Sporty’s has introduced Stratus 3, the latest generation of the weather receiver.
Over the last six years, pilots have logged millions of hours with Stratus in everything from antique taildraggers to military fighter jets, using Stratus to make smarter in-flight decisions, according to Sporty’s officials.
The new model includes features such as subscription-free weather, dual band ADS-B traffic, GPS, and backup attitude information, plus additional app options, and a lower price.
Stratus 3 has an introductory price of $699, which is $200 less than Stratus 2S, according to Sporty’s officials.
New features include an automatic shutoff mode that senses the conclusion of a flight, saving battery life.
Another new feature is smart WiFi, which allows pilots to use the iPad’s LTE connection while connected to Stratus 3, ideal for last-minute flight plan changes on the ground.
What’s more, pilots can now hide the Stratus WiFi network or make it password-protected, a critical feature for airline and military pilots, Sporty’s officials noted.
Stratus 3 can also take advantage of some new features from the FAA and ForeFlight. It will receive five new ADS-B products when they start broadcasting later this year, including echo tops, lightning, icing and turbulence forecasts, Center Weather Advisories, and G-AIRMETs.
ADS-B traffic is also better than ever, with a 3D display of nearby targets in ForeFlight’s updated synthetic vision view, added Sporty’s officials.
Stratus 3 was designed to integrate seamlessly with ForeFlight. Complete status information is available right on the moving map page, including ADS-B reception, AHRS performance, and battery status. Plus, Stratus Replay allows ForeFlight users to turn off their iPad screens without missing weather updates. There’s even a built-in flight data recorder that automatically tracks every flight.
Stratus 3 also supports a variety of other aviation apps, both on iOS and Android, using the industry standard GDL 90 protocol. This allows other apps to display weather, traffic, GPS position, and attitude from Stratus 3.
With the introductory price of $699, Stratus 3 comes with a dash mount, charging cable, wall outlet charging plug, and Stratus Pilot Guide.