LX Navigation Helios Variometer

LX Navigation Helios

General Description

LX Navigation Helios Variometer is “all–in one” standalone speed to fly variometer, final glide calculator and simple navigation system with internal backup battery, audio warnings and vario beeps. The unit has Flarm input to connect Flarm units to the system. It is the smallest vario system with outline dimensions of 60mm x 60mm with standard 57mm cut–out. It will fit into every glider panel. LX Helios has built in high precision digital sensors based on latest MEMS technology for altitude, vario and G–force. All sensors are sampled with more than 100Hz sample rate. All real time data is shown on its indicator. Vario data is shown with mechanical needle via stepper motor. As integral part it has 1.8″ sunshine readable LCD display to show all user defined data during flight. For accessing all system options, a rotary switch with a push button is used. A doubleseater installation is possible by adding LX Helios Repeater on system CAN bus. For backup and safety reason, it has internal battery, which will work for about three hours after main power supply is disconnected. Integral charger will charge up backup battery when external power supply is connected (12V).

Classic vario scale – Helios comes with a classic analogue variometer scale.

Clear interface & legible data – Composed with great amount of functionalities, It’s user interface stays very legible and easy to use.

One multifunctional rotary knob – On the left hand side of the Helios is a single rotary knob that allows you to scroll or push-press through the system.

Standalone or with Zeus – Helios can be used in two different configurations, as Standalone all in one vario unit or in pair with Zeus navigation unit.

Internal backup battery – The unit has a built in rechargeable battery that serves for up to three hours of autonomy.

The smallest vario – Device measures only 60 mm x 60 mm x 75 mm and can be fitted in every glider instrument panel.

LX Navigation Helios is a special order item and may take up to four weeks for delivery.

Why LX Navigation?

LX Navigation is one of the oldest glider navigation brands. Its founders started experimenting with glider computers way back in the 70's and the Company has been working on improving your flight performance ever since.

Throughout the last 40 years or so it has been working on instruments that most pilots will have used at some time. In fact our equipment can be found in almost any gliding club!

LX Navigation equipment has always been ground–breaking.

LX Navigation motto?

Be the first. Be the best. Be different.

Features

• Extremely bright direct sunlight readable display
• Integrated G–meter (g–forces recorder)
• 3–axis gyroscope
• 3–axis accelerometers
• Completely new design using latest pressure transducers technology
• Extremely fast vario data acquisition
• Rotary knob with push function, for simple and effective handling
• OAT probe input (outside air temperature)
• OAT sensor is not included in basic set
• Internal beeper (for Flarm warnings…)
• Flarm port (input of Flarm data)
• CAN Bus, for connection to other devices
• External SD Card interface, for firmware updates
• Standard 57 mm size, the smallest vario ever built
• Built in rechargeable battery serves for up to three hours of autonomy
• Charging of battery is realized via main power
• Pre–loaded polar database

Functions

• Variometer • Speed–to–fly function
• Final glide calculator based on external GPS data
• Simple navigation to Home (take–off location)
• Flarm radar screen
• Thermal assistant screen
• System extensions: Second seat configuration, Remote control operation (LX Joy)
• Logbook
• Flight information with Barograph
• Altitude warning

Compare and Decide

 
Eos 57
Eos 80
Era 57
Era 80
Helios
Vario Indicator
Analog
Analog
Digital
Digital
Analog
Size
60x60
x95mm
82x82
x52mm
62x62
x52mm
82x82
x52mm
82x82
x52mm
Display
1.8″
2.7″
2.5″
3.5″
1.8″
Battery
Up to 3h
Up to 3h
Up to 3h
Up to 3h
Up to 3h
IGC Flight Recorder
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
MOP Sensor
Optional
Optional
Optional
Optional
No
AHRS
Optional
Optional
Optional
Optional
Optional
Bluetooth
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
WiFi
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
AIRPORT Navigation
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
TASK Navigation
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
TURNPOINT Navigation
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
AIRSPACE Support
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
PNA/PDA connectivity
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
FLARM input
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Optional

Structure of Main Pages

To switch between main pages use left/right rotation of rotary switch. Complete structure of main pages is seen bellow.

LX Navigation Helios Variometer Structure of Main Pages

* Only when any external GPS source is connected to LX Helios
** Only when Flarm is connected to LX Helios.

Vario Page

Vario page is most commonly used page while flying. On this page many basic information can be found.

