Avionics Suite

Dual Garmin G3X Touch Displays and a GTN750xi

I chose to go “all Garmin” for most of my avionics. I really like their implementation of twin engine support, ease of use, and full set of features including speed trim, auto trim, flight director, autopilot, etc. Also, they are continually improving their products and adding new features.

I also installed products from Aero Safety Systems, CO Guardian, Mountain High Oxygen, DC Thermal, and Flight Line AC, to name a few. To see a complete list of the items that I installed see Features and Specs.

This is a typical Garmin system architecture diagram. Mine is almost identical, but I did upgrade in a few cases.

I purchased all of my Garmin products from SteinAir and most of my other avionics products came from them (wiring, ELT, CO sensor, connectors, CB’s, etc.) They are great to work with, provide excellent support, and they also provide a super useful wiring diagram. I highly recommend them.

(Many thanks to the crew at Steinair including Stein, himself, and Mike Gleason, and Christer Stenstrom, to mention a few.)

Here is the list of the installed flight instruments from Garmin:

2 x G3X Touch – One PFD, One MFD/PFD

G5 – backup EFIS

GTN 750xi Com1/IFR Navigator

**My magnetometer is mounted inside the left engine cowling.**

GMU 11 Magnetometer

**Mounted in the wing roots, along with the oil pressure, oil temp, and manifold pressure senders.**

2 x GEA 24 Engine Monitors

**My autopilot actuators are mounted on the canard.**

2 x GSA 28 Autopilot Actuators

**Conveniently mounted just in front of my throttle hand.**

GMC 507 Autopilot control head

**Near the bottom of my radio stack – just above the Central Warning System**

GMA 245 Audio Panel

Remotely installed items include:

GSU 25 AHRS
GTR 20 Remote Com 2
A429 GAD 29 Arinc Data Concentrator
GTX 45R Remote ADSB Transponder (Dual band)
CO Guardian remote CO detector (outputs to the G3X)

**Mounted on my fuselage. Works well in that location. (Note; Aircraft cover is from Bruce’s Aircraft Covers)**

GAP 26 Heated Pitot with AOA

Bruce’s Aircraft Covers

Dual amps display

3 Lighting Buses:
Instruments, Switches, Cabin

The rocker switches are internally lit by LED’s.

The cabin lighting is all LED’s. This includes:
Overhead console lights
Fuel view port lights
Main gear down view port light

The two map lights are incandescent.

This suite of equipment provides ADSB in and out, and is a complete IFR platform. There is no need for an iPad (other than as a backup) as everything that the pilot needs is available on this panel – charts, approach plates, frequencies, weather, terrain, checklists, traffic. You name it. It has it. And it has a robust architecture with built-in backups.

There are quite a few items in the aircraft that could be included under the banner of “Avionics”, but they are covered elsewhere.

Such things as:

Inflatable Door Seals
Electric Heaters
Seat Heaters
Central Warning System
Air Conditioning
Oxygen System
LED Lighting.

Click on these links to learn more.

I also installed custom wood grain side sticks.

They have:
Push-to-Talk
Flip/Swap transmitter
Autopilot ON/OFF/Control wheel steering
2 axis trim (rudder trim switch is on the center console)
Mute (mutes traffic warnings for use in the traffic pattern).

And just for completeness of information, I also installed:
Several pairs of USB ports (panel, aft side center console)
A power port (aft center console)
Powered Bose headset jacks( aft side center console and on each “twin tower”)
Music input jacks (aft side center console, and on one of the “twin towers”)