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Upgrade to IFR

John Owen

Well Known Member
Upgrade to IFR Garmin driving GRT

I am planning to upgrade my VFR RV-7 to bare bones IFR using my GRT HXr and WS EFIS combo. I plan to get a GNC 355 (comm/GPS) to replace my SL-40 and have a great shop to do it for me. My question is whether you think that the WS on the passenger side is adequate for a back up attitude indicator or should go with a dissimilar G5 to replace a mechanical attitude indicator that I have next to the pilot EFIS. With a G5, I wouldn't have a nav connection to the 355 without a lot more expense. It would be attitude, altitude and airspeed but enough for me to keep it right side up if I had an EFIS failure. Although, I could connect my new Aera 760 for lateral nav.

I wouldn't be doing a lot of IFR flying in it but understand that there is no such thing as light IFR. I do the majority of my IFR flying in other aircraft.

Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions.
John
 
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If you have a second AHRS then IMHO the WS would be a sufficient backup. The second screen is great, but if you only have one AHRS than that single AHRS fails will have way too many red Xs on your screens. If your only concern is the location of the WS, fly with a safety pilot in simulated IMC and see if you can fly the plane with only the WS.

Would a GRT mini be a better fit over a G5 for your panel. If may be easier (less expensive) to get nav information to the mini
 
I am planning to upgrade my VFR RV-7 to bare bones IFR using my GRT HXr and WS EFIS combo. I plan to get a GNC 355 (comm/GPS) to replace my SL-40 and have a great shop to do it for me. My question is whether you think that the WS on the passenger side is adequate for a back up attitude indicator or should go with a dissimilar G5 to replace a mechanical attitude indicator that I have next to the pilot EFIS. With a G5, I wouldn't have a nav connection to the 355 without a lot more expense. It would be attitude, altitude and airspeed but enough for me to keep it right side up if I had an EFIS failure. Although, I could connect my new Aera 760 for lateral nav.

I wouldn't be doing a lot of IFR flying in it but understand that there is no such thing as light IFR. I do the majority of my IFR flying in other aircraft.

Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions.
John

Given that you have an HXr, I think you will get more value by adding a GRT Mini. It can serve as PFD backup, or Engine Monitor, or Moving Map. With the two connected, you can easily get "Waypoint Details" for the airport to where you are going. With plates up on the HXr, you don't have to change any settings during critical times in flight as you can get everything on the Mini AND have it drive the GRT autopilot servos if needed.

In the RV8, I have the HXr with two stacked Minis. That way I have common "buttonology" and the ability for the little guys to actually be a full backup to all that the "big guy" does EXCEPT displaying IFR plates. :)

Currently three SX screens in my RV6. Was planning to go to three EX screens. Will now probably change the two SX screens in front of me on the left side to the 10.1 HXr plus Mini(s). This will give me consistency between the two planes and I have this combination to be a good one.

For the record, I have Garmin navigators and radios in both planes, and the RV8 was upgraded from a much older Dyno setup..
 
RV-7

Thanks for all of the input and advice. I took my RV-7 to the avionics shop today and he is a pretty hard core Garmin fan. He believes that the G5 connected to GNC 355 which will be crossfed by/from the Aera 760 will give me the most redundancy. I spent a lot of time looking at the Mini-X and think that would have been a good solution as well.

This is a great community. Thanks, again.
John
 
Having flown IFR with WS screens for many years, I can say they are completely acceptable. There are no arguments above, recomending replacement, that are more than personal preferences. It will do what a Mini will do. They are very adaptable to various navigator inputs as are all GRT units. Get your Garmin fanatic to describe exactly what functions you will be missing by not spending multiple AMU on Garmin. Compare that with a GRT users comments to ensure you get reliable assesment of GRT capability.

My opinion is that it will come down to your own personal preferences. If the display is too low a pixel count for your liking, then an easy upgrade is to an EX since it fits the same hole and same plugs on the back but the screen is on par with the best. Depending on the status of ARINC connections on the WS, you may have to add an ARINC converter to the EX.
 
I have a GRT Hxr as a single display, I decided to add a Garmin G5 as my back up and have been very pleased.
I upgraded my 430 to a 650xi, removed my flight stream 210 and added a 510. Getting rid of the flight stream 210 gave me the open door to have the 650 send info to the G5.
Theoretically, I have two separated systems… on a switch (EFIS / GPS)
A. Where the 650 sends Info to the GRT and Tru track auto pilot
B. Where the 650 sends info to the G5 but not to the Tru Track.
With the iPad sending info flight plans and databases to the 650 it works well.
I also have a GDL for gps and traffic / adsb info to the iPad.
A Skyradar d2 for ADSB and traffic to the GRT.

Overkill? Maybe. This was as close to an integrated system as I could get.
 
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