Glide computers and XCSoar

Michael Brandon

Southern Cross Gliding Club

11th August 2012

Overview

Glide computers

• what they are

• why you might use them

• what types there are

XCSoar

• what it is

• why you might use it

• why you might not

• features

• demonstration

• connectivity

• limitations

• challenges

• getting started

• warnings

What is a glide computer?

• a computer…

• with a GPS satellite receiver…

• and specialised gliding software…

• and data (maps, tasks etc)

Why use a glide computer?

• to provide information to help you make

better-informed decisions

• to help you fly cross-country tasks

• to record flights for later analysis or to support

a badge claim

Types of glide computer

• purpose-built portable devices (eg Oudie)

• purpose-built panel-mounted devices (eg Cambridge, Altair, LX 9000)

• software on a general-purpose device that you supply (eg SeeYou Mobile, WinPilot, XCSoar)

Types of general-purpose devices

• PDA (once popular but no longer manufactured)

• car GPS (cheap and readily available)

• smartphone (the current trend)

• tablet (size may be an issue)

Why use a portable glide computer?

• you can use it in whatever glider you fly

• you have just one system to learn

• you can learn how to use it at home

• you can upload data (eg tasks and maps) and

download data (eg flight logs) away from the

airfield

• you don't have to muck around with laptops

and serial/USB converters to transfer data

Or a panel-mounted glide computer?

• the DG-1000, DG-303 and Jantar already have the Cambridge installed

• it’s always there and available

• you can wire it into a glider’s power supply and instruments

• if you have your own glider, you can install a device with a large screen if your instrument panel has the space

• you don’t mind spending $2000+ on a glide computer (or $4000… or $6000…)

What is XCSoar?

• glide computer software

• software only (you supply the hardware)

• open source software (if that's important to you)

• developed and supported by a team of volunteer programmers

• customised versions of XCSoar run on some purpose-built panel-mounted devices (eg Altair, LX 9000)

Why use XCSoar?

• the software is free! (you just supply the hardware)

• quite powerful and sophisticated

• very actively developed

• developers are responsive to bug reports and requests for features

• runs on a wide variety of low-cost hardware: PDAs, some car GPSs (WinCE-based), some smartphones and tablets (Android-based); it also runs on PCs

• isn't reliant on purpose-built (expensive) hardware

Why not use XCSoar?

• you are happy with what you are already using

(eg Cambridge, SeeYou Mobile)

• you want a purpose-built glide computer (eg

Oudie)

Some of XCSoar's features

(the ones you would expect)

• moving maps

• tasks and waypoints

• MacCready speed-to-fly calculation

• above/below final glide calculation

Some of XCSoar's niftier features

• automatic wind calculation based on drift when thermalling

• automatic thermal markers, adjusted for altitude

• automatic MacCready calculation, adjusted for height

• thermal strength height band indicator

• "thermal assistant" thermal centring aid

• "FLARM radar" (requires a FLARM connected)

• turnpoint heading corrects for wind and drift

• alerts for airspace infringements, changes in wind, landing after last light etc

Display features

• moving map and InfoBoxes†

• status and event messages†

• terrain with height colouring†

• topographical features (towns, roads, rivers, lakes, mountains)†

• waypoints, airfields†

• thermal profile, final glide indicator, scale indicator†

• glider, heading indicator, wind indicator, track†

• snail trail†

• airspace†

• markers, thermal markers

• glide range indicator†

† means this is configurable

Interaction (demonstration)

• works with a touch-sensitive screen and hardware buttons

• double-tap on the screen brings up the menu

• the menu goes away after a period of inactivity

• you can use "gestures" to perform actions

– swiping up or down zooms the map in or out

– swiping left or right scrolls through the InfoBoxes and removes them altogether

Main menu (demonstration)

• selecting Nav displays the navigation menus (task manager, waypoints, alternate landing areas)

• selecting Display allows you to perform display-related actions (zoom, pan)

• selecting Config displays the configuration menus (MacCready settings, system setup)

• selecting Info displays the information menus (analysis, FLARM radar)

Flight modes

• three flight modes:

– circling: when thermalling

– cruise: when still below final glide

– final glide: when above final glide

• current flight mode is selected automatically

• symbol in the bottom-right corner of the map

indicates the flight mode

Zoom (demonstration)

• you can zoom in and out; the scale is shown in

the bottom-left corner of the map

• different zoom levels for circling and

cruise/final glide

• automatically zooms in when approaching a

turnpoint

Map orientation

• three map orientations:

– north up: north is at the top of the map

– track up: the direction you are flying now is at the

top of the map

– target up: the direction you need to fly to reach

the next turnpoint is at the top of the map

• different settings for circling and cruise/final

glide

Waypoints and airfields

• waypoint names are shown in upright font

(topography names are in italic)

• aerodromes and landing fields are shown

colour-coded, indicating whether or not they

are reachable

• takes into account the configured safety

height

InfoBoxes

• InfoBoxes display information about the state of the aircraft, the flight or the task

