IFR -low budget safety questions

I have an RV6-A that I have flown VFR for 300 hrs since I bought it flying two years ago. Current setup is Garmin 396 with weather; Garmin 240 audio panel; Icom A200 radio and Garmin Transponder. Dynon D10A replaces turn & bank in the six pack.

Adding Dynon autopilot servos and AP74 to go with the D10A

Adding Garmin 430 with WAAS upgrade & terrain bought on ebay. Swapped with G430W in a friend's RV momemtarily and it works fine.
Question: No antenna was provided with the unit. I can get the GA56 antenna free from a friend. GA35 WAAS antenna is expensive. I know of some pilots out there that did not change the antenna during a WAAS upgrade and the units work fine. So can I use the GA56 antenna on a WAAS approach. Any possible problems, FAA etc. inspections etc. safety issues?

Question 2: I am adding a VAL 429 CDI . A. it has its own nav radio built in and will run off the 430W or the 430 nav radio. Also there is no needle to stick as I have had this issue in another plane.B. Marker beacon is included as there is none in the Garmin 240 audio panel.
Does anyone out there have the VAL 429 and are they happy with it? Any problems with one?

Question 3: Do I have to add a heated pitot tube for IFR? I get airspeed; verticle speed and altitude on the D10A electronicallyso is the heated pitot required or just smart to have in this case?

Question 4: The VAL 429 is going into the directional gyro hole. The DG that is already there is not reliable anyway plus I got heading on the D10A and groundtrack on the 430W and 396. Do I really need the DG?

I can use the existing panel to do what I have described, but if I am overlooking somethiing need addition stuff etc. then it will require a new panel.

All comments and advise would be appreciated.

John Morgan

Partial Answer

John:
Regarding the Val429, I have one in my 9A and that, along with a 396 for "situational awareness", is the sum total of my IFR 'Lite" setup. Neat thing about the Val is that in addition to serving as a remote display for your 430, it has capability of holding two frequencies as well as reverse sensing for back course work. Works great as a stand alone unit or as a display/backup as you intend to use it. What I don't know is if it will receive the marker beacons if the input is coming from the 430. Also, the Val audio should be wired thru your selector panel if you're going to rely on it for audio identification.
As far as relying only on the Dynon for heading, that's OK, as you've got some backup. The shortfall may be in not have a turn coordinator, at the very least. Personally, without an AI, my first look is at the TC, rather than the compass. Another instrument you might consider is a TruTrak ADI. This will not only give you heading and attitude, but can also serve as a TC and a VSI - and it can be backed up by an independent battery.
Looks like you've got a good plan.
Terry, CFI
RV-9A N323TP

Hi John,

I've inserted my comments into your original note below and highlighted my comments in blue. No flames intended, but if you bought a 430W on Ebay, it should have had the antenna included (there would be no reason it wouldn't have one)...are you entirely sure it's a WAAS unit? I agree the WAAS antennas can be expensive, but so is a 430W unit itself. Also people doing upgrades without installing the new antenna have done themseleves a disservice and ended with a non legal and underperforming unit. Why wouldn't someone change the antenna when they did the upgrade?

Just my 2 cents and curiosity. Overall your approach is a good approach just don't be pennywise when doing it.

Cheers,
Stein

morganjp said:

Adding Garmin 430 with WAAS upgrade & terrain bought on ebay. Swapped with G430W in a friend's RV momemtarily and it works fine.
Question: No antenna was provided with the unit. I can get the GA56 antenna free from a friend. GA35 WAAS antenna is expensive. I know of some pilots out there that did not change the antenna during a WAAS upgrade and the units work fine. This shouldn't have happened, because during the upgrade each person was provided with a new antenna included at no additional charge. Also, it's a DIFFERENT antenna. So can I use the GA56 antenna on a WAAS approach. NO it's incorrect both technically and legallyAny possible problems, FAA etc. inspections etc. safety issues? YES You need to get the WAAS antenna and appropriate coax installed with it for it to both work correctly and to be legal, if it's not installed per technical requirements then it's not installed as a functional unit and won't work correctly!

Question 2: I am adding a VAL 429 CDI . A. it has its own nav radio built in and will run off the 430W or the 430 nav radio. Also there is no needle to stick as I have had this issue in another plane.B. Marker beacon is included as there is none in the Garmin 240 audio panel.
Does anyone out there have the VAL 429 and are they happy with it? Any problems with one? Quite a few people flying behind them are plenty happy. Not much bad to say about it.
Question 3: Do I have to add a heated pitot tube for IFR? NO, but must and should are two different things. I get airspeed; verticle speed and altitude on the D10A electronicallyso is the heated pitot required or just smart to have in this case? Required no, smart yes (disclaimer, not all countries are the same).Question 4: The VAL 429 is going into the directional gyro hole. The DG that is already there is not reliable anyway plus I got heading on the D10A and groundtrack on the 430W and 396. Do I really need the DG? Nope, you're good to go.
I can use the existing panel to do what I have described, but if I am overlooking somethiing need addition stuff etc. then it will require a new panel.

