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New MGL iEFIS Discovery Lite

Rainier Lamers

Well Known Member
We usualy have something new each year to celebrate Oshkosh. This time is no difference.
The new iEFIS Discovery "Lite" will be gracing MGL's booth at Oshkosh next week.

For those that can't make it, here are a some pics:

Discovery_Small.jpg


And the rear:

Discovery Lite rear 2.jpg


Showing off the low mounting depth:

Discovery Lite rear 1.jpg


OK, so what do we have ?

The Discovery has a nice, bright non-reflective 7" touch screen of around 1000+ nits.
It looks, feels and thinks like an iEFIS. It has the new iEFIS G3 CPU and runs the exact same firmware as the full iEFIS system (in other words we use the same binary and sources).

Compared to a normal iEFIS system we loose a rotary control and the 12 buttons under the display which are now a fixture of the touch screen on the left side.
We gain a built in GPS, AHRS with gyros and accelerometers, airspeed pressure sensor as well as altimeter. Also has a built in OAT sensor (but an external one can be fitted).
It also has a CAN bus as well as two RS232 ports. The "Lites" also do not support video inputs and the VGA video output (for that you need the normal iEFIS).

So, considering the above, we can say it can do anything a full iEFIS can so subject to having fewer hardware interfaces - but because of that there is no need for an iBOX.

The CAN bus supports anything we have - Autopilot servos, engine monitoring modules, flap and trim controller, tranponders, compass, etc.
You can also connect up to three external AHRS if you like.
RS232 ports for radios, ADSB etc.

Planned for "Lite" support is a small expansion module - if needed, it provides analog and digital inputs, more RS232 ports, a AOA sensor and few additional items. Call it a "mini" iBox if you will.

The "Lite" is a stand-alone system unlike our normal iEFIS systems where you can have multiple, joined panels in a complex infrastructure.

"Lite's" are straight forward to install and make great panels for many smaller aircraft that would like a sophisticated EFIS but without the cost and complications of a large system.

A typical Lite system would be: The Discovery Lite panel, a RDAC for engine monitoring (if needed), perhaps a SP-6 compass.
That's it. Add autopilot servos for an even greater overall deal...

The panel may be mounted at any pitch angle relative to the aircraft despite the built in AHRS. The AHRS can be easily rotated to provide the expected image.

You can completely customise the screens like you can do with our other iEFIS systems and you can also select from many built in choices for a quick "plug and play" installation.

Like all our G3 iEFIS systems it comes with a World wide high resolution terrain database built in plus a World wide vector map. It is compatible with MGL's new "MapMaker 2" raster map format (free maps for U.S, Southern Africa and some other regions, easy to create your own maps from digital images). As usual support for MGL's Navidata format which gives access to subscription data from Jeppesen, PocketFMS, Easyplan and others as well as free data provided by MGL users themselves (includes FAA data published on the MGL forum).

Notably, the G3 iEFIS systems boots to operational state in 0.5 seconds (zero point five) from application of power. GPS is online 0.5 seconds later (provided you have not moved more than 500 Km from last known fix and a fix is possible).
synthetic vision, terrain data, maps etc are all up and live in a blink of an eye.

Discovery Lite is our first "Lite" release. This will quickly be followed by a regular Discovery EFIS. After this we will do the Explorer Lite and even a Challenger Lite to complete the iEFIS range.

The Discovery could be viewed as a direct replacement for our popular Enigma that was discontinued a while ago (in fact I called it "Enigma III" until I was overruled...). It is similar in panel size but with a bigger, much higher resolution screen and of course is a powerhouse of functionality where needed...

Rainier
CEO MGL Avionics
 
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What is the Oshkosh price for the lite and is it ready to be shipped?

Unfortunately I cannot answer the pricing question properly as that is determined by MGL Avionics USA.
I can give an indicative price which is the local price here in South Africa where the Discovery is produced. Based on the current currency exchange rates it would be around $1800 retail including local taxes. The U.S. prices tend to be a bit higher once shipping etc has been added in.

Yes, the "Lite" is in production right now and we are expecting to be able to ship in a few weeks max (subject to local union strike action that is affecting our industry at the moment - hope that is not too bad).

Rainier
 
Do you have any full resolution screen shots that don't have compression/resizing artifacts?

Thanks
--Dan Lykowski
RV-10
 
Wow. Quick questions: If I understand correctly, AOA will require the expansion module? Second, when will MGL USA be able to announce pricing? Looks like a great system.
 
Wow. Quick questions: If I understand correctly, AOA will require the expansion module? Second, when will MGL USA be able to announce pricing? Looks like a great system.

They should be able to do so right now, it's on our pricelist.

Yes, we decided to put the AOA into a small expansion module as in our experience most smaller aircraft don't bother with AOA and once you want AOA you also want some other stuff as well.

