flion

flion

Well Known Member
A panel critique thread in the RV-10 section has experienced some topic drift and someone suggested it not be buried in the RV-10 section. So I'll start the discussion here and we'll see where it goes. I'm afraid it may become yet another 'primer wars.'

I think everyone agrees that the PFD should be in front of the left seat, even if your panel mission is to have the plane flyable from both seats in a side-by-side config. The issue is where to place the MFD. The camps seem to be 1) a symmetrical layout (MFD in front of the right seat) and 2) a clustered layout (MFD right next to the PFD). Ready? Set. Go! ;)
 
Since I'm here, I'll start off. I've planned for a split panel. I can see the MFD just fine and the only ergonomic issue is reaching the controls. Fortunately, the G900x is pretty well organized and I can satisfy most of my VFR needs easily with a little pre-flight work and minimal in-flight intervention. I tend to use the space in between the displays for an engine/electrical display, so the MFD is mostly just moving map. That may change with IFR flight, but I could always install the keypad in the center console so that I still would not have to reach across that much. I like this setup in that it keeps my critical scans close (PFD and systems) and the tertiary (nav, weather, etc.) stuff near enough when I want to use them.

That said, I know that different systems have different ergonomics and that not everyone finds it easy to reach across the RV-10, or even the smaller side-by-side models. So I don't throw up my hands in horror when I encounter PFD and MFD together. This is just my preference.
 
I think it comes down to personal preference.

In my current panel, both the MFD and PFD are in front of me. Although I do have an apparently non-standard config with the MFD on the left and the PFD on the right. At least one vendor assigns unique IPs to the PFD and MFD and impacts some minor functionality if they get miss-assigned.

If I was to do it over again, I would seriously consider the Aerosport Products new Symmetrical panel that both Rob Hickman and Ed Kranz have installed. This has a large EFIS on both sides, with a smaller MFD screen in the center.
 
On the MGL systems there is no difference between PFD/MFD. All screens can do all things and there are no tertiary appliances except radio. Since you can modify screens anyway you like and they're big, it doesn't much matter. Except if you put two big ten inchers side by side and mount anything outboard the opposite seat guy has a hard time with it.
 
I'll repeat my post from the other thread, with more explanation:
Caveats: I have short arms, sit close to the panel, RV-10 (yes, the extra panel width compared to a -7 is important), wear bifocals.
My PFD is in front of me (left seat), my MFD is right-center. I can hand fly an approach and use both boxes, but it's work. IMHO I would not use the MFD if it was centered in front of the right seat. It's not too far away to see; the issue is it requires too much head movement away from the PFD, re-focus, and back again. And any button pushing on a right seat PfD would require me to lean across the right seat. Interestingly, when I fly from the right seat, bith boxes are to my left, so less head turning is needed, and in many ways this is a superior set up as far as using both. Of course it's a very long reach for me to the left box, from the right, so button pushing is still an issue.
 
aerhed said:
On the MGL systems there is no difference between PFD/MFD. All screens can do all things and there are no tertiary appliances except radio. Since you can modify screens anyway you like and they're big, it doesn't much matter.
Click to expand...

Yep, same with my GRT's
 
The main issue for me would be PFD failure.

Therefore and despite my love of symmetry I like 2 screens side by side.

Of course 3 screens is symmetrical and the best of both worlds. :D
 
n981ms said:
The main issue for me would be PFD failure.

Therefore and despite my love of symmetry I like 2 screens side by side.

Of course 3 screens is symmetrical and the best of both worlds. :D
Click to expand...

Pfd failure will lead you to think about:

  • What drives you Autopilot?
  • How to you feed the output of your IFR GPS to the mfd? Rs-232 or arinc? How do you switch this feeds
  • Do you install two IFR GPS? One to each screen?
  • EMS is not critical on both screens.

Of course there is no correct answer to these. In most cases, it's almost impossible to make everything redundant. You just need to have a plan on what you'll do when there is a failure.
 
rleffler said:
Pfd failure will lead you to think about:

  • What drives you Autopilot?
  • How to you feed the output of your IFR GPS to the mfd? Rs-232 or arinc? How do you switch this feeds
  • Do you install two IFR GPS? One to each screen?
  • EMS is not critical on both screens.

Of course there is no correct answer to these. In most cases, it's almost impossible to make everything redundant. You just need to have a plan on what you'll do when there is a failure.
Click to expand...

With Garmin the integrated autopilot GMC 305 control head still operates the Autopilot if the screens fail.
 
rleffler said:
I think it comes down to personal preference.

In my current panel, both the MFD and PFD are in front of me. Although I do have an apparently non-standard config with the MFD on the left and the PFD on the right. At least one vendor assigns unique IPs to the PFD and MFD and impacts some minor functionality if they get miss-assigned.

If I was to do it over again, I would seriously consider the Aerosport Products new Symmetrical panel that both Rob Hickman and Ed Kranz have installed. This has a large EFIS on both sides, with a smaller MFD screen in the center.
Click to expand...

I have 2 GDU460s in my -8A panel, with the MFD on the left, PFD on the right. I tend to look to the right instinctively, that's why I put the PFD on the right side. The PFD splits the flight "instruments" to the left side, with whatever page I have pulled up atm. MFD has the engine "gauges" on the right side, and the nav map, usually un-split.
 
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