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430W/530W and SL30...why both?

milt1492

Member
I have noticed, as I've checked out the hundreds of panels here on VAF, that many RVers have installed both a 430W or 530w and SL30. My question is why both?

I'll provide a little background on to why I am curious about this. Last night while I was working, I was trying to come to terms with the mission that I will most likely be flying when I finally decide to take the plunge and purchase that -7 or -8 kit. My particular mission will be mostly VFR day/night type flying, but SOP when I was in the Air Force was to file IFR every time we stepped to the airplane. Besides, flight following is one of the most useful tools, with the exception of my own two eyes, that I have experienced while flying. I know that you can request it if flying VFR, but it just makes sense to file IFR, and then cancel if you decide to. I also like knowing that if the poop were to hit the proverbial fan, I would be able to make it home, or back the closest suitable runway.

Anyway, I kept thinking, "the 430W/530W does the same as the SL30 with the added benefit of the certified GPS, so why should I install both?" Is it simply for redundancy, or is there another reason that I'm missing. My thought is if it is for redundancy, wouldn't just a simple backup COMM unit be sufficient?

If I'm way off base here please let me know, and I will defer to the braintrust.
 
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I'm not flying yet but I have a 530W and an SL-30 for my aircraft. My thinking is for IFR redundancy. The 530 is to be primary but if it goes dark, the SL-30 will provide VOR/ILS. The caveat is: provided it doesn't go dark because of a complete power loss.... Then I lose them both. In such a case, maybe a charged handheld GPS might be the item that saves my life! :eek:
 
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When I'm flying IFR I like knowing I have a second nav for a ILS / VOR approach. About 8 years ago returning to DPA from TPA the weather got worse in a heart beat, 300 ft snow and right at the middle marker the glide slope flat out quit. It was nice to have a second nav to continue. 😁
 
You can monitor the comm and nav standby frequencies on the SL-30, not so on the 4/530s. This is like having two nav/comms, even displaying the cross radial on an HSI display. Unless you really want certified WAAS capability, the SL-30 beats the 4/5s handily, and it's POUNDS lighter. When I had only a 430, I really missed being able to monitor the standby comm. My one WAAS approach cost about $4,000 - the difference in price between the radios - and I could have done a VOR approach.

John Siebold
 
As others have said - redundancy and the ability to monitor multiple frequencies. In both our RV-3 and RV-8 we have a single 430W and a single backup Comm - but both have two additional GPS receivers installed with the EFIS's. So our redundant Nav is served by those extra GPS's, and the redundant Comm is served by the #2 Comm (an SL-40 in one, ICOMM A-210 in the other - both allow you to monitor two frequencies).

I like redundancy if I am in the clouds - in fact, I require it.

Paul
 
Unless you really want certified WAAS capability, the SL-30 beats the 4/5s handily, and it's POUNDS lighter. When I had only a 430, I really missed being able to monitor the standby comm.

Look at the approach options at airports that you may go to. If many only have a GPS approach, the SL-30 does nada for you.

Also read the Federal Radionavigation Plan and see what the future is for ground-based navaids.
 
I'm one step down from Paul in terms of redundancy..I.e I have a single GNS430W with an ICOM A200 comm.

I don't have any redundancy on the nav side and I must admit it makes me a little nervous.

A handheld GPS velcroed to where the oven timer used to be maybe in my future..:)

Frank
 
If you're not instrument rated, or planning on flying nothing but day VFR I wouldn't even install the SL-30. I'd go even cheaper and do an SL-40. You can buy a lot of AVGAS for what was saved, and if you really want a back up then get a hand held.

For flying IFR though a dual comm set up is a must have in my mind.
 
For me the combo gives me a 2nd comm and redundancy. I have the SL30 on a backup battery and running the 106 cdi for backup ILS. I also like the radial display on the S30.

DSCF1712s.jpg
 
Mark's Got the Right Idea

Redundancy in power is just as important, and perhaps with the reliability of radios today, more important than a backup comm. Handheld radios are inexpensive and are easily carried along. Fewer single engine aircraft carry backup power. Not so important with the old vacuum systems, as electrical failure still allowed you to stay right side up in the clouds and vacuum failure was covered by the turn coordinator and compass. If you're running dual EFIS, you'd better have some sort of backup - if not another alternator, then at least a backup battery.
As far as the 430/SL 30 combo, if you can afford it, why not? While a second nav made things easier for intersection identification, GPS has largely solved that issue. The Comm side of these new radios feature flip flop frequencies and in the SL30, secondary monitoring. Again a big work load reducer in IMC. With the 430, you're likely never to use the nav side of the SL except as a backup, but having the added capability of another frequency or two ready to go helps reduce button pushing in IMC. I'm all for that.
Terry, CFI
RV9A N323TP
 
When I'm flying IFR I like knowing I have a second nav for a ILS / VOR approach. About 8 years ago returning to DPA from TPA the weather got worse in a heart beat, 300 ft snow and right at the middle marker the glide slope flat out quit. It was nice to have a second nav to continue. ��

Man that's just bad luck!
 
I have an SL-30 and a G420 (NOT 430) - one VOR, one GPS. Split for redundancy. Back hand held nav com (VOR) and battery powered GPS.
 
"right at the middle marker the glide slope flat out quit."

Middle marker is pretty much at DA. Did you mean Outer Marker?

In my post I meant "As back ups I have a hand held VOR and a battery powered GPS". Sorry for the poor original language. I try to not fly IFR unless I can reach an alternate where a non-precision approach (using handheld VOR or hand-held GPS) can reasonably be expected to work.

Also, I should have mentioned that my home field (KLVK) has one of those ILS approaches with the note "ADF required" (it's for the miss). So I had to put in a certified gps (to replace the ADF required) or, heaven forbid, an ADF. I chose the former.
 
"right at the middle marker the glide slope flat out quit."

Middle marker is pretty much at DA. Did you mean Outer Marker?



Yes it was very bad luck, and yes moments before starting down, we continued as a localizer for a few moments till we switched Nav's
Ever since, whenever I do a approach I have two GPS/ Nav etc. set.

Eight years ago I also stopped believing in the term light IFR especialy around the great lakes due to how fast it changed on us that day. I know this may not be a big deal to some highly trained commercial pilots but I'm a regular old private / inst pilot.
 
Thanks

To everyone who helped to answer my question....Thank you very much.

It looks like I'll be going the 430W and SL30 route because I want the back up NAV just as much as I want the backup COM. Maybe I'm a bit old fashioned but I like using the VORs. (that's previous training talking)

Paul, I was checking through the pictures of Junior and the Val and I'm not seeing your install of the multiple GPS receivers. I'd be really interested to know how you've got that set up...Maybe they're all using the same one?
 
Paul, I was checking through the pictures of Junior and the Val and I'm not seeing your install of the multiple GPS receivers. I'd be really interested to know how you've got that set up...Maybe they're all using the same one?

Simple - the Val has the 430W, an internal GPS receiver in the GRT system, and a 696.

Junior has a GPS receiver in each of the G3X display units plus the 430W. Any one of those will get us down just fine!

Paul
 
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