Firstlight
Active Member
Hello Folks,
Well, I am delighted to report that after 3 years without an RV, there is an RV4 on my horizon. We're not there yet, but the end is in sight. This one belongs to a buddy, and he spends most of his time flying his '8 these days.
This one is a nicely built machine with a bit of a hodge-podge VFR panel. I'll fly it this way for a while, but I think I'd like to eventually upgrade the panel and expand the airplane's capabilities a bit. My problem is I don't know anything about the glass panel equipment and various autopilot options that have transformed the homebuilt flying environment. I'm a bit like a dog watching television when I try to read all the EFIS/EMS/ARINC/RS232/AP acronyms.
I see a fairly regular stream of equipment trading on the used market, but I have a hard time telling which stuff is a good possible choice, and which stuff is out-dated or no longer supported. Can anybody recommend some gear to watch out for that fits into the space-constrained RV4 cockpit? I'd like to end up with a functional XC panel with good autopilot. If we win the lottery, I'd like to upgrade all the way to IFR requirements. If you can recommend things that have the ability to play nicely with something like a 430W, that would be great too.
Cheers,
Wayne
Well, I am delighted to report that after 3 years without an RV, there is an RV4 on my horizon. We're not there yet, but the end is in sight. This one belongs to a buddy, and he spends most of his time flying his '8 these days.
This one is a nicely built machine with a bit of a hodge-podge VFR panel. I'll fly it this way for a while, but I think I'd like to eventually upgrade the panel and expand the airplane's capabilities a bit. My problem is I don't know anything about the glass panel equipment and various autopilot options that have transformed the homebuilt flying environment. I'm a bit like a dog watching television when I try to read all the EFIS/EMS/ARINC/RS232/AP acronyms.
I see a fairly regular stream of equipment trading on the used market, but I have a hard time telling which stuff is a good possible choice, and which stuff is out-dated or no longer supported. Can anybody recommend some gear to watch out for that fits into the space-constrained RV4 cockpit? I'd like to end up with a functional XC panel with good autopilot. If we win the lottery, I'd like to upgrade all the way to IFR requirements. If you can recommend things that have the ability to play nicely with something like a 430W, that would be great too.
Cheers,
Wayne