- Joined
- Jun 8, 2012
- Messages
- 18
- Reaction score
- 5
I have owned my 1974 PA32/260 for some 30 years and plan in keeping it another 30! It's US registered but I keep it in southern Spain.
I've resisted upgrading avionics and instruments because of the cost. Yes would love to have them. But a big difference between "need" and "want." And the cost.
Last year the FAA and the avionics manufacturers got smart and realized all those much lower cost avionics the experimental folks have used for years could be used for certified aircraft as well.
Eureka moment!
It's my belief that all the avionics that are now available only for the experimental crowd will become legal for the certified. Hopefully sooner than later.
Last year at Oshkosh I saw the Garmin G5 Attitude indicator. Had two models.
One for the experimental aircraft and the other for the certified. Exact same instrument but different software. Of course the certified model was twice the price.
Experimental model has a lot more in the same box. I figured I'd buy the certified and hopefully the software would change so to have as many functions as the experimental. Turns out my hunch came true. Since adding my G5, in the last month or so Garmin started selling a GMU 11 ...which when paired with the G5 makes the instrument a HSI or attitude indicator with a simple push of a button on the G5. Neat trick and very legal.
For those of you going this route I'm going to give you a tip and will save you $$$. GMU 11 is a magnetometer (about the size of a pack of cigarettes) location of the installation is critical. And Garmin is somewhat vague in the installation manual as to where to place the GMU11.
It can't be near a lot of stuff.(Magnetic interference) At first we looked at taking off a wing tip fuel tank and trying to place it near a rib. Unfortunately PA32s don't have many inspection panels under the wing. I wasn't keen on placing an instrument (GMU11) in a place where we would have to remove the fuel tank to inspect it. Plus we were not sure if it would work there.
In any event after testing for magnetic interference ( yes there is test equipment for this) we ending up installing it just behind the right side inspection panel just forward of the right horizontal stabilizer. ( in the old days this is where the ELT was accessed.)
Seems to work fine. I've only done one flight though.
Next trick: Avionics guy told me G5 will drive an autopilot. All I'll have to do is change servos. I have the original Piper 2 axis autopilot.
That also means I'll be able to get rid of every vacuum instrument I have inthe Piper (I think) and still be IFR legal. To date I've had to keep the vacuum driven AI and DG as they drive the auto pilot. If the G5 will drive the autopilot then these vacuum instruments are redundant.
Allen Low
Malaga Spain
I've resisted upgrading avionics and instruments because of the cost. Yes would love to have them. But a big difference between "need" and "want." And the cost.
Last year the FAA and the avionics manufacturers got smart and realized all those much lower cost avionics the experimental folks have used for years could be used for certified aircraft as well.
Eureka moment!
It's my belief that all the avionics that are now available only for the experimental crowd will become legal for the certified. Hopefully sooner than later.
Last year at Oshkosh I saw the Garmin G5 Attitude indicator. Had two models.
One for the experimental aircraft and the other for the certified. Exact same instrument but different software. Of course the certified model was twice the price.
Experimental model has a lot more in the same box. I figured I'd buy the certified and hopefully the software would change so to have as many functions as the experimental. Turns out my hunch came true. Since adding my G5, in the last month or so Garmin started selling a GMU 11 ...which when paired with the G5 makes the instrument a HSI or attitude indicator with a simple push of a button on the G5. Neat trick and very legal.
For those of you going this route I'm going to give you a tip and will save you $$$. GMU 11 is a magnetometer (about the size of a pack of cigarettes) location of the installation is critical. And Garmin is somewhat vague in the installation manual as to where to place the GMU11.
It can't be near a lot of stuff.(Magnetic interference) At first we looked at taking off a wing tip fuel tank and trying to place it near a rib. Unfortunately PA32s don't have many inspection panels under the wing. I wasn't keen on placing an instrument (GMU11) in a place where we would have to remove the fuel tank to inspect it. Plus we were not sure if it would work there.
In any event after testing for magnetic interference ( yes there is test equipment for this) we ending up installing it just behind the right side inspection panel just forward of the right horizontal stabilizer. ( in the old days this is where the ELT was accessed.)
Seems to work fine. I've only done one flight though.
Next trick: Avionics guy told me G5 will drive an autopilot. All I'll have to do is change servos. I have the original Piper 2 axis autopilot.
That also means I'll be able to get rid of every vacuum instrument I have inthe Piper (I think) and still be IFR legal. To date I've had to keep the vacuum driven AI and DG as they drive the auto pilot. If the G5 will drive the autopilot then these vacuum instruments are redundant.
Allen Low
Malaga Spain
