Instrument Panel/Avionics

[Vmax]

I'm ready to start the finishing kit on my RV-7 project and still undecided on avionics/instrument panels. The more research I do the more overwhelmed and undecided I get. Rather then reinvent the wheel, any inputs regarding panel layout from the pilots already flying would be helpful and appreciated.

For a starting point, cost is important. Flying will be mainly day/VFR with very occasional light IFR. Although a ATP rated pilot, hard IFR is not my first choice when not at work. Grand Rapids line is my first choice for an EFIS, GPS brand is undecided, autopilot and transponder are just about necessities.

Electronics is not my strongest suit. Other options to make life easier are Vertical Power or CBs? Combo Single pole/CB's or conventional CB? Van's wiring kit helpful?

Bottom line I am looking for a simple, clean but functional panel with minimal frills. There has to be someone out there with similar requirements.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Vmax

[JakeLewis22]

Vmax,

I recommend that you talk to the people at Steinair, everyone there was very helpful. I never felt like I was getting pressured to buy more than I was asking for. Just tell them your mission and they will give you your options. After checking around I found their pricing to be competitive and their support is excellent. They seem to care that we are happy with the finished product and not just trying to make a sale.

You may have already looked at the panels page on their web site but I found it helpful when I was planning mine.
http://www.steinair.com/panels.htm

Good luck!

[rvbuilder2002]

What ever you do...wait as long as you can to make a decision.
Finish as much of the finish kit (even the entire airplane) as you possibly can before you commit to purchasing panel equipment. The basic finish kit work takes many people a year or more. The avionics market changes a lot in that amount of time.

[Camillo]

Vmax, I made my panel IFR and it was a nightmare.

SkyView as EFIS (HSI/RMI) and engine monitor, A/S, ADI TruTrak, Altimeter, VSI, ADF, DME, Audio panel, GNS430W, SL40, GTX328, magnetic compass (as a backup), map lights, panel LED lights, all avionic lights dimmed, +12V aux. power, static and alternate static, MAP and RPM backuped analogic. A breaker for each unit. Bob Nuckoll's Z11 scheme with e-bus and battery bus.

All the 4 holes along the spar are full. I had to pass pitot and ADF coaxial through the seat floor. Static passes up, on the left. VOR and COM1 up, on the right.

Should I do it again, I doubt I will make the same choice. Maybe a SkyView 10'', altimeter and ADI. SL30 and GTX328.

[pierre smith]

..."Occasional light IFR"?? You talk like a working pilot, as I am but don't think in terms of 'light' IFR rather...IFR. I think some guys think of light as a thin layer at 4000' that's a simple transition, compared to shooting an ILS to 200' minimums that's 'hard' IFR.

If the former is what you're referring to, go with TruTrak's new Gemini as a single backup to your GRT and add a 430W for all your approach/enroute needs,

Best,

[dav1111]

I concur with Scott. If you are just now ordering your finish kit I would hold off making really hard decisions about avionics for a while. You said your first choice for EFIS is Grand Rapids. In my opinion the best light IFR choice is a duel screen GRT sport SX setup. You will love the GRT GPS moving map on your second display and it is very cost effective. Plus you get a complete backup system with both PFD, Moving Map GPS, and Engine monitor on both screens, with WX weather also available.

I upgraded to the 8.4" screens and love them. GRT will have 10" screens by next year. You might also ask GRT if their new autopilot servos work with the sport SX. I know that work with the Horizon. If the GRT autopilot servos work with the sport as well that is another cost effective solution for mostly VFR flying.

Don't forget to add the GRT Engine monitor as well.

Add a SL-30 and you have the ILS available when you have to do an approach. I find that with the GRT EFIS system and an SL-30 an ILS approach is a piece of cake.

On of the things I really like about the GRT big screens is that you can pull a screen out of the panel very quickly and get a really big access hole to the subpanel and wiring.

[PIN 37]

Mate, I am with Camillo, I am building my 7 with my son, who I love dearly, however, he is what we call here in Oz a 5 CAT engineer. He works on airliners, and we have more cr@p in our aeroplane than you can poke a stick at. In fact, we probably have more capability in our aircraft than a 747. An RV7 is a light, sport, aerobatic aeroplane in which, to have fun.
MATE, dont leave until the last minute to decide what you want to put in your aircraft in the way of avionics. Decide what you want early in the piece, believe me, it is one of the more time consuming things to do, fitting the avionics.
Think about looking out the window to see where you are going.
If I was building my aeroplane on my own, there is no way I would have even half the stuff we have on board.
Figger out what you need and put only that in your panel.

as you guys say, my 02 cents worth

[Dan B]

I have similiar requirements. I determined that I wanted RNAV (VFR and IFR).

I equipped with the following:

Dynon 180 with HS34
True Trak autopilot with attitude indicator and altitude hold.
Garmin 420W (comm and nav). Utilizes WAAS as primary nav, no VOR required.
Garmin 196 as backup nav
Garmin 327 transponder
PS 3000 intercom

[RV7ator]

My three (inflation, you know) cents worth. My requirements are similar to yours, but I do have a penchant for adding price and complexity to each project for capabilities I never use! Building a panel isn't really electronics, it's wiring with important installation considerations. Get Bob Nuckoll's Aeroelectric Handbook for a primer.

Stein will do a nice job for you. But wiring isn't hard, it's tedious. Take it one at a time. Besides, much of the difficulty is tubes and wires from the panel to somewhere on the airframe, and you have to do that no matter who make/wires the panel.

Unless you want VNAV, the SL-30 is an excellent choice. VNAV? Add ~$4,000 for a 430W. Dynon gives you most bang for the buck, especially with their autopilot and HSI capability. I recommend the D100 and a separate engine monitor/gauges system. Personally, I like an engine monitor like UBG-16 or EDM700 plus steam for functions these don't easily cover, which also happens to be least expensive complete instrumentation. D120s, EDM740s, and their ilk are pricier. Stay away from the Skyview - immature and more expensive - and just look outside.

No matter what sort of displays and gauges you use, all still require the same wires and sensors, the same wire count if you will, so your costs are best controlled by keeping the fancy integrated stuff to a minimum. Forget Vertical Power, it's a waste of money. CBs or breakers, flip a coin. GPS: I flew a 696 for awhile, and found it hard to use, besides being expensive. Dirt cheap but still effective (and a bigger screen than it's X96 siblings) the Garmin 196. Check out the Aera or AV8OR Ace for in between capabilities and price.

It's easy to spend someone else's money!

John Siebold

[Ron Lee]

John, I am going to spend someone else's money here but I disagree on the SL30. With it you get comm, VOR/GS/DME. But the future is GPS navigation and approaches.

Correction to statement above: "SL30 packs a 760-channel VHF comm transceiver and 200-channel VOR/LOC/GS nav receiver with DME display into one small space."

It is not just GPS/WAAS vertically aided approaches. It is GPS non-precision type approaches at beaucoup airports without ILS.

A Garmin 430W or equivalent coupled with at least an autopilot for the horizontal component of flight (better two axis) is going to serve him far better in my opinion.