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What would you do? GPS Upgrade Options

PittsCondor

PittsCondor

Well Known Member
I'm in the process of installing a GRT Dual EFIS HX system I recently purchased used with a DigiFlight IIVS autopilot. I had recently installed a Garmin 796 with and Air Gizmo panel mount. Now I have my entire panel out am redoing it. The 796 was the only GPS I had but now I have the GRT Raim GPS. I'm considering selling the 796 and buying the new Garmin GTN175. This would make me IFR legal. Was also thinking about moving my IPAD to the center of the panel since I would free up the space where the 796 would have gone.

Would you keep the 796 and put off buying the 175?
Keep the 796 and add the GTN175?
Sell the 796 and buy the 175?
Move the IPAD to the middle of the stack in place of the 796?

Will the 175 interface with GRT and the DigiFlight II?
Will ForeFlight upload flight plans to the 175 or GRT?

Any and all opinions welcome.

Thanks,
 
This past summer I puase the 175 and sold my 795. Glad I did it. I also upgrade my autopilot from the Digiflight II SV to the Vizion 385. Added some other stuff and am happy with everything I did. I have a 9
 
The answer to the expensive question is easy. Do you want to fly IFR? If yes, install a 175. If no, save your money.
 
+1 for what Bob said.

In addition, I would not mount the ipad on the panel. I fly with an ipad using Foreflight. It is a good tool to be used as a backup for navigation but I would never consider it a primary instrument for flight. Primarily because it is difficult to read in direct sunlight. Secondarily, because it is not reliable. It is prone to overheating. It has propensities of glitching out when you least expect it. It is one thing to have it do this in VFR. If thinking of using it in IFR, well, not a good idea.

I tend to want primary flight instruments in front of me on the panel. The ipad is not one of them. I have the ipad mounted on a RAM ball mount on the passenger side gusset on the longeron. It is facing the pilot but does not interfere with any of the flight instruments on the panel. From this position it is easily accessible by the pilot. It also, is rarely, if ever, in direct sunlight so is easily readable there.

My .02.
 
Autopilot upgrade?

Did you change the autopilot control unit only or did the servos require and upgrade or software update too?



ALagonia said:
This past summer I puase the 175 and sold my 795. Glad I did it. I also upgrade my autopilot from the Digiflight II SV to the Vizion 385. Added some other stuff and am happy with everything I did. I have a 9
Click to expand...
 
Decision Made on GTN175 - Holding Off.

I received a quote on the Garmin GTN175. It's about $4000 for the unit and $300 for the wiring harness. Based on that I am going to hold off and put it on my "someday" list. Currently I am thinking I will keep the 796 and mount it beside the EFIS and if needed put my Ipad to far right side as others have suggested. This is where I had it before.
 
Have been going through a similar thought process to get vertical guidance with no inexpensive solutions. Easiest solution for me would be the 175 driving my Gemini PFD/AP but at $5k like you a bit too much dinero at this time.

With respect to mounting the 796 I have mine below the EFIS (Dynon D-100) mounted horizontally and it works very well and is easy to view directly in front of me. I used the standard clip mount mounted to an angled bracket so that the display is at 90 deg to my line of sight. Easy to remove for updates etc.
Figs
 
PittsCondor said:
I received a quote on the Garmin GTN175. It's about $4000 for the unit and $300 for the wiring harness. Based on that I am going to hold off and put it on my "someday" list. Currently I am thinking I will keep the 796 and mount it beside the EFIS and if needed put my Ipad to far right side as others have suggested. This is where I had it before.
Click to expand...

I ended up more or less in your position then found a cheaper solution to make my plane IFR. At less than half the cost of the GTN 175. Now I can file IFR direct to the closest VOR and let the portable GPS and autopilot fly the plane ot that VOR. If I need to do an approach the simple and highly reliable ILS or LOC approach will get me down safely.

It's one little box that I installed myself (2 power wires, 1 navigation wire to the Dynon D180's HSI, and 1 wire to the intercom for audio to identify the stations) and best of all, no recurring costly database updates.

https://www.valavionics.com/ins-429.html

 
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