All comments and advise would be appreciated.

John Morgan

Click to expand...

Stein;

Thanks for the input. Yes I am sure it is a WAAS unit cause it says Garmin 430W when the unit powers up. The reason for no antenna is that it came out of a 182 that got totalled when it was flipped in a windstorm or at least that is what I was told. So that would have wrecked the antenna.

I also appreciate the VAL 429 endorsement. Do you know if I get marker beacon tone when tied to one of the aux inputs on the Garmin 240 when I am using the Nav radio in the garmin 430?

Any other thoughts about what to do from you or orthes is appreciated.

John Morgan

I'm going to have to agree with Stein - if you don't have the appropriate antenna and wiring then you do not have a "legal" IFR-certified GPS on board. Might as well go with a 696 in that case.

I'm really not sure how a GPS antenna would get totaled in a flip - they are flat little things that fit tight to the skin - not much can get damaged. If you've bought a 430W, the antenna is not that much greater cost to make your airplane IFR legal.

Paul

.......... and get a heated pitot from Dynon.

Cheap as chips and they work REALLY well.

As Stein points out....legally required in some places. Strangely down here in Oz where it is required we get a lot less Ice than you guys

DB

heated pitot

As they say,, my 2 cents worth,,

This past December while my daughter and I were flying to Phoenix Deer Valley (KDVT) from Kansas, I was IFR, in IMC and got into unexpected ice in my 7a. I do not have a heated pitot in my 7a (heated pitot in my RV10) and it will totally FREAK you out, possibly fill one's shorts and certainly you will wish at that second when you lose you airspeed, while in IMC and climbimg that you HAD INSTALLED a heated pitot!

My recommendations, get a heated pitot, the proper antenna AND equipment BEFORE you get your butt in a tight place and WISH you had it.

Live Long and Prosper.

Kenny Gene
294TC RV7a AWC 9-70; 620 hrs (for sale)
484TC RV 10 AWC 10-10; 30 hrs.

morganjp said:

I get airspeed; verticle speed and altitude on the D10A electronically

Click to expand...

Do you have pitot-static lines plumbed to the D10A? The D10A might be able to display as/vs/alt from gps data, but you wouldn't want to fly ifr reliant on that. I'd think that's not a legal substitution.

Thanks,

Don

The D10A requires PITOT and STATIC sources. The ASI/VSI/ALT require these variables to work. The attitude solution also requires PITOT info but does have a GPS backup mode.

heated pitot

and it will totally FREAK you out[/QUOTE said:

I hope you don't freaked out by watching your airspeed go to "0" when all of the other parameters indicate otherwise, like groundspeed, engine performance, altimeter, etc., because somebody's got to fly the airplane.

It's happened to me a half a dozen times in the last 30 years in IMC and VMC conditions.

Last weekend, moisture from ovenight rain froze in the pitot tube as I climbed out VMC. Removing the tube at the destination and warming it up in my flight bag was enough to melt the ice in it. After reinstalling it, the flight home was normal. I plan to be more diligent using a pitot tube cover.

Last summer, after taking off from a grass strip adjacent to a corn field, the airspeed slowly went to "0" as I climbed. After landing, the tube appeared to be blocked by a particle from tassling corn. Having pitot heat wouldn't have helped in that situation.

My 3 or 4 pitot tube freezing events while in IMC have been similarly inconsequential.

Over the past 5 years, I've flown my minimally IFR equipped RV-7A, summer and winter, all over the upper midwest and as far east as New York with Van's standard stainless steel pitot tube. It works fine. I'd consider getting a heated pitot tube if I could find a good price and time to install it, but it's not a necessity. Just learn to deal with the consequences of not having one.

Mike

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I would not consider flying IFR without a heated pitot tube.

Two Problems with Ice in the Pitot

First, Ryan is correct. Very bad idea to fly IMC without a heated pitot. While I see that a number of posters have experienced pitot ice, the cause of the airspeed indicator dropping to zero is from the pilot drain hole (if you've got one) remaining open or could also be from a leak in the system. If the drain gets iced and the system has no leaks, you're not going to see much movement in your airspeed indicator-it's locked except for changes in static. So you're flying an approach, the airframe is carrying a little ice, and you notice your indicating 145 knots at reduced power. Your brain says reduce power further and perhaps even pitch up a little to kill "speed". Bad idea.
Make sure your turn on the heat BEFORE you enter IMC.
Terry, CFI
RV-9A N323TP

Thanks for all the input. Sounds like the heated pitot and correct antenna and cable will cover me for IFR.

1)IFR
2)low budget
3)safety

Pick two...