Rv6A Grt IFR Setup

[coffeeboy]

Hello! I've reviewed quite a few threads about IFR panels and was hoping to get some advice from ya'll on how I should upgrade my new to me RV6A from VFR to IFR.

Current instruments: 1x GRT horizon, GRT EIS 4000, GRT SafeFly GPS, GRT autopilot, garmin GNC 255, Trig TT22 transponder.

My current idea: garmin 650xi, garmin 245 audio panel, and a g5 for a back up display.
I would love to get some opinions from all of you, thanks!

 

[jclark]

If you have the SPACE, consider updating the GRT Horizon to a "10.1 Horizon". (It should be "plug and play" for the most part.) That way, you can display IFR Charts on it with georeferenced plane position. Of course, some prefer to use an iPad with Garmin Pilot or ForeFlight or (fill in the blanks).

If no need for ILS consider Garmin's 175. I have the earlier 650 in an RV8 and a 625 in an RV6 but am putting a 375 (175+"ADS-B Transponder") in the current RV6A project.

While there are plusses and minuses each way, consider the GRT Mini instead of the G5 for "buttonlogy" consistency, integration of flight plan, MAP page, Engine data page, and backup to run the autopilot using GRT servos. On the other hand if you want a DIFFERENT architecture for the "backup" the the G5 should be great!

I have a Trig TT22 with its remote control head in my RV6. I chose to NOT control it with the GRT but instead be able to reach out and touch it.

Just one person's perspective.

 

[Amadeus]

If no need for ILS consider Garmin's 175.

Totally agree. Ask any air traffic controller and they will tell you they always prefer pilots use RNAV/GPS approaches over ILS. Listening to NOTAMs you often hear that the ILS approach is down then, when flying into same airport again, weeks later hear the same NOTAM. The FAA isn't even eager to fix the ILS approach when down.

Besides the HUGE cost savings of the GPS175 over the 650xi there is also the savings of not needing 245 audio panel as the GPS175 does not add another COMM.

With more than 250 instrument approaches using the GPS175 I can highly recommend the navigator!

 

[Skid]

If you have the SPACE, consider updating the GRT Horizon to a "10.1 Horizon". (It should be "plug and play" for the most part.) That way, you can display IFR Charts on it with georeferenced plane position. Of course, some prefer to use an iPad with Garmin Pilot or ForeFlight or (fill in the blanks).

If no need for ILS consider Garmin's 175. I have the earlier 650 in an RV8 and a 625 in an RV6 but am putting a 375 (175+"ADS-B Transponder") in the current RV6A project.

While there are plusses and minuses each way, consider the GRT Mini instead of the G5 for "buttonlogy" consistency, integration of flight plan, MAP page, Engine data page, and backup to run the autopilot using GRT servos. On the other hand if you want a DIFFERENT architecture for the "backup" the the G5 should be great!

I have a Trig TT22 with its remote control head in my RV6. I chose to NOT control it with the GRT but instead be able to reach out and touch it.

Just one person's perspective.

I agree with almost everything James states. Personally I prefer a full function navigator, I replaced my GNS430 with an Avidyne IFD440. The other point in addition to what James states about the buttonology is the G5 is not an EFIS in the sense the GRT mini, it’s more like an attitude/HSI device. I had this conversation recently with my avionics shop discussing a backup device for my GRT EFIS. I have opted to wait for the new GRT mini when it becomes available this spring/summer.

 

[BobTurner]

1. The original GRT EFIS was called the ‘horizon’. Subsequent models were called ‘Horizon HS’, and then ‘Horizon Hx’, and the original Horizon was re-named ‘Horizon WS’ . WS = Wide Screen, it had a wider, but not as high, panel cut out than the HS and Hx. The newest Horizon is the ‘10.1’, and it uses the same size panel cut out (but you need to move the mounting nutplates) as the original Horizon (WS). So, what do you have?
2. Absolutely agree with the others: your Garmin 255 nav com has both an intercom and a nav radio. You don’t need two vor/ILS radios (some now go with none, although I’m not real happy about having all my eggs in one basket, having experienced a gps outage while on a gps approach into an airport surrounded by high terrain.). Go with the 175 gps.
3. The TT22 can ‘read’ Garmin’s ‘ADSB+’ format from the 175, you can wire that to the TT22 and sell the grt Safefly gps.
4. If you decide to just go with one com (the 255) you don’t need an audio panel, just use the 255’s intercom. While two com radios use to be the ifr standard, many today fly with just one. The ifr ‘loss of com’ procedures are straightforward; atc doesn’t fly the plane. If you want a backup, a cheap alternative would be a portable com radio with coax to its own external antenna. If you do decide on a second panel mount com, still skip the audio panel and use the radios volume controls to choose which radio you listen to, and a single dpdt switch to route the mike and PTT to #1 or #2.
5. IMHO a backup efis is needed for ifr. They all work okay. Note, grt has announced that this spring (?) they will have a mini efis that fits into a standard 3 1/8” hole (The viewing area is larger), if that works for you.

