We just put two AV-30E's in a Glasair III. We removed the complete vacuum system and replaced the vacuum attitude indicator and directional gyro with two AV-30's. We installed the optional Davtron OAT probe and wired both of the AV-30 units RS232 input channels to a Garmin aera 660 GPS' output. I also installed and fly an AV-30 in an experimental Super Cub.
The AV-30's are a thing of beauty and aesthetically match legacy panels with their flush round display vs. other EFIS's surface mount square bezels. They look sleek and correct which sometimes can't be said about the bulky square cornered EFIS systems out there.
I am very impressed. Having installed and flown the AV-20 and now seeing the larger more featured AV-30 I really like the information and the stability of the internal adahrs system. It's dead nuts on and doesn't go wonky in IFR type standard rate turns like some of the other offerings. You see, most solid-state gyro sensors do very well at high rates of change like aerobatics because the forces involved are so dynamic and easy for the sensors to feel and software to process. However, small easy turns like IFR standard rate turns have been a real buggar for solid state systems and software to compute easily. Seems counter-intuitive but if a manufacturer can lick the nice easy turns the rest is easy.
I really dig the field overlays on the EFIS / AI unit and the display of the identifier of the GPS nav waypoint, TAS, density altitude etc... The HSI unit can display as a standard DG, traditional HSI and an EFIS arc nav view showing the route waypoints with distance zooming. It has a heading bug. The unit can be set up to show GPS Track or Heading. In Heading mode the pilot has to set the DG's heading to the ship's compass because there is not a remote magnetometer interface yet. They are working on one. So the AV-30 acts just like the instruments in a C172 like most of us learned to fly in. Set the barometer and then set the DG to the whisky compass. If you understand who the Aerovonics people are and their history of designing and delivering innovation in the EFIS industry for decades it makes sense that their product is polished and more refined than some of the other offerings. These same designers were more than likely involved in those older systems when working in the industry.
Aerovonics has also developed an autopilot interface unit.
So while the AV-30 doesn't have a slaved magnetometer option yet, it is a very nice unit with a beautiful display that just looks right in a legacy panel while providing rock solid attitude and navigation interface.
I hope this post doesn't come across as marketing hype. I don't work for Aerovonics. I am just an early adopter and enthusiast. We paid for the AV-30s in the Glasair. I also own and fly competitive small EFIS type units from Garmin (G5's), Sandia (Quattro SAI 340), Grand Rapids (Mini) and Aspen (1000 Pro).
Jim