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mistergerf

Active Member
Hey folks,

I want to start working on my IFR ticket in my VFR RV-9, so that means I need to bring the panel up to spec. Can anyone help me understand the requirement ?

The current avionics are:
- Dynon EFIS 100
- SL40 (Comm only)
- GTX327

I'm thinking to add:
- Garmin GPS400W (IFR WAAS certified - no comm or VOR - integrated with the new HSI indicator screen in the Dynon)
- Dynon EFIS-10 (2nd EFIS for required redundancy)
- TruTrak 2 axis autopilot

My reading of the FARs indicates that if you have a IFR certified WAAS enabled GPS you can approach and land at any airport where GPS approaches are published. I want to avoid the expense and complexity of installing VOR/DME, obviously I wouldn't be able to go into airports where an ILS was the sole means of navigation (are there any?).

I "think" this is legal for flight, but I don't know if its possible to do the training and checkride so equipped.

Can anyone point out the holes in my understanding ?

g
 
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Devil's advocate...
Is it worth say $10-15k to pay for equipment and the rating that you might use once a month? Has VFR-only been a hindrance?

That expense equates to a LOT of flying.
 
It has been many years since I took my IFR check ride, but if I recall correctly, you need to be able to demonstrate three different "type" of approaches. For instance, when I did it, I could show an ILS, VOR, and ADF approach. Nowadays, you could do an ILS, VOR, and GPS. Or maybe a Localizer, ILS, and VOR - you get the idea. If all you have is a GPS, I don't think you'll meet this requirement - but I could be out of date.

There is also an argument that if you read the FAR's in detail that you have have to have at least one ground-based means of radio navigation. With my 430, I have that, so I'm good - and don't want to get involved in a fur-ball over it...;)
 
dan said:
Devil's advocate...
Is it worth say $10-15k to pay for equipment and the rating that you might use once a month? Has VFR-only been a hindrance?

That expense equates to a LOT of flying.
Click to expand...

Oh I hear you ... and that is very much in my mind... but here's the counter-argument:
- I have no problem spending money on more toys, especially shiny ones with flashing lights that can go in my panel :D - I'll still find the money for flying gas from somewhere
- The training is a challenge that I'd really get into - that's a big fat excuse for more hours spent flying
- half of my recent trips into Socal have been with a landing in marginal VFR - I'm guessing I would have been a whole lot safer making an instrument approach.

g
 
This is taxing my brain, but...

I think that you have to have VOR to fly above 18,000 ft. Or maybe it is to fly into class B airspace. I don't know why. I didn't look this up in the FAR's, but I would agree with Paul, just get a 430 and then you are covered.

Kent
 
430 Makes Sense

Another vote for the 430 (or other "integrated" box like the 480). It allows you to do ILS, VOR/LOC and GPS approaches. You can check the GPS approach with the VOR/LOC. You can quickly dial in a VOR freq. You can fly an ILS, which will normally have a DH lower than the GPS MDA.

Also, as Paul notes, you need "navigational equipment appropriate to the ground facilities to be used" (FAR 91.205). This really means you need a VOR. FAR 91.133 (c)(1) also explicitly states that you need a VOR if you want to enter Class B while IFR. This means you really need a VOR. ;)

If you really want to go with a 400, I'd suggest also going with a SL-30 instead of the SL-40 - that way you have redundant NAV sources, one ground-based, one GPS.

TODR
 
A hindrance ??

**** ya !!! I am continuously aggravated trying to travel VFR. 5,000 broken is no big deal until you're up at 9,500 and "broken" is pretty close to 80%, the clouds are now at 7,000+ and the vis is 6 down below and there's hills down there and Looks like a shower moving through to the North.....

You get the idea. It can be very stressful when you have to work hard to make a flight in ( otherwise ) benign conditions. A simple instrument letdown into the clear at 4,000 and then cancel IFR would be a trivial event and a great capability to have in your pocket. It's especially annoying when other people are doing exactly that and you can't :).

As far as equipment goes, what equipment do you really need in your (my) RV. Any non-precision approach capablity would be more than sufficient. At least for my needs. If it's really 500 and 1/2, I'm going Greyhound :).

You ( I ) will need a different plane to take the checkride in and be able to demonstrate the 3 approaches as required. But, once the checkride is over, you can use your new legal ability to fly some seriously hard VFR :).

Anyway, that's my thinking right now.

John
 
I fly IFR a lot, and have found it very useful. Redundancy is key and for a number of reasons I would not fly IFR without VOR/ILS capability in addition to GPS. I have flown many times and seen notams for GPS unreliability somewhere along my route and time of flight. Sometimes the GPS doesn't get you low enough. You really need a second means of navigation. Without redundancy in the electrical system, I also would not go all electric in the panel, but that's just me. Concerning just using the ticket to penetrate some broken clouds occasionally and not flying any "hard" IFR, I have gone on flights where a 2500 broken forecast has become 500 OC and a mile visibility by the time I'm at my destination. Whether it is planned or not, you still need to be proficient and fully equiped for IFR flight if you are going to do it at all IMHO. Plus you get more toys in your panel. I highly recommend an IFR ticket to make flying a bit more convenient, just do it right.

Steve
N621J
 
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