iFly GPS Forum

We have a new Forum!  Go here to get started: https://adventurepilot.community.forum.  
The new forum is easier to use and much more capable than the old, we hope you will join our community! 

Below is a copy of the old forum. This will remain available for a short period so you can access and review the information contained here. To continue a conversation, or start a new one, please register and create a post at our new forum location.
HomeHomeDiscussionsDiscussionsiFly General Di...iFly General Di...Bare Panel, what would you do?Bare Panel, what would you do?
Previous
 
Next
New Post
5/23/2016 8:46 PM
 

Thanks for the offer. I've been traveling a fair bit and am now getting back into this. My system is already in. Hopefully someone else took you up on it.


Ought to be flying instead of posting.
 
New Post
5/23/2016 9:58 PM
 

Okay, between working for a living and everything taking three times as long as I estimate, the system is finally in. Better yet, it works! I installed the Skyguard behind the rear cargo bulkhead. In the picture from left to right is the battery box, 12V inverter (24V system), Skyguard, and ELT. Note the supplied GPS antenna mounted on a bracket in the back window. FYI: The Skyguard, iFlys, radio, and transponder are running off 24V.

Upfront I had room for the transponder, comm panel, and two iFlys. The radio is remote mounted under the glove box.

The upper iFly is a 740. It picks up the Skyguard data via wireless. It gets GPS, AHRS, traffic, and weather info via the wireless link. The lower iFly is a 700, which has no wireless capability. It has its own GPS antenna mounted on the glare shield. In an emergency, the 700 can act as a backup nav unit while the 740 becomes an electronic panel, complete with artifical horizon.

Both iFlys are mounted using industrial velcro. I have been using this mounting "system" in a Tailwind for several years without issue. The Tailwind currently carries a 720 and an iLevil-SW equipped with AHRS.

Long term I will replace the 700 with another 740. The 740 is readable in bright light, the 700, not so much. The 720 is right between them I am hoping Adventure Pilot does a 2-for-1 sale on the 740 (hint, hint).

Configuring the system was dead simple, although both the iFly and Skyguard documentation need to be updated to reflect the current iFly menu schema. The Skyguard reads the transponder over the air via its internal antenna and displays the squawk code in a selectable instrument box.

I mounted two TED ADS-B antenna (Aircraft Spruce, Part # 2011-13561, $16.85ea) on the belly of the plane about 4 feet apart, per the Skyguard instructions. It would be nice if the ADS-B in/out functionality was handled by one antenna, but that's a minor nit.

ADS-B coverage at our airport is intermittent. Radar and uplink data comes from Pueblo, about 30 miles away. On the first flight test an aircraft departed immediately in front of and immediately behind me. Neither was ADS-B equipped. They both showed up on my display when I reached 1,000ft AGL.

Depot Avionics in Alamosa helped with the PAR200A and Garmin installation. I did all the prep work and ran wires, they built the connectors and tested the units. I did the Skyguard myself. Overall its installation was easy and straight forward. It helps that the T-41B is relatively roomy and it is not too hard to get behind the dash and interior panels. I stripped the interior out during the upgrade and made bunch of other instrument and electrical improvements at the same time, hence the long installation time.

Along with combining the ADS-B antenna, my other wish would be that the green 5v LED needed for the Experimental/LSA configuration be included in the kit. I got mine from Newark element14 (newark.com), part # SSL-LX5093GD-5V, $2.87. I had a mount for the bulb, so can't tell you where to find that. I also learned that LEDs are polarity sensitive.

All told I have about $6,500 in hardware and services and many, many hours of my own time in this system. The PAR200A, Trig Remote Mount Radio, Skyguard, and iFly 740 are new. I already had the iFly 700 and I purchased a certified used Garmin GTX 327 off eBay. The aircraft is classified as Warbird/Experimental, so the ADS-B system is legal as installed. Not a bad price to go from zero to state of the art.

I have one 4-hour round trip in with the system up and running. It was over the Rocky Mountains flying between 11,500 and 12,500 MSL, so coverage was intermittent. I hope to travel to Front Range Airport this Saturday, which will put me near DIA. That will be a real test. If you don't see any further reports, the system is working as advertised.

[attachment]20160412593_Skyguard.JPG[/attachment]

[attachment]20160521863_iFlys.JPG[/attachment]

[attachment]20160521866_iFlys.JPG[/attachment]


Ought to be flying instead of posting.
 
New Post
1/8/2017 8:48 PM
 

Brag shot of dual iFly's (740/720) in operation.

[attachment]20170107317_iFlyPanel.JPG[/attachment]


Ought to be flying instead of posting.
 
Previous
 
Next
HomeHomeDiscussionsDiscussionsiFly General Di...iFly General Di...Bare Panel, what would you do?Bare Panel, what would you do?