Also don't forget that we have the "normal" iEFIS systems as well which do have AOA as standard (the sensors are built into the iBOX).

So effectively we are looking at three versions of every iEFIS form factor:
1) The "Lite"
2) The "Lite" with extender
3) The full iEFIS system

So - something for every need.

Rainier
 
Are they included in the price or separate cost?

Those are in addition.

You can fit up to 4 engine monitoring modules (we call them RDACs). This means you can monitor up to 4 engines or engines that need a real serious amount of probes (some radials come to mind).

A single RDAC is around $200 here ($240 for a version with built in MAP sensor), probes are fairly cheap with possible exception of the fuel flow sender. Here we support multiple types (the usual suspects) so you can tailor as needed.

MGL Avionics USA usualy creates packages for typical engines (so you don't have to) but here we leave those decisions to the builders. The systems support a very large number of different probes (from just about any source) so there is no great need to supply given probe types.

Rainier
 
How about a 7 inch EMS?

You got it.
It's called the Discovery "Lite".

You can configure the screen anyway you like and easily use it as a stand alone EMS. Since it is so simple to page screens however, it would make sense to have at least one showing primary flight info and perhaps a bit of navigation as well. Even if that is just for backup purposes.

It's not much a cost thing (I know that is what you will be getting at). While it is true that removing the pressure sensors, AHRS, GPS and RTC (i.e. things not needed for an EMS) would save some money, but these components no longer cost a lot and do not add much to the overall price. By far most of the money goes into the display and the pressure activated glass/glass touch technology followed by the processing core (our G3 CPU system which is a plug in module to make hardware upgrades possible).

As an example of this consider the Infinitec XTreme (currently sold under our brand name). It is available in an EMS only and EFIS version but the price difference is fairly small. It makes sense with this one as the screens are not user configurable. If they were, the sense would "leak" out of this a bit.

Rainier
CEO MGL Avionics
 
Hi Rainer since the cost of the AHRS sensors have come down in price any chance of a cheap AHRS sensor that would work with my Odyssey efis?

Thanks
Bill
 
Hi Rainer since the cost of the AHRS sensors have come down in price any chance of a cheap AHRS sensor that would work with my Odyssey efis?

Thanks
Bill

They are around $300 here (and have been for quite some time). Much less than they were just a few years ago.
Yes, very likely the price will drop further soon. Technology is moving fast in this arena and the Discovery Lite is already benifiting from this.

Rainier
 
Any update on pricing in North America? Still nothing on the website or the order page. Anyone have a look at the system at OSH?
 
Can you update with the instruction manual when it's ready? I always thoroughly read the manual before purchasing.

Since it is an iEFIS there is no seperate manual. There will only be a seperate installation manual.

The "Lite" does everything a normal iEFIS does, subject to having fewer hardware interfaces.

It uses the exact same binary program code that is used with any other iEFIS.

It uses our new G3 processor, a medical grade Cortex A8 chip from Texas Instruments, effectively a derated industrial spec chip for higher reliability (much in the same way you would derate an engine for higher reliability).

Boards are slowly getting back from our contract manufacturer and we have started assembly. First shipping should be next month. Not much to do on the software as it is the iEFIS software anyway. Just a few differences related to the hardware that can be catered for in the same binary.
The required software additions (mostly code for the AHRS and pressure sensors, audio feed etc) have been completed.
DO-160 has just been done.
Flight testing should start sometime next week.

Rainier
CEO MGL Avionics
 
Vertical Mounting

Rainier,
Would it be possible to mount the Discover Lite vertically in my panel? I have only 8 inches of space top to bottom.
Thanks
Ron P
n8zd - RV-4
 
Rainier,
Would it be possible to mount the Discover Lite vertically in my panel? I have only 8 inches of space top to bottom.
Thanks
Ron P
n8zd - RV-4

Not yet.
We may look at a vertical mount option though. It does need a different display as the current one does not allow viewing of the image from below (if mounted horizontal). This is due to the design of the light polarizer which is the top layer of the display. This helps to cut out light reflections.
For a vertical mount unit the polarizer has to be either heavily modified or a different LCD technology used (that is possible - we do so on the Challenger which has all round 180 degrees viewing angle).

The Explorer lite is in production now, Challenger lite and the "non-lite (heavy ?)" Discovery" will follow.
After that I will have a closer look at vertical mount options.

We're just over a month away from moving into new, smart and larger offices so that will throw a small spanner in the works for two weeks or so but expect a stronger MGL to emerge. Time to grow !

Rainier
CEO MGL Avionics
 
I would love to see the ability to connect a Raspberry Pi 3 to the iEFIS lite as you have a limited source for ADS-B currently. Any chance you're working on it? The Pi needs to be able to generate digital info for the RS 232 bus.
 
I believe a couple people have gotten the stratux to output via rs232 to the iefis lite.i just finished installing a challenger lite and will try to get my stratux to interface soon.
 
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