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Simplest/Smallest/Lightest VFR Glass Panel setup?

E

Echo Tango

Well Known Member
Haven't posted in a while. I'm building an RV7 right now but have stalled construction for a bit while I save up for a wing kit. In the meantime, I have been having some discussions with my father about panel setups in his homebuilt, which is much smaller than an RV (hummelbird).

The aircraft has quite a small panel and we were talking about ways to save weight and space in the A/C; weight savings to offset an alternator and BATT and space to possibly add more fuel as the tank is between the firewall and the panel.

It seems like glass is becoming easier to afford, more compact, and lighter than the first incarnations so we started discussing the practicality of putting a small screen PFD and one or two backup instruments onboard. I figure some folks on here are very minimalist at heart and might have some experience with such a challenge.

The goals are as follows: most compact, efficient basic VFR flight with GPS, Radio, for Day/Night VFR with an EMS. I would describe efficiency as a meeting of quality, price, utility, and small physical dimensions & weight

Some of the products I've been looking at are the TruTrak Gemini PFD
11-10776.jpg

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/geminipfd.php?clickkey=6467
Has a sensitive alt, airspeed, velocity vector attitude indicator, bank angle, slip/skid indicator/DG/VSI


Panel Radio (not cheap but very compact) MGL V10
11-07817.jpg

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/v10com.php


Engine Monitor
11-05578.jpg

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pages/av/ems_mgl/1105578.php


Haven't found much in the way of GPS. Wonder if it would be simpler to just use an iPad mini or something like that :p
 
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forgot to mention: flight would be mostly in michigan's upper peninsula so ATC wouldn't be huge but the local airport is towered. it looks like transponders would be a prohibitive technology as they all appear to be fairly large in size and fairly heavy in comparison with the shrinking size of instruments, nav, and comm
 
I'm flying with an MGL Xtreme EMS + EFIS. It took some fiddling and calls with MGL to get things dialed in but it is compact and all the info you'd need. It didn't take long to get use to the information.

As for a radio, you may want to look at the MGL V6. It's a bit smaller but the big advantage is that it has knobs. I have the V10 and wish I had the V6.
 
portables

I would consider a handheld radio. For GPS, take a real hard look at the iFly 720. Its an absolutely fantastic unit and the price is very attractive, especially when you figure in database subscriptions.

The only problem I have with the iFly is that it doesn't have an internal battery. So, you'll either need to hard wire power, pick up an external battery, or both.
 
Transponder

Hi Echo,

The Trig TT21 at Aircraft Spruce says it is the smallest mode S transponder made. 500 grams. Here is a link.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/trigtt21.php I did not see any reviews, and have no experience with them.

These guys claim to have the smallest radio around. Looks like they came out of the glider and trike community. It has a 6 watt carrier with a 20 watt PEP, dunno how far you will hear it. They also have a little intercom system if he wants that. http://www.xcomavionics.com/index.html

Good luck with the project.

Geoff

VAF 2012 member
 
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V10 vs V6

Ditto the comments on using MGL's V6. My panel is has an MGL Enigma and the V-10. The "push button" frequency and volume adjustments on the radio are slow especially when you have to chose a ._25, ._50, ._75 frequency. The volume button doubles as the "squelch" control. Just a little more cumbersome than it needs to be. Probably why MGL came out with the V6, the rotary knobs are easier to use.

Sound quality is superb once you get the VOX/VOGAD settings dialed in.

Dave
RV-6
Finally in Phase II, the leash is off.
 
mchargmg said:
Hi Echo,

The Trig TT21 at Aircraft Spruce says it is the smallest mode S transponder made. 500 grams. Here is a link.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/trigtt21.php I did not see any reviews, and have no experience with them.
Click to expand...

The folks at Trig loaned the RV-1 project a unit last year for the International Tour, and it worked like a champ - very lightweight and compact, and it never needed maintenance. Don't try to steal it out of the Oshkosh museum - the transponder went back to Trig after the airplane was turned over to the EAA.
 
Many of the popular EFIS vendors have small screens (7"-8") and a variety of remotely mounted peripherals.

I have a Gemini PFD and love it. However, I use it as a backup device. I'm not sure that many of us have eyesight that would enjoy using a 3" device as a primary EFIS display.

A RV-7 has plenty of room for a smaller EFIS screen on the panel. Especially when you can have COMM and TXPNDR mounted remotely. You can get get rid of all the breakers with a VP/X. There are plenty of options out there and many different price points.

The newer generations of EFIS are all significantly lighter than those of just a couple years ago. I know that AFS almost cut the depth of their units in half. I suspect that the others with products released this year have the same advantage. I just don't keep up much anymore once I made my purchase decision.

I guess the point of my rambling, is that the Gemini is a great unit. For my preference, it's just too small for a primary EFIS. If you are comfortable with the size, that's all that really matters until you attempt to sell the plane. Your buyers may see that the size is a negative.
 
FL-760 radio

I just installed a Flightline FL-760 radio in my RV-4. Fits in a 2.250 instrument hole, weighs darn near nothing, has built in intercom..It is working great for me, and just as clear as any other radio I have used. Its non-TSO, and runs about $700.00. You cant get much cheaper for a brand new radio.
 
Sig600 said:
D1 is GPS derived... need a pitot/static source for airspeed.

Make it a D6. That'll be one cheap/light panel!
Click to expand...

Or, how about something like this?

Digital-Anemometer-AR836-anemometers-font-b-Air-b-font-Flow-Wind-font-b-Speed-b-font.jpg


Or, going away from the "requested" glass, how about going old school??

136_3632.jpg
 
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