Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by John Austin on August 8, 2015 at 7:18pm

Hi Chris,

I've got an XTreme and an EMS. My experience has been that MGL units are extremely (pun intended!) reliable, so for my particular situation (day VFR and never too far from an airport!) I felt it was fine to just get the EMS box and save the additional expense of another EFIS. Guess if I was flying in truly remote areas and long distances from civilization, a redundant EFIS would be nice. On the other hand, I additionally have an iFly 740 GPS for navigation and have the iFly app on my android phone, which works great - so, I have triple redundancy as far as the EFIS, anyway. Even in the unlikely situation of everything going down the tubes and having no flight instrumentation, the STOL 750 has such benign flight characteristics I'd feel comfortable flying it "by the seat of my pants!"

John

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Permalink Reply by Jerry Latimer on November 15, 2014 at 4:28pm

I'm using the FL-760 and am very happy with the performance and sound quality.

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Permalink Reply by Carlos Sa on November 15, 2014 at 4:34pm

Hello, Jerry - thanks for the input!

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Permalink Reply by Tim Treat on November 18, 2014 at 5:56pm

For the first three, I am looking at the new MGL Discovery Lite panel simply because it is expandable to include advanced options like autopilot. It is not much more than your package and is sunlight readable.

I like the MGL v10 radio in my 601. It has features I like like a standby monitoring channel and it has the audio panel built in. It works great with my iphone music and I even make calls from the cockpit if needed. It might be a fun exercise to price out a complete MGL solution against your package just for fun.

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Permalink Reply by François Balaux on August 3, 2015 at 10:00pm

Hi Carlos

I use a FL-760 radio. Great for comms, not that good as an intercom. If I had to do it again I would probably use a MGL V6.

The other instruments I use are a Dynon D6 EFIS, an MGL-E1 engine monitor and a Sandia Aerospace STX165 transponder. I use my ipad mini as a GPS and for the music.

The criterias were to have small and light instruments that did not cost much. I am very happy with my choices, as I wrote the only thing I would change is the intercom.

Regards,

Francois

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Permalink Reply by Carlos Sa on August 4, 2015 at 6:08pm

Hello, Francois

Thanks for the description - that's good info to have.

As you can see on my page, I have shifted my target configuration (engine and flight instruments).

I'll have more comments on that in a few weeks...

Salut et merci encore

Carlos

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Permalink Reply by Timothy D. McCall on August 6, 2015 at 10:03am

If your engine will require mixture control/adjustment you might want to install O2 sensors and gauge.  I don't know anyone who has installed them that would part with them.  Makes (precisely) setting mixture a snap.

Tim 

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Permalink Reply by Walt Snyder on August 6, 2015 at 4:22pm

Sounds like you're on the right track. There's a lot of different approaches, some like the Airbus 380 look, some are more comfortable with the steam gauges they learned to easily read, and some do a combo. Some do what I call a "minimalist" approach, which is what I did, in other words only what is needed to enjoy flying the aircraft, yet small and light. 

An MGL Odyssey glass panel with all flight and engine instruments and GPS

MGL V-6 dual freq and intercom radio

Micro Air transponder. 

I have an Garmin 796 ram mounted on the left, as that is the most comfortable place for me to easily reach with my left hand, and it is easier to read. Plus, it is what I am used to. I made it a point to mount so it would not block any view to my left side, and a tablet would work well here also. 

I've used all of the MGL, MicroAir, and Garmin items in other aircraft and am really happy with all of them. 

I have a HOTS (hands on throttle and stick) system, and have my trim, flaps, PTT, AP control all incorporated in my stick grip, so you won't see any switches for those on the panel. 

And if you're wondering where my fuel selector is, you can see it beside my knee, I fabricated a smaller center console for it and my parking brake, something else to consider if you like that open look and don't need the panel room. 

There have been lots of great ideas for avionics and panels on the forums, and its a great place to start picking out the ideas that suit you best, I've yet to see any that are alike. 

Walt Snyder

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Permalink Reply by Paul Sanders on August 24, 2015 at 5:30pm

Hey Walt,

What is your opinion of having the V6 on the right of the main display? I mocked up this for my first panel idea

http://www.zenith.aero/photo/first-pass-panel-design-sent-to-my-pan...

and a commercial pilot friend of mine said I should put the radio on the left since that's where my free hand is. But aesthetically I like it on the right and I figure I'd be using the panel (which is actually the 8.5" MGL EFIS-lite not whatever I put in that diagram) to change frequencies anyway.

Also, since finding out about the Ray Allen grip I think I'm going with the trim switch on the grip too.

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Permalink Reply by Walt Snyder on August 24, 2015 at 11:33pm

Paul, great questions, I'll give my 2 cents on why I did mine, but bottom line, it's YOUR panel, you'll be using it, and I get the commercial guys reasoning and it's good, but case in point, it doesn't apply to mine either.

I fly my Quick and 750s unlike I do C172s or GA aircraft. In the LA basin and busy controlled airspace, in GA aircraft my left hand is on the yoke, and the right reserved for the comm, transponder, etc. Just to get out of SNA I go through minimum of five frequency changes. My right hand is my most active hand in that type of flying, and it's also on the throttle and other controls.

In my 750 and Quick, especially with a right hand stick, it's a different type of flying. Though I'm comfortable making it work at someplace like SNA in Orange Co, CA, realistically,  in my most common flight now I'll set the radio frequency once on the ground, my transponder is already set, and that's until I approach another airport, at which time I'll change frequencies once  again. In other words, I'm not going to be handling my radio much.

What I will play with quite a bit in cross countries, especially in places I'm not familiar with, is my Garmin 796 with weather, hence the Garmin is to my left, where my free hand is.  I found that my location of the GPS is ideal for me, as I got in the habit with my Quicksilver of resting my free left hand on my knee and easily reaching it to play with the Garmin and use it. Plus, no squinting to see it close.

I also want my MGL Odyssey directly in front of me, as I'll use that more than the radio, and much more than a transponder. What I don't use often goes to my right. Just as you've become using a yoke with both hands, you'll be used to the Y stick with both hands. Remember, when you fly the Y with your left hand, you'll be using fingertips, as if it were a stick between you legs, no big deal. 

You'll be comfortable using the stick in either hand after a point, and one thing about the 750 everything is easily reachable either hand. I think you're on the right track in putting what you will be using the most in front of you, as it makes perfect sense for you. I have to be honest, what we have and the type of flying we do is foreign to a lot of instructors and commercial pilots, so after weighing their thoughts, your'e exactly right, it works best for you. 

Regarding my type of Ray Allen stick, it's a bit odd, but again, it was for me. I will have a lot of others flying in my plane, andI wanted them to easily see what the stick switches were for, hence the control facing them. And actually, I like it more now than the top type. 

Walt Snyder

 

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