IFR panel - need versus nice to have

[Bsquared]

Question for IFR pilots….I am a VFR pilot and I built a RV-14A with a well equipped VFR Dynon panel (Dual PFDs, dual GPS (one WAAS compliant) and Dynon autopilot). I also included a harness for pitot heat but did not install a heated unit. In light of the newly announced Dynon GPS Navigator it got me thinking about down the road when I sell this airplane it may increase the value to have a basic IFR panel. Will adding the new Dynon Navigator be enough for basis (and safe) IFR or do I need to also include an old fashion Nav unit and antenna, back-up ADAHR, heated pitot and whatever else I am forgetting.

 

[FORANE]

Question for IFR pilots….I am a VFR pilot and I built a RV-14A with a well equipped VFR Dynon panel (Dual PFDs, dual GPS (one WAAS compliant) and Dynon autopilot). I also included a harness for pitot heat but did not install a heated unit. In light of the newly announced Dynon GPS Navigator it got me thinking about down the road when I sell this airplane it may increase the value to have a basic IFR panel. Will adding the new Dynon Navigator be enough for basis (and safe) IFR or do I need to also include an old fashion Nav unit and antenna, back-up ADAHR, heated pitot and whatever else I am forgetting.

The Dynon will be enough but some will inevitably want more or a different brand.

 

[F18Sailor]

You’ll need the heated pitot probe for legal
flight into known IMC. Personally I would like a secondary ground-based nav source, but I also wouldn’t consider that a deal breaker. I’m not convinced the secondary ADHARS provides as much redundancy as one might think (in my system its plumbed to the same P-S source as the primary, which is typical, but this reduces redundancy). I would want a standby attitude indicator (G5, GRT mini) as a backup in case the Dynon system goes down.

 

[MarkCFI]

I’m currently looking to outfit my RV-6 for IFR. It’s actually IFR ready as far as the instrumentation is concerned however the backup to a failed attitude indicator is falling back to turn coordinator, altimeter and airspeed.

That’s how I learned to fly IFR back in the 80’s for partial panel but I can’t see any reason not to have a battery backed backup attitude indicator.

My 2 cents.

 

[Dugaru]

You’ll need the heated pitot probe for legal
flight into known IMC. Personally I would like a secondary ground-based nav source, but I also wouldn’t consider that a deal breaker. I’m not convinced the secondary ADHARS provides as much redundancy as one might think (in my system its plumbed to the same P-S source as the primary, which is typical, but this reduces redundancy). I would want a standby attitude indicator (G5, GRT mini) as a backup in case the Dynon system goes down.

Agree on all. Holding legality to one side (I love doing that), as a practical matter, a G5, GRT Mini, etc. *with a backup battery*, plus an iPad running ForeFlight etc. with a GPS source, is all you need to fly an LNAV approach safely even if the entire freaking panel urps and you’re sitting in loud darkness. So long as your air data isn’t iced out of existence. And even then you’d have groundspeed and GPS altitude and terrain warnings, so you’re still better than even money.

Think what Doolittle would have given for a G5, an iPad with ForeFlight, and a constellation of GPS satellites.

Take a handheld though. You still have to turn on the runway lights.