R
Rutus
OK, this will surely generate some conflicting suggestions, but that's what these forums are for, right? Here goes.....
My -6 is set up for day/night VFR and also has vacuum DG and AI, and electric turn coordinator. When building it, I considered that at some point I might want to have IFR capability. Now, after flying 2+ years and dealing with the all-too-frequent Pacific Northwest weather (low stratus, fog, drizzle.....) I am considering getting my instrument rating. Putting aside the issue of whether to get the rating in the -6 as opposed to a rental Spamcan, my main question is: what is the most economical, yet useful/practical, way to complete the panel in the -6 to make it a useable IFR machine? My expected IFR use (assuming I am able to accurately predict that at this stage, which may or may not be the case) would be mainly to get in and out of the airport and get through the low stratus layer, probably with not much in the way of hard IFR en route or many approaches to mimimums (mimima?).
Right now I have a Garmin 396 on a RAM mount, a single ICOM A200, and a KT76A transponder. I left room in the panel for a conventional CDI, and I have some extra space in the radio stack for a panel mount Comm/GPS, Comm/VOR, etc., though not enough to fit a Garmin 430 or the like without some significant surgery.
So, would adding an IFR GPS alone be adequate? Is an approach-certified IFR GPS worth the bucks, as opposed to an en route only version? Is VOR completely dead/obsolete for en route and approach work?
I am already familiar with the recommendations for a single axis autopilot, or better, for any significant IFR work. My primary question is what navigation equipment to go with, and - to the extent possible - feedback on whether I am being realistic in what I think my IFR needs and useage would be, given where I live.
My -6 is set up for day/night VFR and also has vacuum DG and AI, and electric turn coordinator. When building it, I considered that at some point I might want to have IFR capability. Now, after flying 2+ years and dealing with the all-too-frequent Pacific Northwest weather (low stratus, fog, drizzle.....) I am considering getting my instrument rating. Putting aside the issue of whether to get the rating in the -6 as opposed to a rental Spamcan, my main question is: what is the most economical, yet useful/practical, way to complete the panel in the -6 to make it a useable IFR machine? My expected IFR use (assuming I am able to accurately predict that at this stage, which may or may not be the case) would be mainly to get in and out of the airport and get through the low stratus layer, probably with not much in the way of hard IFR en route or many approaches to mimimums (mimima?).
Right now I have a Garmin 396 on a RAM mount, a single ICOM A200, and a KT76A transponder. I left room in the panel for a conventional CDI, and I have some extra space in the radio stack for a panel mount Comm/GPS, Comm/VOR, etc., though not enough to fit a Garmin 430 or the like without some significant surgery.
So, would adding an IFR GPS alone be adequate? Is an approach-certified IFR GPS worth the bucks, as opposed to an en route only version? Is VOR completely dead/obsolete for en route and approach work?
I am already familiar with the recommendations for a single axis autopilot, or better, for any significant IFR work. My primary question is what navigation equipment to go with, and - to the extent possible - feedback on whether I am being realistic in what I think my IFR needs and useage would be, given where I live.