REFLECTOR: Need a topic... gear down check

[Dave T Nelson]

OK, because the reflector is quiet, I'll bring the team up to speed on a
little side project I've got going & again ask for any input...

I've never been happy with the gear up warning system... I like to fly a
tight pattern, and often times I won't have the throttle fully cut off
until I'm right over the numbers.  A warning system based on throttle
position therefore doesn't give much warning.  So, since winters are long
here in Minnesota, I dreamed up a really complicated but maybe better
solution.

In net, I'm working on programming for a very small (think size of a pack
of cigarettes) and very cheap ($35) Single Board Computer, which will be
interfaced to watch the various gear position microswitches.  It also is
taking the RS-232 serial data stream from my Dynon D10-A and my Garmin GNS
530W as inputs to set up the following test...

If I am within, say, 3 miles of my GPS destination, and
if I am going less than 120 knots (maximum gear extension speed), and
if I am less than say, 300 feet AGL, and
if my gear is NOT extended.... THEN
My wife Ali's voice will come over the intercom, loud and clear, saying "
PUT YOUR GEAR DOWN, STUPID!  YOU'RE ABOUT TO CRASH!!!"

What dya all think?  Pretty cool if I can get it to work!

I'm using a SBC called a Raspberry Pi... it's got a 700 mhz processor, 512
MB of onboard RAM, two USB ports, audio and HDMI outputs, an onboard
ethernet port, and an onboard SDRAM slot.... all for $35 (!).  I've got the
interface electronics worked out (buffers, voltage shifters, a MUX for the
two RS-232 serial data streams, etc.), and I'm working on the programming.

Obviously, this is pretty much a "one of" implementation, since it's
dependant on my Dynon and Garmin panel.  If it all works as planned,
though, it should be just a SMOP (Simple Matter Of Programming) to adopt it
to other panels.

Any thoughts out there?  What else could I use it for, like other warning
systems?

Dave

Dave T. Nelson
T/L 553-4327, Voice 507-253-4327, Fax 507-253-3648
Program Director, ISC ECAT NPI & Test Engineering
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