Are You D2?…Tiny Instruments from Dynon & Garmin

An amazing thing happened as we all prepared to go to AOPA last-ever annual show in the sprawling Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Two top suppliers to the LSA sector came out with products bearing almost the same name. However, they’re quite different, fun, and well, yes … surprisingly practical. So, are you D2? Even the Star Wars robot of a similar sounding name might have desired these gizmos, neither of which were remotely possible back in the late 1970s when that movie franchise began.

Dynon’s D2 — The maker of the ubiquitous SkyView glass panels installed in so many higher end LSA has a smaller product that sells well in the GA world, where non-certified equipment cannot be mounted with FAA approval. So, just stick a D1 to the windscreen and you get a mini-Dynon panel for your older, round-gauges aircraft. Now, Dynon has introduced the D2, a second model to what they call their “Pocket Panel product line.” D2 adds WiFi connectivity to allow flight data to be sent to iPad, smartphone, and tablet aviation applications, and has a second screen with a G-Meter (photo). D2’s G-Meter shows the current load factor shown by a needle, plus it records the minimum and maximum Gs since being last reset by the pilot. “WiFi connectivity allows attitude and GPS ground speed, altitude, Gs, and ground track to be sent from the D2 in real-time to an aviation application, which can then show that data on a flight information display,” according to company officials. D2 works with WingX Pro7, AOPA FlyQ, BendixKing myWingMan, and others.

“D1 and D2 both offer true artificial horizons with accurate pitch and roll, and can find the horizon even if turned on in flight,” Dynon said. The AHRS sensors also drive a turn rate indicator and slip/skid ball. Included is an internal GPS receiver to display GPS ground speed, altitude, vertical speed, and ground track. Each D1 and D2 have batteries that last more than four hours and they come with two portable mounting options. The first is a RAM suction cup mount, and the second is 3.125-inch portable “pinch” mount that allows the D1/D2 to be mounted in an empty existing instrument panel hole. D2 retails for $1,425, and the original D1 has a new lower price of $1,195. What an ingenious way to bring modern technology into the cockpit of your tried-and-true GA airplane.

Garmin’s D2 — Introducing Garmin‘s D2 Pilot Watch, which has Garmin’s direct-to and nearest functions (photo inset), as well as a built-in adjustable altimeter, altitude alerting capabilities, the option to display both local and Zulu/UTC time, and the ability to integrate with Garmin Pilot. “With D2, we’re redefining the portable by integrating the same technology leveraged from decades of experience in manufacturing portable aviation GPS products,” said Carl Wolf, Garmin’s vice president of aviation sales and marketing. “D2 merges a sophisticated and elegant design while incorporating features, which offer pilots a comprehensive flying experience.” Garmin’s D2 watch lets pilots set vibrating alerts, specific to altitude and/or elapsed time. Users can select from a variety of data fields to display such as GPS ground speed, GPS track, estimated time enroute, bearing, and glide ratio. Owners have the option to remotely control Garmin’s HD action camera (VIRB) to start and stop video as well as capture high quality still photos, simultaneously.

“While utilizing an iPad 3 (or newer) or select Android tablets with Garmin Pilot, pilots can upload flight plans and create waypoints within Garmin Pilot and wirelessly transfer them to D2,” added Garmin. “Pilots can build flight plans and create waypoints within Garmin Pilot … the data may be uploaded to D2 using a Bluetooth wireless connection.” Garmin indicated the D2 watch will be available in November and other outlets reported a retail price of $449.