OzRunways outage?

[BurnieM]

SkyEcho
Installation and Pilot’s Guide

 

"8.3.2 1090ES Transmit
This setting configures SkyEcho for transmission. Select the checkbox to
enable transmission if allowed in your operating location.

 

Deselect the checkbox to disable transmission. Transmission must be
deactivated when used on an aircraft with an Air Traffic Control Radar
Beacon System (ATCRBS) Mode-S transponder which has ADS-B OUT
enabled.

 

In certain countries, deactivation may be required based upon location or
altitude. Refer to country-specific addendum."

 

[Garfly]

25 minutes ago, Love to fly said:

Interesting thread. We have ADSB in/out in our aircraft, not connected to the iPad . But I use AvPlan which also displays ADSB traffic including some FLARM (gliders) //.  

....  But .. I do worry we’re getting more fixated on screens as opposed to looking out the window.

I'd say that fixating on any one thing can be dangerous in aviation (even more so on the road).

But that'd include fixating on the front window if the threat is not to be seen out there.

While driving we instinctively combine info from all three mirrors and the view out-front to get the situational awareness we need.

Maybe we need to develop that kind of instinct in the air to divide our attention between screen and windscreen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Garfly]

2 hours ago, skippydiesel said:

I have a SE2 & a Trig TT22 Mode S transponder. Have never quite got my head around all the ins/out however I have been assured that the operation of the SE2, in parallel with the Trig is perfectly legal/acceptable. So I am wondering about statement along the lines of;

 

".......transmit function turn off in my SkyEcho2 because it was last used in an aircraft with a adsb transponder...."

".......it's against the regs to have two OUT devices going at once in the same aircraft)....."

 

To the best of my limited understanding my SE2 is operating to its full capacity , no functions have been switched of😈

 

Skippy, I thought the waters were well clarified on this issue last year.  

I thought we established that your transponder while Mode S was not an ES ADSB-OUT device and therefore was fine to run together with your SE2 (IN and OUT).

That being the case, no contradiction arises between any of the statements you quote above - including your own.

 

 

[skippydiesel]

1 hour ago, Garfly said:

I'd say that fixating on any one thing can be dangerous in aviation (even more so on the road). Agreed

But that'd include fixating on the front window if the threat is not to be seen out there.

While driving we instinctively combine info from all three mirrors and the view out-front to get the situational awareness we need.

Maybe we need to develop that kind of instinct in the air to divide our attention between screen and windscreen.

 

Obvious statement; Humans are not adapted for flight.

When it come to  in flight eye sight / see and avoid, we are, to put it mildly, CRAP!

On & from the ground (in a vehicle) we function quite well. Our eyes are adapted to see against a contrasting (limited) two dimensional world.

In the past, in certain areas, our best defence against a mid air incident, is/was the low chance of encountering another aircraft.

We need "clues"  ( target a visual search area) where to look for other airborne aircraft

We developed  airborne radio & communication systems that have served us very well - recent down grading not so good.

The arrival of low cost electronic systems  (OzRunways/SE2/transponders) that can be fitted to small aircraft, has been a wonderful leap forward in safety BUT as you say should not be totally relied on (fixated) but used in conjunction with good radio comms & see & avoid😈

 

 

[skippydiesel]

Its now mid week and there has been no response from OzRunway regarding my "outage" enquiry or for that matter much comment from the Forum😈

[skippydiesel]

Garfly - My comment is more about eliciting a response, regarding the two quotes, rather than my particular circumstance, which as you rightly point out was resolved some time ago.

 

The two comments may confuse those who are equal to me, when it comes to all this new fangled technology.😈

[Garfly]

44 minutes ago, skippydiesel said:

Its now mid week and there has been no response from OzRunway regarding my "outage" enquiry or for that matter much comment from the Forum😈

You may need to trim your expectations regarding the Forum.  To my mind, though, you got a pretty good run.

[Blueadventures]

5 hours ago, skippydiesel said:

I have a SE2 & a Trig TT22 Mode S transponder. Have never quite got my head around all the ins/out however I have been assured that the operation of the SE2, in parallel with the Trig is perfectly legal/acceptable. So I am wondering about statement along the lines of;

 

".......transmit function turn off in my SkyEcho2 because it was last used in an aircraft with a adsb transponder...."

".......it's against the regs to have two OUT devices going at once in the same aircraft)....."

 

To the best of my limited understanding my SE2 is operating to its full capacity , no functions have been switched of😈

 

Keep reading up; the answers out there.

[Moneybox]

3 hours ago, skippydiesel said:

Its now mid week and there has been no response from OzRunway regarding my "outage" enquiry or for that matter much comment from the Forum😈

 

Some companies seem to ignore requests made on their website. Last week I saw that Level Aviation had a Oshkosh special running on the Level Autopilot (includes ADSB) so I looked up the Australian agent Swish Projects in Victoria. I sent them an onsite request for the basic unit plus some accessories. It's now Wednesday with no sign of a response.

