Picking an EFIS

[RandyL]

Jeff, I agree with you which is why we need reasonable redundancy in the cockpit. The probabbility of my EFIS and my Garmin 496 going down simultaneously is just about zero. I can get down to an airport solely with my 496 no problem should my EFIS ever quit.

I know you can buy an internal GPS for the AFS boxes and save some money, but then you really would have all your eggs in one basket.

[jonbakerok]

I'm with you, Randy, up to the point. The Kitfox is primarily a fun flyer. No reason to pack it with redundancy when you can just look out the window.

However, I'll still have a mechanical airspeed indicator. I don't plan to fly my Kitfox in bad weather but I do plan to fly it on windy days. GPS groundspeed isn't accurate in wind, and as far as I know, nobody makes a reasonably priced (<$100) stall indicator for the Kitfox.

[n85ae]

I'd go the very simple basic instrument approach if I built mine
again. The only real addition would be an attitude indicator.
I have a very IFR panel now, with vac system, glideslope, marker
recvr, etc. It was in hindsight an enormous waste of money because
the plane is not a good IFR platform, so I don't fly it IFR.

Of the stuff invested in the panel though, I really like my Bendix
King KX-155 which has to be one of the best pure radio's I
have ever used. Crystal clear and range goes way way WAY
out. Not a lot of features but a REALLY solid radio.

I have a GNC-250XL, which is a great GPS Comm, but took me
a week of flying it on the desk at home with external power in
simulator mode to learn the features. Radio in it is good, but not
as good as the KX-155

Jeff

[Slyfox]

here is my panel.



I have the old Iq3600a, which I like a lot, I've turned off just about everything you can think of, mainly terrain warning, thing would go off all the time if I left that on.
That white piece of paper in the center has all the local airports with the freq and altitude for quick reference and a slot number for the radio, I just dial in the number and all is set.
The thing dangling in the center is my music, holds 240 songs. Things like this are a pain to adjust, so I have a stereo over the right door. Allows for quick turn down and if I want a special selection of songs, it takes cd's, than if I feel like the local radio...
Warn light in the middle for low fuel, like that one.
THe transponder is above the left door.
This plane is so simple.
I fly the plane and rarely look at the guages, I fly out the window.
When I fly at night I look at the main three, altitude, airspeed and rpm.
My light is over head, powered by batteries.
I keep my electric load down, for that heated vest I ordered.

Now I just need my new motor, waiting on John now. Can't wait for that one, an extra 20horses, way kool I say.