 

[BobTurner]

I forgot:
1. Unlike Jim, I did not mount the external control head for the TT22. The GRT Hx (not sure about the WS) has a procedure (‘push and hold, for a few seconds, the right-most button’), and the transponder control panel pops up across the bottom. Because my home airport frequently asks incoming aircraft to ‘ident’, I also ran a wire from the TT22 adaptor gizmo directly to a dedicated (‘ident’) button on my stick.

 

[jclark]

1. The original GRT EFIS was called the ‘horizon’. Subsequent models were called ‘Horizon HS’, and then ‘Horizon Hx’, and the original Horizon was re-named ‘Horizon WS’ . WS = Wide Screen, it had a wider, but not as high, panel cut out than the HS and Hx. The newest Horizon is the ‘10.1’, and it uses the same size panel cut out (but you need to move the mounting nutplates) as the original Horizon (WS). So, what do you have?
<<SNIP>>

Bob, I **think** that you meant to say that the "EX" fits in the space of the "WS". The mounting holes are in a different location and are -4 as opposed to -6 screws.
Correct???

I recently did an "update from the WS to an EX for someone.

The 10.1 display is closer to BUT NOT THE SAME as the 10.4 HXr.

 

[BobTurner]

Okay, final thought. Assuming you have one alternator/one battery, an all-out electrical failure in IMC could really ruin your day. At a minimum, I’d suggest a backup Li battery for your mini efis, and a battery powered gps for nav. (I use a no longer produced Dynon D6 mini efis with Li battery, and a battery powered iPad mini with WingX, and, under the hood (not as much stress as the real thing!), have no trouble shooting an LNAV (non precision) approach down to its minimums.)

 

[BobTurner]

Bob, I **think** that you meant to say that the "EX" fits in the space of the "WS". The mounting holes are in a different location and are -4 as opposed to -6 screws.
Correct???

I recently did an "update from the WS to an EX for someone.

The 10.1 display is closer to BUT NOT THE SAME as the 10.4 HXr.

Hi Jim, yes, you’re correct. I mixed models.

 

[coffeeboy]

If you have the SPACE, consider updating the GRT Horizon to a "10.1 Horizon". (It should be "plug and play" for the most part.) That way, you can display IFR Charts on it with georeferenced plane position. Of course, some prefer to use an iPad with Garmin Pilot or ForeFlight or (fill in the blanks).

If no need for ILS consider Garmin's 175. I have the earlier 650 in an RV8 and a 625 in an RV6 but am putting a 375 (175+"ADS-B Transponder") in the current RV6A project.

While there are plusses and minuses each way, consider the GRT Mini instead of the G5 for "buttonlogy" consistency, integration of flight plan, MAP page, Engine data page, and backup to run the autopilot using GRT servos. On the other hand if you want a DIFFERENT architecture for the "backup" the the G5 should be great!

I have a Trig TT22 with its remote control head in my RV6. I chose to NOT control it with the GRT but instead be able to reach out and touch it.

Just one person's perspective.

Thank you for the response!
I like the idea of the GRT mini instead of the G5 for easy transition, I think I'll go with that, or maybe just another Horizon screen on the right side of the panel? As far as the garmin 175/375/650 options: would I be losing much capabilities by going with one of the cheaper options? Should I add something else to add in to make up for it?

 

[Amadeus]

As far as the garmin 175/375/650 options: would I be losing much capabilities by going with one of the cheaper options? Should I add something else to add in to make up for it?

You would lose a second comm and ILS capabilities but as I mentioned earlier losing ILS is no big deal; ATC prefers we utilize RNAV/GPS approaches instead. Not adding another comm also means you can save by not needing an audio panel.

 

[coffeeboy]

Okay, final thought. Assuming you have one alternator/one battery, an all-out electrical failure in IMC could really ruin your day. At a minimum, I’d suggest a backup Li battery for your mini efis, and a battery powered gps for nav. (I use a no longer produced Dynon D6 mini efis with Li battery, and a battery powered iPad mini with WingX, and, under the hood (not as much stress as the real thing!), have no trouble shooting an LNAV (non precision) approach down to its minimums.)

I really appreciate the advice from all of you, thank ya'll!
The logs say it's the horizon 10.1 (I'm still learning the plane so my bad for not specifying)
I think I'll press with the garmin 175 and wait for the newer grt mini before I install a backup efis, but I might do a grt sport on the "copilot" side in the interim. Wiring the trig ident to the stick is a brilliant idea that I'll have to do, and the backup battery for the efis is a smart safety feature that I didn't even think about