GRT Mini-X!

[Jesse]

I just powered up a panel upgrade today with a GRT Mini-X with the backup battery and the GPS antenna. Extremely easy install as a stand-alone backup. Only 2 wires (power and ground) and the GPS antenna. It fired right up and the EFIS came on with the synthetic vision and the map looked great. I'm extremely impressed, especially at the price point. I don't see anything else in the market that provides this kind of functionality for the backup $.

[RV8iator]

I love my MiniX's very bright displays, synthetic vision, airport info, maps, HSI, the list goes on.

GRT is a sponsor of ours, but i gotta tell you, it just works.

[Mjuckes]

I put one in my 4. Love it! I had a small problem on calibration, made one phone call to GRT and done. Great product, great service.

[Bill Boyd]

Like they said, "it just works." Lots of value for today's avionics dollar. Completely plug-and-play. I wish my HXr had so straightforward a set-up, but it's far more capable, so, it has that going for it.

The inevitable Apple comparison makes me realize how much the performance/cost equation is driven by company and market size. If Apple made a Mini on an iPhone platform using the phone's existing accelerometers and with a mass-produced air data sensor block, the iMini would have phenomenal pixel density, unlimited software expandability and would cost about $700. It would also be too dim to see well under an RV canopy.

Given the size of their staff and facilities and the comparatively minuscule market, GRT delivers phenomenal value in the Mini. It must be difficult to make a profit on them vs. the rest of their product line - but we benefit.

-Stormy

[celstar]

Originally Posted by Mjuckes

I put one in my 4. Love it! I had a small problem on calibration, made one phone call to GRT and done. Great product, great service.

Can you forward me a photo of it installed in your 4. I'm looking at putting one in mine also and trying to gather size and fit options.

otw160@gmail.com

Thanks.

[Bill Boyd]

The Mini needs a square hole, and some very tiny (#4) cap screws. (About the only thing the Dynon competition has over it, that I can see.) I ended up tapping the #4 mounting holes in my panel rather than fooling with tiny lock nuts, Easier, IMO.

You will love the shallow comparative depth, too - no holes needed in the sub-panel like you do with 6" deep units.

-Stormy

[Canadian_JOY]

Yeah, the #4 mounting screws are a bit of a pain... they are very close to the edge of the square mounting cutout so there is very little edge distance. I, too, ended up tapping the holes in my panel, through the .063 aluminum as well as an .063 doubler riveted behind the panel at each of the 4 mounting screw locations.

There's been another long-standing thread on the Mini-X here on the forum. In that thread I recently posted information gleaned from testing the Mini-X's internal battery. Impressive performance!

[jclark]

Originally Posted by Bill Boyd

The Mini needs a square hole, and some very tiny (#4) cap screws. (About the only thing the Dynon competition has over it, that I can see.) I ended up tapping the #4 mounting holes in my panel rather than fooling with tiny lock nuts, Easier, IMO.

You will love the shallow comparative depth, too - no holes needed in the sub-panel like you do with 6" deep units.

-Stormy

I used #4 nutplates. (Four different instances so far)
Took a while to find them but they simplify things.

You will also find that the "boot time" is MUCH faster as well.

For those installing them as backups, be sure to take the time to run the additional wire to a switch so it can run the A/P as well if your other EFIS fails.
I know of one case where it has been called in to do just that THREE times!

James

James

[Mike S]

Originally Posted by jclark

For those installing them as backups, be sure to take the time to run the additional wire to a switch so it can run the A/P as well if your other EFIS fails.
I know of one case where it has been called in to do just that THREE times!

Three times??

Has the red flag gone up yet?????

[jclark]

Originally Posted by Mike S

Three times??

Has the red flag gone up yet?????

The other equipment was pulled and checked out. No problems found.
We think it is maybe a bad wire/crimp in a certain area.

The good news is when the strange behavior occurred (including during IFR), the pilot just threw the switch and says that the Mini was "rock solid".

He also now says he "loooooovvves" his Mini. (He now thinks that it is worth a lot more than he initially thought.)

What this all speaks to is the value of some sort of BACKUP. No matter what brand or type. It gives a certain peace of mind ... beyond what you might initially expect.