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Minimum G3X IFR Config

wfinnell

Well Known Member
Hi Guys,

I?m here in my garage, working on my throttle quadrant, daydreaming about flying? and I lament, because I really want to fly my plane IFR someday, but I don?t think I can afford the equipment.

Garmin G3X EFIS
Garmin G5X Backup Instruments
Garmin GTX 23ES Transponder
Garmin GDL 39R ADS-B In
Garmin GTR 200 Radio
Garmin GMC 305 AP Controller
VAL INS 429 VOR/LOC/CDI

When purchased with the G3X, I can get a GTN 625 for $5500. I was thinking I could use a handheld NAV/COM for backup, and have an iPad and phone as another backup. I realize I cannot fly an approach with an iPad, but I was thinking, in an emergency I could use it to get to a VFR airport.
I was studying today, instrument flying handbook, and the way I read it, it sounds like I need a NAV radio. So, one option is the Val Avionics INS 429 for $2000.

?Aircraft using GPS navigation equipment under IFR for domestic en route, terminal operations, and certain IAPs, must be equipped with an approved and operational alternate means of navigation appropriate to the flight. The avionics necessary to receive all of the ground-based facilities appropriate for the route to the destination airport and any required alternate airport must be installed and operational. Ground-based facilities necessary for these routes must also be operational. Active monitoring of alternative navigation equipment is not required if the GPS receiver uses RAIM for integrity monitoring. Active monitoring of an alternate means of navigation is required when the RAIM capability of the GPS equipment is lost. In situations where the loss of RAIM capability is predicted to occur, the flight must rely on other approved equipment, delay departure, or cancel the flight.?

You start adding up the price for all of that stuff and the bits to hook it all up and pretty soon you?re talking real money. A big chunk of that is the IFR stuff.

Is there a lower cost way of adding IFR? :(

Thanks in advance,
 
You do not need a NAV radio, as long as your GPS is WAAS.

If you did have a GPS failure, you could utilize your G3X as an emergency navigation source and receive help getting to VFR to land.
 
The copied quoted paragraph applies to gps boxes certified under TSO129 (non-WAAS), such as a Garmin 300. Newer, TSO145/146 gps boxes with WAAS do not require a backup. Whether or not this is wise, is up to you to decide.
You can look at your home airport, and ones you?d like to fly to. Do they have an ILS? Can you get by without a gps? Clearly gps is the future, but it?s still very expensive. You can look at Dynon and GRT and ..., compare to Garmin. But there?s just no getting around the fact that IFR isn?t cheap.
 
Even though the 625 is a good deal if all you need is the GPS, when you crunch the numbers the actual difference between 625/com/nav radios is not far off the cost of the 650.
 
The 650 keeps it simple. I did the 625 and added a VAL for a second comm. Works fine but used panel space I now wish I had (for a G5 backup). Recommend you contact Jesse Saint.
 
I saw this article on the EAA website:

https://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/aviation...ions/equipping-a-homebuilt-for-ifr-operations

When I bought my bundle from Sarasota Avionics / Garmin, I also got a good deal on the GTN625. Since I got all Garmin equipment, I was able to wire all the boxes together during the build. The GTN supplies info to the GDU and the transponder, and there are data channels to the G5 units as well - the G5s can also control the autopilot if the main display is inop.

It would be easier to add an independent VOR/ILS box later if you really felt you needed it, but still a challenge to wire interconnects to the other units if you wanted to control the nav from the GDU or tie a VOR or ILS approach into the autopilot. Personally, intentionally flying into ILS weather single engine is well outside my comfort zone, but it will be good practice to fly approaches in better weather. Also, you will probably be hard pressed to find an airport now that has an ILS but not a matching GPS approach with nearly the same weather mins.

Yes, it is expensive. I chose to go fixed pitch prop and saved around 10k there. Have fun building!
 
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Thanks for the replies

I should have kept reading. WAAS is a couple of pages later. I'm not sure if I would have totally figured it out without your help. It's a little confusing the way it's written.

I'll keep plugging away and figure out what to buy when I get there.

Thanks again,
 
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