[Thruster88]

Here is a handy chart from the government, can you be seen. It contains some errors, not all EFB's are the same. It is disappointing that the SkyEcho2 cannot trigger TCAS, the output viewed on fr24 in my experience seems just as reliable as a full adsb transponder when near a ground station.

 

https://www.casa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-05/ads-b-can-you-be-seen-guide.pdf

[Garfly]

28 minutes ago, Moneybox said:

 

Some companies seem to ignore requests made on their website. Last week I saw that Level Aviation had a Oshkosh special running on the Level Autopilot (includes ADSB) so I looked up the Australian agent Swish Projects in Victoria. I sent them an onsite request for the basic unit plus some accessories. It's now Wednesday with no sign of a response.

In my experience, though, OzRwys Support has always been quick on the uptake, friendly and helpful.

[skippydiesel]

Did I miss the post where someone (many?) else  have had an OzRunways traffic outage??????😈

[Love to fly]

On 30/07/2025 at 3:48 PM, Moneybox said:

 

Some companies seem to ignore requests made on their website. Last week I saw that Level Aviation had a Oshkosh special running on the Level Autopilot (includes ADSB) so I looked up the Australian agent Swish Projects in Victoria. I sent them an onsite request for the basic unit plus some accessories. It's now Wednesday with no sign of a response.

Think the issue would be one person business and he has been in the states for Oshkosh. 

[BurnieM]

3 hours ago, Love to fly said:

Think the issue would be one person business and he has been in the states for Oshkosh. 

I would still expect a reply within 24 hours (Monday to Friday).

Perhaps he has not heard of the internet/mobile phone/ipad ?

 

Edited August 2 by BurnieM

[Moneybox]

4 hours ago, Love to fly said:

Think the issue would be one person business and he has been in the states for Oshkosh. 

 

James Fisher did respond on Thursday with quite a long voice mail. He's able to supply a pretty good package including the iLevel AP for autopilot and ADSB-IN and then a Trig transponder for ADSB-OUT. I'm not too sure how they work the government rebate. It's available for both ADSB-IN and ADSB-OUT however I don't know if you can get both, if so then I need to purchase these items separately (two invoices). There's a $5000 limit but is that per invoice/ADSB? I just paid something over $800 for instrument calibration and that would have to be done again.

 

 

I was counting on filling that spare 90mm hole in the dash however neither one of these comes with and attitude indicator and artificial horizon.

 

 

I was mistaken in thinking the iLevel came with this. It's the Super ECO autopilot that will work with the iLevel but seems like a double up and another $4000 and not eligible for the rebate.

 

 

 

 

[skippydiesel]

While I am all for a bit of thread drift, it would seem that the drift is more like a complete change of topic.

 

Were is the relationship to/ relevance to OzRunways Outage???😈

[Moneybox]

5 minutes ago, skippydiesel said:

While I am all for a bit of thread drift, it would seem that the drift is more like a complete change of topic.

 

Were is the relationship to/ relevance to OzRunways Outage???😈

 

Yeah ok Shippy, I'll accept that. I don't mind if it's deleted but I'm sure my train of thought extended from somewhere related 😇

Edited August 2 by Moneybox

[skippydiesel]

OzRunways have  got back to me - Speculation as to what might have happened - loss of phone signal being the primary one.

 

Doesn't make sense  - I was within line of sight of Sydney, Camden, Penrith, Bringelly, Warragamba Village - as stated, second event of this nature.

 

I would like to hear from Forum members who have experienced something similar😈

[PureCaboose]

Hey Skippy,

 

If you are flying west of Camden over the dam, you are probably in the grey zone of the mobile network. There is not much traffic (other then aircraft) that need to hand off between the towers so there is no 'fast handoff' programmed into the network so when you switch towers there may be an outage as you swap towers. I get the same effect when I fly over Bundanoon and head west. I have been talking to the Mrs on the phone (Hey Honey, I am flying over now) and it drops every time I fly over the same spot.

 

I use AVPLAN-EFB, I have not noticed the internet traffic leaving, but I will look out for it next time I am flying. (doing main gear AD at the moment and the weather is killing me).

 

 

[skippydiesel]

Thanks for that PC - seems I may not be alone after all.

 

Odd that in so many years of using OzRunways, I have no recollections of this happening before (the Warragamba Dam is probably my most usual depart/arrival point  to/ from the West).

 

Cant comment on airborne phone reception - With the Zephyr I could make/receive a call - Sonex cabin noise much higher, no chance of a meaningful phone conversation. Several on ground "dead spots"  around The Oaks/Tahmoor 😈