LX Navigation Helios Vario Page

On top and bottom different values are shown. For list of all available options please refer to Setup/Indicators section.

In middle row different status icons are shown:
Main battery indicator (outline of symbol is white):
3 green bars – more than 12.0V.
2 yellow bars – more than 10.8V
1 red bar – less than 10.8V.
Backup battery indicator (outline of symbol is red):
3 green bars – more than 80% left.
2 yellow bars – between 20% and 80% left.
1 red bar – less than 20% left.

Thermal icon:
Circle with arrow – thermal mode

GPS status:
Green arrow – GPS ok (3D)
Red arrow – GPS bad.

Flarm icon:

Is visible when Flarm is detected on system

Yellow arch shows vario average

Wind indicator and ground speed are displayed under status icons.

Above wind indicator there is needle indication:
• Var–Vario
With press on enter button, pilot can change volume, MC, ballast and bugs values. To exit from sub option, press enter until it disappears or wait for 2s and vario page will be active again. To change any of the values above use rotary switch.








Thermal Assist Page

This page is seen only when any GPS source is connected to Flarm port at BR19200.

LX Navigation Helios Thermal Assist Pag

Thermal assistant page can assist pilot when thermaling to get better sense how thermal looks like. Thermal is presented with use of different colored dots.

Default color scheme:
White colored dots shows maximum climb detected in last turn.
Width of dot represents strength of climb/sink.
Red dots represents climb.
Blue dots represents sink.

MC color scheme:
White colored dots shows maximum climb detected in last turn.
Width of dot represents strength of climb.
Red dots represents climb which is stronger than 1.2*MC setting.
Yellow dots represents climb in range of 0.8*MC and 1.2*MC setting.
Blue dots represents climb less than 0.8*MC setting.

If MC setting is less than 0.5m/s, default color scheme is used!

In the middle, wind indicator is shown as a green arrow with numerical indication for direction and speed. Wind arrow is track up orientated.
Other marks on this page:
• Avg: Integrator value of vario.
• M: Maximum value in thermal – white dot.

Upper and lower navboxes are configurable in TA Setup:
• TAvg : Average of thermal from start of circling until “now”.
• Gain: Altitude gain from start of circling until “now”.
• Alt: current QNH altitude
• Netto: netto vario

To access TA setup, press enter on this page.

Auto TA: It is possible to enable automatic switch to thermal assistant from any other page when circling is detected.

Max. beep: Position of max thermal (white dot) can be reported as a beep. If thermal beep is enabled, LX Eos will generate beep always when you are at position of maximum climb (white dot).

Beep offset: Maximum thermal is announced with beep sound if max beep is enabled. Set beep offset in second here. Beep will be generated before you reached maximum thermal.

LX navigation Helios price varies depending on selection.
Use above dropdown box for selection and final price.

Documents

• LX Navigation Helios User Manual LX Navigation Helios User Manual

Technical Data

The LX Helios unit is a 57 mm sized all in one vario – final glide calculator to home position, Flarm display, basic navigation etc… with one rotary switch with push button for all operations.

   
Dimensions 60mm x 60mm x 61mm
Weight .44 lbs 200 grams
Input 9.0 – 20 .0 VDC
Average Current 140 milliamps @ 12 VDC
LX Navigation Helios Variometer

Flarm Radar Page

Page is active only when Flarm is connected to LX Helios with BR19200!

LX Navigation Helios Flarm Radar Page

The graphic display is divided into 2 or 3 circles (depends on zoom setting). Last circle represents zoom distance. The white glider symbol is always positioned in the middle of the screen and shows the current position of the plane.
Near gliders are displayed as yellow. All gliders located in radio range will be shown simultaneously on the display.
ADSB object detected will be shown as green triangle pointing to its tracking direction.
Non directional object are represented as red circle, which represents relative distance from plane.
On the right the selected zoom is displayed. In top right corner vario information of selected Flarm object is shown and on bottom right corner its relative altitude compared to your plane is displayed.

The graphic display orientation is always track up. To improve orientation, N, E, W and S are added to the display.
Note! Gliders presented as a dot on the screen, are gliders where pilots have intentionally activated the PRIVACY mode on their Flarm unit. Gliders in privacy mode send limited data strings and can’t be visualized completely. However, all warnings will appear regardless of privacy mode.
To access Flarm radar option, press enter on this page.

Configuration with LX Joy:
When LX Joy is connected, up/down keys will change zoom settings on Flarm radar page.

