Echo Tango
Well Known Member
Haven't posted in a while. I'm building an RV7 right now but have stalled construction for a bit while I save up for a wing kit. In the meantime, I have been having some discussions with my father about panel setups in his homebuilt, which is much smaller than an RV (hummelbird).
The aircraft has quite a small panel and we were talking about ways to save weight and space in the A/C; weight savings to offset an alternator and BATT and space to possibly add more fuel as the tank is between the firewall and the panel.
It seems like glass is becoming easier to afford, more compact, and lighter than the first incarnations so we started discussing the practicality of putting a small screen PFD and one or two backup instruments onboard. I figure some folks on here are very minimalist at heart and might have some experience with such a challenge.
The goals are as follows: most compact, efficient basic VFR flight with GPS, Radio, for Day/Night VFR with an EMS. I would describe efficiency as a meeting of quality, price, utility, and small physical dimensions & weight
Some of the products I've been looking at are the TruTrak Gemini PFD
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/geminipfd.php?clickkey=6467
Has a sensitive alt, airspeed, velocity vector attitude indicator, bank angle, slip/skid indicator/DG/VSI
Panel Radio (not cheap but very compact) MGL V10
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/v10com.php
Engine Monitor
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pages/av/ems_mgl/1105578.php
Haven't found much in the way of GPS. Wonder if it would be simpler to just use an iPad mini or something like that
The aircraft has quite a small panel and we were talking about ways to save weight and space in the A/C; weight savings to offset an alternator and BATT and space to possibly add more fuel as the tank is between the firewall and the panel.
It seems like glass is becoming easier to afford, more compact, and lighter than the first incarnations so we started discussing the practicality of putting a small screen PFD and one or two backup instruments onboard. I figure some folks on here are very minimalist at heart and might have some experience with such a challenge.
The goals are as follows: most compact, efficient basic VFR flight with GPS, Radio, for Day/Night VFR with an EMS. I would describe efficiency as a meeting of quality, price, utility, and small physical dimensions & weight
Some of the products I've been looking at are the TruTrak Gemini PFD
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/geminipfd.php?clickkey=6467
Has a sensitive alt, airspeed, velocity vector attitude indicator, bank angle, slip/skid indicator/DG/VSI
Panel Radio (not cheap but very compact) MGL V10
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/v10com.php
Engine Monitor
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pages/av/ems_mgl/1105578.php
Haven't found much in the way of GPS. Wonder if it would be simpler to just use an iPad mini or something like that
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