---------------------------------------------------------- L29-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Sun 10/11/09: 1 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 09:05 AM - EFIS (Jorgen Nielsen) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 09:05:24 AM PST US From: "Jorgen Nielsen" Subject: L29-List: EFIS There were a couple questions re my EFIS install in the L29. Herewith some rationale and install details: Rationale: I chose the MGL Voyager after quite a bit of deliberation. What I liked was it seemed a very complete package (bearing in mind one must add sensors etc), this unit can link to radios for auto frequency selection, drive an autopilot with the addition of servos only, and is highly configurable, with the ability to design all your own screens. One can add traffic overlays, ILS etc. The system is also installed and worked well in some recent high profile flights - Chalkie Stobbart recently broke a 70 year old record flying from Cape Town to London and back. Large parts of this flight took place in actual IMC and at night - he used the MGL unit. Some other guys from SA also recently flew around the world in a homebuilt, stopping at Oshkosh - also behind the MGL system, in sometimes adverse weather conditions. Bits and pieces: My config is the Voyager EFIS proper, the SP2 compass, and the SP5 aerobatic remote mount heading and attitude reference system. This is state of the art with laser ring gyros. I am not installing autopilot (maybe later) I am not using any engine monitoring whatsoever (wanted to minimise the impact of the install and not introduce any reliability issues) The existing standard L29 engine monitoring is for me perfectly adequate. Keep in mind the issue of wiring etc. through the various pressure bulkheads, removing the tail for service etc. Mounting: The SP5 is mounted hidden away where the ADF control box was mounted. The SP2 compass sensor is mounted in the nose. We had to cut a new panel as the fittings on the old interfered with the Voyager (its a tight fit). Redundancy: I also wanted backup in case the unit goes FUBAR, so removed the machmeter from the panel and mounted it hidden away, to retain proper operation of hydraulics / flap retraction etc. Out of interest my L29 in unique having undergone Czech AF "modernisation" with fancy ASI, with built in TAS & Mach needles, and extra electronic sensors for auto flaps/gear. I also fly my L29 in km/h and have not converted to Knots. This is a bit of a pain as ATC always ask for speeds and distances in knots and NM. More on this later. So, we moved the ASI to the machmeter position. Removed the AI and DI, radio altimeter and clock. Moved the altimeter to bottom left, kept the turn and bank, and moved VSI to bottom right. So if the Voyager went FUBAR, I can still fly the aircraft, even partial panel in IMC. I have completely redesigned all the screens. It has taken me hours, and I am not finished, but I think I am almost there. For example, I now have on one of the main flying screens, airspeeds in km/h, but GS and distance to waypoints shown in NM and kts. This should reduce cockpit workload and alleviate the need to do mental arithmetic when flying and giving estimates etc to ATC. I have created a bunch of abbreviated checklists in the units checklist format, for preflight, run up, take off etc. Also created an "info page" which I can call up with a button press for emergency procedures, which displays in the screens bottom 1/3, for partial engine failure, gear fail etc. I even have (drum roll) created a "aerobatics main screen", with g meter prominently displayed next to airspeed, entry speeds displayed on bottom, height AGL in BIG letters next to normal altimeter height. The system comes with all the design tools, a simulator etc. One can even run Microsoft flight simulator and connect the actual instrument to your PC via USB, or use a simulated instrument. Negatives: I have really stressed tested the design suite and found some bugs. These have been forwarded to MGL Avionics together with some feature requests and I am sure rectified soon. I did manage to work around the issues I found. Some of the documentation is a bit out of date and could be improved. Again, I have discussed this with MGL and they are working on revising this. The proof will be in the pudding, it has not flown yet. A local avionics company is doing the install, they should be finished Monday (tomorrow). Then my engineer has to reinstall the seats etc, and I will test fly. When I get my L29 back, I will take some pics and post. Other: As an aside, I am working on a 3 step aircon efficiency upgrade: 1. By removing about 100kg of old avionics, I have also removed many of watts of heat being generated by inverters, etc. 2. I have tinted my canopies with the film used by the car people, to reduce solar heat build up. This film is very effective - have not gone too dark in case of night flying. This was a really lousy job, and the canopies are double curvatures, so it is not as neat as I would have liked. 3. I have redesigned the air con's air path routing (on paper only) and discussed this with my engineer, in order to maximise this and blow air onto me and pax. Not actually built it yet. Also in design allowed for putting fan in, to boost airflow if not cooling. Jorgen ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message l29-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/L29-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/l29-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/l29-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.