Frequently Asked Questions
Who should consider the ClearNav?
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Developing cross-country pilots - The improved situational
awareness provided by ClearNav will help beginning and
intermediate cross-country pilots develop their skills
more quickly and confidently, and get more out of each
flight.
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Contest pilots - Big improvements in task optimization
and tactical guidance (especially for Area tasks) will
appeal to contest pilots at all levels. Greatly enhanced
visual and audible SUA alarms will make 1,000 point penalties
a thing of the past.
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Ridge and mountain pilots - ClearNav is the first instrument
to do a thorough job of showing how both terrain and wind
affect the areas a glider can reach.
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OLC pilots - Look for task optimization and a streamlined
flight submission process.
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Pilots who must cope with problem airspace - Better
depiction of problem airspace and configurable monitoring
of close approaches will give pilots much better tools
for flying close to airspace while staying legal and safe.
Why not a touch screen?
Graphic displays often use a touch screen for user input;
the ClearNav doesn’t. There are two important reasons
for this:
-
Visibility – Adding a touch-sensitive layer to
a screen reduces its brightness, an unacceptable compromise
for an instrument whose most important goal was an uncommonly
bright and clear display.
-
Ease of use – On a desk or in the palm of your
hand, a touch screen is very easy to use; in a glider
cockpit, it is much less so: The display may not be located
at a convenient distance for touching; the pilot’s
right hand is busy on the stick; turbulence and g-forces
often make accurate screen-touching difficult and time-consuming.
Our research showed that a properly designed remote keypad
was superior to a touch screen, and pilots who use the ClearNav
report that controlling it is quick and intuitive. One ClearNav
beta tester even described the ClearNav remote as “genius.”
Why not a wireless remote?
This is relatively easy to do, but has critical disadvantages:
For these reasons, we decided that a wired remote is a better
choice for a gliding instrument.
Does NK offer a variometer?
Not yet—this is planned for 2009. It will be designed
to integrate with the ClearNav and maximize the benefits of
both instruments and will also reflect the variometer expertise
of NK’s development team.
Can I install the ClearNav myself?
Definitely. We have put a great deal of thought into designing
installation options that accommodate every glider and panel
configuration. No special tools are needed, and the wiring
nexus board makes installation easier than for almost any
other gliding instrument.
How do I download a flight log from ClearNav?
You simply transfer the secure flight record, already encrypted
by ClearNav’s advanced security functions, to either
an SD card or a USB memory stick. No cables, protocols or
waiting are required.
How do I update ClearNav maps or turnpoint data?
By means of the SD flash card or USB memory stick. Terrain,
map and turnpoint information will be available on-line, via
the NK website and other established and well-regarded data
sources. Using your PC, you’ll download the information
and transfer it to your SD card or USB memory stick. The ClearNav
takes care of transferring the files when you load the card
or stick, and you’re ready to fly with the latest data.
At soaring contests, last-minute turnpoint changes can be
a nuisance. With ClearNav, you simply put the latest turnpoint
file on your SD card or USB stick, and it will supersede the
outdated data as soon as it is plugged into your ClearNav.
What if more than one pilot wants to fly a glider
equipped with ClearNav?
Not a problem. ClearNav uses “personality” files,
in which a pilot’s preferences (for units, display configuration,
and many other things) are stored. When ClearNav starts up,
you will choose the desired personality. Your ClearNav can
store as many of these as necessary—it would be no trouble
to support a dozen different pilots.
Does ClearNav include a PC-base configuration application
or flight simulator?
You can experiment with all ClearNav functions while on
the ground or at home simply by connecting the ClearNav to
a standard glider battery. The ClearNav software is also PC
compatible and can be run in simulation mode and operated
using a standard keyboard. (The remote keys are mapped to
the keyboard in this application, and the size of the ClearNav
window will be controlled by the resolution of your monitor.)
We will also offer a simple configuration utility which will
allow you to speed creation of your pilot profile by using
your computer and keyboard and transferring the profile to
your ClearNav.
Does ClearNavigator include thermal centering or
airmass history?
While these features will not be offered at release, we
will continually be assessing the addition of requested software
features. Our goal will be to include features that are desired
by the majority of our customers and can be added without
compromising usability and visibility. Software updates will
be easy to install via download from NK’s website using
the SD card or USB memory stick. All software updates will
be free for one year. After one year, bug fixes and updates
will be free, but version upgrades will be sold for a reasonable
charge.
Does the ClearNav display speed-to-fly?
We will be adding vario-based display features as we develop
our own variometer. At release, the ClearNav will be compatible
with the Cambridge 302 (and will facilitate download of flight
records from the 302). We are not presently planning to duplicate
items displayed on the 302, but are open to suggestions from
our users.
Is ClearNav compatible with FLARM?
Yes. The ClearNav will accept input from a FLARM unit, and
will clearly display the location.
Will there be charges for software updates?
Bug fixes and minor updates will be distributed free of
charge via the internet. Version upgrades will be free of
charge for a minimum of one year and will be reasonably priced
thereafter.
Can I run other soaring software packages on the
ClearNav?
The ClearNavigator application is custom-designed to work
with the ClearNav remote-control based user interface and
to maximize the benefits of the large bright display. As computer
users well know, with a system comprised of software made
by one party and hardware by another, the source of a system
problem can be a mystery, making it difficult to obtain support.
For this reason, NK has invested significant resources into
creating our own top-notch soaring software application and
will be committed to providing excellent documentation and
support as well as upgrades and improvements driven by user
demand. At present, NK is not seeking to open the ClearNav
platform to other applications, but we will be open to discussion
with our customers and other software authors.
What warranty will be provided?
The ClearNav will be covered by a full Two-Year parts and
labor warranty, with factory service available for the life
of the product.
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