Flarm Select

LX Navigation Flarm Select

To select new Flarm object, press enter on Flarm radar page and use “Select” option. Yellow “SEL” string will be visible under zoom information, indicating that you are in selection mode.
Yellow line will point to selected Flarm object and it will be in yellow circle. Use rotary switch to select new one.
Pressing enter will finish select option and Flarm radar will be active again.



Flarm Info

LX Navigation Helios Flarm Info

To get more information about selected Flarm object press enter on Flarm radar page and use Info option.








Flarm Warning

"LX Navigation Helios Flarm Warning

When flarm warning is detected, Eos will show Flarm warning page with direction, bove/bellow indicator and numerical information for distance and relative altitude.

If Flarm warning is enabled, this page will override any Eos menu / page.
If Flarm warning flag is disabled, then this page will be seen only on Flarm radar page.



TP Navigation Page

This page is seen only when any GPS source is connected to Flarm port at BR19200. This page can be used for simple navigation to Home position (take-off coordinates and elevation).

LX Navigation Helios TP Navigation Page

On the top of this page pilot can find name of navigated TP. Under the name, final glide (FG) information to the selected point is visible. Final glide uses reserve altitude in end result. Navbox–es shows track (TRK), bearing (BRG) and distance (DIST) to the selected point.
Under the plane, steering symbol information will give pilot information for how many degrees (°) does he need to correct his track to fly directly to the point.

Configuration with LX Joy: When LX Joy is connected to, up/down keys will change zoom settings on TP page.


G–Force Page

"LX Navigation Helios G-Force Page

During the flight red dot of G–force page is showing current detected G–force. On right top and bottom corners, minimal and maximal detected G–force during the flight are displayed. This values can be cleared anytime during the flight in G–FORCE menu. In the middle, current G–force value is displayed. Range setting is presented with small text on top of G–force scale (example is showing 3G range). This range can also be set in G–FORCE menu.

To enter G–FORCE menu, press enter on G–force page.

• Set range of G–force scale.
• Clear min/max values to 1.0G.

Configuration with LX Joy:
When LX Joy is connected to LX Helios, up/down keys will change G–Force range.






GPS Info Page

Basic GPS information is shown here.

• Status: 3D/6 – 3D GPS, 6 satellites found.
• Status: Last fix/0 – currently no satellites are found, last know location is displayed as Lat, Lon.
• Lat: N or W – latitude, north or west.
• Lon: E or S – longitude, east or south.
• Time: only UTC time.
• Date: current date

Logbook Page

LX Navigation Helios Logbook Page

On the ground (flight recorder is not running) logbook can be accessed by pressing enter on logbook page.









Last 50 flights are listed. Any older flights will be erased from logbook list








Statistic Page

LX Navigation Helios Statistic Page

During flight, statistic of the flight is shown on statistic page. Take–off and duration time are displayed on top with baro altitude graph for last hour at the bottom.
Pressing enter on this page, will offer the pilot an option, to end flight immediately on demand.






If “Yes” option is selected, flight will finish immediately. Selecting “No” will do nothing and statistic page will be visible again







Polar

LX Navigation Helios Polar

Nearly all gliders polars are stored in the LX Helios memory. It is also possible to create a user defined polar.
Not editable data is colored blue.




It is always possible to edit empty weight of the glider.









To create customs polar find “USER” in first line. When “USER” is selected all polar data will turn to white so the pilot can edit them.







Warnings

Warnings are used to inform pilot that some flight related data is outside margins. When warning state is detected by LX Helios, pilot will get red warning message box with description of what is outside margins.

"LX Navigation Helios Warnings

Altitude warning: warning when flying over selected altitude

Pilot can enable (box is checked) Flarm warnings.
– Flarm: Flarm warning screen will be shown on any page if collision is detected by Flarm unit connected to LX Helios. If disabled, Flarm warning will be seen only on Flarm radar page.





Installation of the Unit

LX Helios fits in standard 57mm hole in instrumental panel so no extra cut out is required. To fit LX Helios in instrumental panel unscrew three mounting screws (black) with a screwdriver and knob of rotary switch. To remove the knob do not use force. Remove the press–in cover first to get to the screw. After unscrewing the screw pull off the knob. Place the LX Helios in the hole in instrumental panel and first screw in the three black screws and then put back the knob on the rotary switch. Don’t forget to screw the knob in place and put the press–in cover back on.

LX Navigation
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