Anyone using a Grand Rapids Mini-X EFIS?

I've been looking for low cost EFIS systems vs steam gauges.   I am in an area where I will be flying under a Mode C, so I will need an altitude encoder with Steam gauges.   In addition, my Dad will fly the airplane as well.  He has a hard time reading the altimeter and airspeed tapes on the AvMap Ultra (Which I really like) but says he can see them on the Mini-x ok.

By the time I add up a sensitive altimeter, Airspeed indicator, Altitude Encoder and a GPS, I'm not far off the Mini-X.

Anyone have any experience with the Mini-x? Is it easy to read?  Does it require a separate AHARS for accurate attitude data?  The documentation is very unclear.  The more I read, the more unsure I am.

Thanks!

Brad

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Permalink Reply by John Austin on April 2, 2015 at 9:05pm

I've got the MGL XTreme mini EFIS (a virtual twin to the Grand Rapids Mini-x) and the MGL EMS (engine monitoring system). Both work really well and are very legible. The internal GPS in the XTreme drives a pseudo attitude indicator that rivals one using an AHRS and is really all you need for VFR, plus it's got a full airport database and provides navigation. I have a Sandia remote mounted transponder that the EFIS controls and provides encoder data and it also drives my autopilot (an AHRS is required for the autopilot).  However, the latest/greatest from MGL is the "Discovery Lite." It's a little bigger so I think you can comfortably have engine data and flight instrumentation on the same screen, and it has an internal AHRS. If your looking for a small EFIS, I definitely would give that one a look!

John

N750A

(not affiliated with MGL - just a happy customer!)

Permalink Reply by Don Morrisey on April 4, 2015 at 9:55pm
Brad,

The GRT mini is a great efis...I played with it quite a bit at Oshkosh. There are a couple of very informative threads on Vans Airforce, links below. If you have questions my advice is to call GRT and ask for Katie...she's the resident expert there and is extremely helpful and friendly. The second link is a lengthy thread that starts just prior to production and goes through the development and early deliveries...a ton of info.

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=124059

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=106723&h...
Permalink Reply by John Austin on April 5, 2015 at 4:29pm

I was gung-ho on the GRT mini-EFIS since initially they said they were also going to offer a twin mini-EMS box that would be plug-compatible with my GRT EIS 6000 (I wanted to update the EIS 6000 to a color/graphical screen). However, Katie told me that was so far off she couldn't predict when or if it would actually happen. So, since I already had the XTreme EFIS, I simply made a plug-compatible harness between the EIS harness and the RDAC that connects to the MGL EMS. Finally, I achieved "twin" boxes!  ;>)

John

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