• there are nearly 100 separate pieces of information to choose from, of which you display just a subset

• you can configure how many InfoBoxes are displayed and where they are placed on the screen

• there are three separate sets of InfoBoxes displayed in circling, cruise and final glide mode, and you can define additional sets

• the InfoBoxes displayed by default aren’t optimal; you will want to decide what InfoBoxes are of most interest to you

Connectivity

• if you supply the device (car GPS, smartphone or tablet) and it has a GPS satellite receiver, XCSoar has everything it needs

• if you have your own glider and want to connect other instruments (eg ASI, FLARM, vario) and have XCSoar use them, you can, if

– you can connect the instrument to your device, either with a cable or wirelessly, and

– XCSoar supports that particular instrument

Connectivity options

• most modern electronic glider instruments have a serial output

• if your PDA has a serial port, you can connect an instrument to it, but you may need a custom cable

• if your PDA, smartphone or tablet has Bluetooth, you can use a serial-to-Bluetooth converter such as the K6 BT 2 or VFBT-1, but they aren’t cheap

• if your smartphone or tablet has a USB port, you can use the IOIO (pronounced "yo-yo") serial-to-USB converter; it’s usually supplied as a bare board, but one company sells it packaged as the IOIOMint

• if your smartphone or tablet has Wi-Fi, and so does your home computer or router, you can use the com0com serial-to-TCP/IP converter to use XCSoar with the Condor Soaring Simulator!

Limitations

• XCSoar produces flight logs, but it isn't an IGC-certified data logger, so you’ll need another data logger for badge claims

• won't run on an iPad/iPhone, or a Windows Phone smartphone (runs on Android smartphones and tablets only)

• won’t run on a TomTom or Garmin car GPS (runs on WinCE car GPSs only)

• won’t run natively on an iMac or MacBook (runs on Windows and Linux only)

Challenges

• reading and understanding the manual

• deciding how you want to configure XCSoar (it’s very customisable)

• screen readability in the sun, particularly with a car GPS

• secure mounting (if using a smartphone)

• reading and understanding the manual

• supplying supplementary power (if flying cross-country)

• not becoming reliant on XCSoar (you still need map and compass)

• running XCSoar on a car GPS requires some sleight of hand (see me for assistance)

• did I mention reading and understanding the manual?

Challenge: screen readability

• purpose-built glide computers are designed for gliders, so readability should be good

• car GPSs are designed for use inside a car, so readability in the sun is marginal

• screen readability on smartphones and tablets is variable; the Dell Streak 5 (also known as the Dell Mini 5) is considered the best of the bunch (discontinued but still available on eBay)

• I get best results by pointing my car GPS directly at my face so my shadow reduces unwanted reflections

• some people find a hood shading the screen helps; you can make one yourself from cardboard or plastic

• my car GPS has a 4.7" screen which I find adequate, but you may want something larger

• try before you buy if you can!

Challenge: mounting

• if you have your own glider, you can install the glide computer as a permanent fixture

• for temporary installation in club gliders, a suction mount is the most obvious solution

• some pilots attach instruments to their thigh with velcro, but you need to look inside the cockpit to use them

• car GPSs and the Oudie come with a manufacturer-supplied suction mount, which works fine

• if the manufacturer of your smartphone or tablet can’t supply a suction mount, you will need to source one from a 3rd-party supplier (eg RAM Mount)

• I prefer to suction-mount my car GPS low on the canopy so it is close to my line of vision without obstructing it

Challenge: power

• most portable devices hold enough charge for an hour or two’s flying

• for cross-country flying, you need to supply supplementary power

• to extend battery life, turn off any unnecessary functions on car GPSs, smartphones and tablets (eg Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, mobile connectivity)

• you can use a "Y" lead to tap into the glider’s battery and power the device using a car cigarette lighter charger, but this is a potential fire hazard

• you can use a 12V gel cell and a car cigarette lighter charger, but it should be secured safely in the cockpit

• my preferred option is to use a portable battery pack designed for powering mobile phones

• whatever option you choose, ensure it can supply sufficient power (standard USB 2.0 supplies 500 mA but most devices need more) and ensure it has sufficient capacity (you’ll want an extra few hours at least, so I’d suggest 4000 mAh minimum)

Getting started

• if you have an Android smartphone or tablet, just download XCSoar from the Android Market

• if you have a PC, download XCSoar from the XCSoar web site (www.xcsoar.org)

• start XCSoar in SIM (simulation) mode

• download the AUS_NSW_VIC map from the XCSoar web site and save it in the XCSoarDatafolder on your smartphone, tablet or PC

• download the manual from the XCSoar web site

• put your feet up and start reading…

Warnings

• learn XCSoar on the ground, not in the air

• XCSoar provides you with information, but you

are in charge, you make the decisions, so you

are responsible

• don’t fiddle with XCSoar in the cockpit: fly the

aircraft!

• keep a good lookout at all times!

Thank you

You’ve been a wonderful audience