Attack to their synthetic vision HITS unit and they are =
relatively
cheap.<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>On Tue, May 5, 2009 at 10:51 AM, Andy Millin &lt;<a
href=3D"mailto:amillin at sbcglobal.net">amillin at sbcglobal.net</a>&gt; =
wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<div>

<p>Warning: This is another one of my long winded posts &#8230; you may =
want to
ignore it now!<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p>Evaluating a product can be a difficult subject to broach on the
Reflector.&nbsp; On one hand, if you have done the research, the =
community can
benefit.&nbsp; On the other, it is easy to come off as a shill.&nbsp; =
I&#8217;m not
selling anything!!!<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p>I remember when Blue Mountain debuted at Oshkosh.&nbsp; They did not =
have a
working, deliverable unit.&nbsp; They had a demo unit and were taking =
deposits
and orders.&nbsp; They had the largest display I had seen available in
glass.&nbsp; It looked great.&nbsp; I don&#8217;t normally like it when =
products are
described as &#8220;sexy&#8221;, but the Blue Mountain stuff was =
sexy.<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p>At the time I think Chelton was advertising that they had just =
dropped the
cost of a dual display system from $50,000 to something like $36,000 =
with the
tag line &#8220;now cost isn&#8217;t a factor!&#8221;.&nbsp; Well hell, =
buy three!!!&nbsp; If BM
was selling this big, beautiful unit for $12-14K, the price was very
attractive.<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p>Many people recount that Greg Richter is one heck of a =
salesman.&nbsp; He
knows how to make things look good.&nbsp; He has always had highly =
polished
marketing material.&nbsp; He knows how to sell the =
&#8220;sizzle&#8221;.<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p>My friends Jim and Heather Butcher took the plunge and put down a
deposit.&nbsp; BM said the $12K was a show price.&nbsp; I think the =
units went
from $12K to $14K, but I don&#8217;t know the exact =
numbers.<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p>Jim and Heather finished their Europa.&nbsp; They installed the BM =
EFIS and
EIS.&nbsp; From the beginning Jim had problems.&nbsp; Features that were
promised were not in the unit.&nbsp; Other features technically would =
work, but
Jim had to do all the research.&nbsp; They have a Rotax.&nbsp; Greg said =
that
it would work well.&nbsp; It turns out they were the first to install BM =
with a
Rotax.&nbsp; There was nothing to copy from and BM didn&#8217;t know =
Rotax at
all.&nbsp; Support was minimal.&nbsp; It was impossible at times to tell =
if the
unit was malfunctioning or just not calibrated correctly.&nbsp; Jim is =
very
savvy and very tenacious.&nbsp; He dug in.&nbsp; In the process he found
several bugs in the software.&nbsp; He reported them to BM.&nbsp; All =
the while
getting more frustrated.&nbsp; They were supposed to be flying not =
debugging a
very expensive piece of equipment.<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p>When Jim had most of the EIS working they went flying.&nbsp; The =
whole
scenario came back for the EFIS.&nbsp; I believe the unit was pulled =
three
times and sent back for update or modification.&nbsp; Jim is a very =
smart guy
and he just was not getting it to work.&nbsp; During his test program, =
the ELT
came up on his card.&nbsp; He had yet to turn it on during flight.&nbsp; =
He did
so.&nbsp; When he keyed the mic on the radio, the ELT went off.&nbsp; =
How is
that related to the EFIS????&nbsp;&nbsp; Jim started working the =
problem.&nbsp;
He found that with the EFIS off, the problem never happened.&nbsp; With =
the
EFIS on, it always happened.&nbsp; He never researched it further.&nbsp; =
He had
been fixing bugs for the better part of two years and had just had =
enough; the
last straw.&nbsp; The unit was pulled.<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p>Jim called BM and asked if an upgrade to the newer box might solve =
the
problems.&nbsp; BM said it might, but that they would only give him =
pennies on
the dollar for his current unit.&nbsp; That might well have been their =
last
contact with the company.<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p>They replaced it with GRT.&nbsp; Jim is not troubleshooting =
problems.&nbsp;
It works.&nbsp; They are happy.&nbsp; They are flying.<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p>Over the years I have heard many stories about BM.&nbsp; It is hard =
to be in
the Experimental Community and not know at least one person that bought =
BM,
tried to make it work, and then pulled the thing out and replaced =
it.<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p>I have good friends that spent a great deal of money and got nothing =
but
headache and heartache.&nbsp; These are my friends and I have always =
wished
them well.&nbsp; I wanted this to work for them.<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p>It is also hard at times to hold your tongue when you hear someone =
say they
want to buy BM.&nbsp; I wince.&nbsp; I hate badmouthing anyone.&nbsp; I =
want to
balance that against someone getting burned because I didn&#8217;t have =
the guts to
speak up&#8230;<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p>I&#8217;m posting this in the genuine hope that it might be of use to =
someone in
the decision process.&nbsp; I have nothing against Greg Richter.&nbsp; I =
don&#8217;t
own his products.&nbsp; I think competition is good and the more options =
we
have, the better.&nbsp; Let me qualify that, the more GOOD options we =
have, the
better.<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p>Like anything else, &nbsp;please*10^10, do your research.&nbsp; =
(field
performance, support, upgrade policy, etc&#8230;)<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p>In the interest of disclosure:&nbsp; My good friend Carlos works for =
Grand
Rapids Technologies.&nbsp; My research has led me to believe I want =
their
equipment in my plane.&nbsp; I don&#8217;t work for GRT.&nbsp; I have =
heard very good
things about Dynon as well.<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p>FWIW,<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p>Andy<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p>Andy Millin<o:p></o:p></p>

<p><a href=3D"mailto:amillin at sbcglobal.net" =
target=3D"_blank">amillin at sbcglobal.net</a><o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

</div>

</blockquote>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</body>

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