Clipperstorch wrote:
Central Europe’s complicated and busy airspaces
Excuse me while I suppress a chuckle, especially re “busy” 
Chaotic and badly managed, maybe.
Mooney_Driver wrote:
As a private owner, I would never buy a G1000 airplane for that reason.
Unless you want to fly a new RVSM aircraft, right?
All aircraft with a first TC issued since 2020(?) in EASA world must be equipped with CPDLC/VDL to be able to enter RVSM, and there is no modular VDL device (at least not for GA).
Well, sure, one cannot generalise totally. If you buy a new TBM, you won’t be worried about any of this
This thread context is pretty well about piston GA upgrades, plus a Jetprop or similar.
Which models have a first TC in 2020? Probably not even a TBM, because every TBM has “TBM700” on the tail label.
That Mooney is nonsense. For 31000ft the oxygen requirement will be interesting, for a start. And can’t be flown RVSM. The huge screenshots… showing what? Perhaps a bigger aftermarket turbo?
Ibra wrote:
Unless you want to fly a new RVSM aircraft, right?Seriously, assuming you can hold your breath without pressurisations & heaters above FL200?
There is the STC conversion of Mooney by Rocket that fly at 31kft (+1kfpm climb at 25kft)
I think there is one in UK for sale on planecheck at 135k£ and will get you 220kts at 28kft
All glass cockpit but you need RVSM avionics and TKSIt flies at 6kft most of the time though
@Ibra, first TC wasn’t issued this century! :)
What I was try to say was that if in some cases (marginal, mostly) you have no choice but to go integrated.
RVSM is one example.
For me as a low time pilot who flies only for fun the most advantage of a glass solution over steam gauges is the slaved gyro.
I’ve flown a PA-28 with steam gauges, a P2008 with the G3X system (no standby instruments), and a Aquila 211 fitted with G500 and GTN650.
Personally i prefer the G500/GTN solution of the Aquila, but for my kind of flying a tablet / mobile phone with a anvigation app will do.
If i ever have the chance to buy an aircraft i will fit it with dual G5 or similar and an external navigator.
Indeed; a slaved compass system is a “must” IMHO, along with an autopilot, for both VFR (if going places) and IFR
I fail to see the relevance of that Mooney to the topic. It would fit into one called “how fast can a SEP go regardless of how much avgas you pour into the engine”. Maybe someone should start a thread on that. The winner would be a Spitfire, or something similar
Yes – the proper gyro functionality of the G5 (or any slaved system) over the wandering DI makes life much more pleasant. That said, my easy workaround when going places was simply to fly a track per the GPS rather than fly a heading. In fact even with the G5 I fly a track rather than a heading.
I don’t necessarily agree an autopilot is a must for going places, but then your trips are longer than mine. I have done 3.5hrs without one and I can live with that.
To my knowledge the G5 / GI275 or a similar glass solution is much cheaper as any slaved mechanical slaved HSI. So for an upgrade from a mechanical DG a glass solution will be my choice. For the Club Piper mentioned in my previsous post my favorite would be a G5 in HSI mode combined with a GAD29 to drive the old Autoflite AP. It’s a small club with limited financial resources, so the upgrade to 2xG5 and GFC500 AP is out of scope.
For my ‘recreational flights’ there’s no need for an AP, but i think it’s nice to have one for longer flights. My longest solo flight was about 1,5 hours a leg until now.
In this Piper i use my navigation app (with a backup device and paper charts), in the Aquila the GTN650 and my navigation app as backup.
Graham wrote:
I don’t necessarily agree an autopilot is a must for going places, but then your trips are longer than mine. I have done 3.5hrs without one and I can live with that.
Agree, my longest leg yet 7:20h, and I didn’t miss an AP…
In my view an AP is good for:
- putting your life jacket on before overflying Genova on your way South
- removing your life jacket after having overflown Genova Northbound
- on board toilet use
- emergency, e.g. pilot dying with a PAX next to him
- playing airliner
A properly trimmed aircraft, and that includes sipping fuel equal from left and right tanks, or forward rear, can be flown “look ma’ no hands” for a certain lapse of time. Since I prefer to fly myself than being flown, no AP for me, thanks 
sw1969 wrote:
To my knowledge the G5 / GI275 or a similar glass solution is much cheaper as any slaved mechanical slaved HSI. So for an upgrade from a mechanical DG a glass solution will be my choice.
As long as people are sensible with the upgrade path… I know one owner buying an electric AI for backup, then Aspen PFD, then new engine monitor, then autopilot (all for an Arrow). He said later that if he new he would buy all those thing he would’ve gone for G500TXi + GFC500…
Would have been cheaper, allegedly, and all info on the same display.
