Digifly Flyer

Getting Started

Make sure you've got batteries in the unit. It takes 2 x AA alkaline batteries, and you need a small cross-head screwdriver to open the battery compartment. Digifly warn that inserting the batteries the wrong way round may break the instrument.

When changing the batteries, try not to leave it without batteries for more than a minute. If you disconnect the batteries for longer than this it may lose the data for time, settings and flight logs.

Turn it on by holding down the button (labelled 'on/off') for 5 seconds.

The unit will make a happy sound and start up.

During startup a screen like this will appear for a few seconds:

This screen shows:

• The serial number of the unit (in this case 7.123). This is set at the factory and is unique to each instrument.
• The software version (in this case 7.1). It is possible to upgrade the software during the lifetime of the instrument.
• Scrolling text with the name of the instrument (always 'FLYER') followed by 7 programmable characters. You need a special gadget to set the programmable characters. You can make your own, or ask the importer to do it for you, perhaps during a software upgrade.

Noises

If the settings are as per the defaults as it left the factory, your unit is now ready to use. It will make happy noises when you go up, and sad noises when you go down, and if that is all you want then you're ready to fly.

Mounting the unit

The Flyer comes as standard with a leg strap. The strap has a backing plate that affixes to the back of the vario with a sticklebrick type of arrangement – squeeze it on hard and it seems to stay attached. If you have a flying suit with built-in loops for a vario strap (like belt loops but just above the knee), then the leg strap can work well. If not then you either have to tighten the strap so that it risks cutting off the circulation to the lower leg, or live with the likelihood of it falling to your ankles just as you're doing the big run to the edge of the hill.

You can buy an after-market cordura pouch for the Flyer, which then allows it to be fixed to the chest strap of your paragliding harness. This seems to work well for most people. My opinion of the various brands is as follows:

• The official Digifly pouch is the most expensive of the bunch but does the job. It has a couple of annoying elastic flaps for access to the connectors on the side (as if...). These flaps are best sewn up because the velcro holding them down doesn't always do what it should, in my experience.
• The Gin pouch. I tried one but returned it because it obscured the top line of the display.
• The Supair pouch. Said to be the much the same as the Digifly one but cheaper, but I've not tried one out.

Digifly say that putting the vario right next to the antenna of your 2m transceiver with afterburner can do weird things to it, so when thinking about where to site the vario, maintain a few cm clearance from any personal transmitting devices.

Turning off

Turn it off by holding down the button (labelled 'on/off') for 5 seconds. The unit makes a sad noise and switches off.