SonexBuilders.net

I'm a steam gauge kinda guy. Have been for over sixty years. Been an airplane fixer that long. When this new-fangled elextronical stuff showed up I stuck my nose in the air and trash-talked. If anyone had a problem I sent them to the avionics shop, mainly because I didn't want to admit my ignorance.

Well, now I have this humongous sore spot in the area I usually sit. Yup, it bit me in the butt!

So here I am, at the point I have to make some decisions regarding my new panel, and I can't determine the angle of the dongle from the can-can connector.

After reading what others have said about various systems I've about decided on MGL. That much was easy. But what else do I need to make this thing work?

The 30 mile arc of a major Class B area passes over the runway of my home airport, so I know I'll need at least Mode C, alt reporting and ADS B (out). And a VHF transceiver.
I'll probably throw in a Reserve Lift Detector, but that'll be no problem. Oh, and an iPad Mini for Fore Flight.

With panel space at a premium on the Onex I'd like to remote mount as much as possible. As many of the switches as possible will be circuit breakers.

What did you guys, who have or are doing it, do? How? Where?

Is there any definitive place to go to get the details?

Thanks for putting up with my ramblings. I am really looking forward to getting this lump of aluminum in the air, but I really need help.

Ed
Onex 209
tail dragger, Aerovee(?), MGL
Just east of Graceland

You will have a lot of good choices at this point Ed, so hopefully you’ll have a lot of people chime in with responses.
Personally, I have flown behind the Garmin G5 mini-PFD display and really like it as a stand-alone artificial horizon that also gives GPS ground speed and altitude, but you’ll probably need more than just that.

If it were me, I would highly recommend nearly exactly what I have (and many others as well); an MGL Xtreme EFIS display is small, light weight, and easy to read. This will give you all of your primary flight instruments and your engine information by way of MGL’s RDAC which you mount on the engine side of the firewall. On the panel, plug in the EFIS with power and ground, hook up your pitot and static lines, and plug in the RDAC feed and you’re good. From there you can add an AHRS and a remote compass if you’d like to have those. The Xtreme will also connect to a Sandia STX 165R remote mounted Mode C transponder via an RS 232 line to give you a transponder with Mode C, and there’s nothing added to the panel itself (the MGL controls the transponder directly).
At this point today, if you need ADS-B Out capability, add in a uAvionix Echo system which also works with Sandia transponders. The Echo is controlled via Bluetooth from you iPad so with this method, you would have a complete EFIS with EMS, mode C transponder and ADS-B Out, all with the only panel space taken being from the MGL Xtreme.
I also highly recommend the Flightline FL760 Comm radio as a small in size, low power draw, and inexpensive radio. I have one and have had zero issues with it. Excellent clarity, reception, and works very well! People also have good luck with Becker radios, and I’ve heard mixed reviews on the MGL Com radios in general. Some work great, some people have issues with.

All of this is my two cents of course, so take it for what it’s worth! Good luck!

Mike Farley said exactly what I would have said. I have the Xtreme Mini and the Echo UAT in/out. I have the Sandia tranponder, but mine is panel mounted. The remote version would be perfect for you. I also have the MGL V6 radio and I'm very happy with that, too.

I use switch/breakers as well:
http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_l ... 9579&row=3 .
Each one is sized for the load and mounted in a piece of circuit bread-board (just because it's thin, stiff and easy to work with):
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Ve ... gKL7fD_BwE

Here is one of the 15amp switches:
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/65 ... -A152A1-15
10 amp is same catalog number, but with a -10 at the end. -5 for 5 amp, etc.

The 4.3” screen Mini extreme is about $2300 with AHRS/compass to make it a complete flight instrument set. The 7” Discovery Lite is $1000 more, and the Explorer Lite 8.5” is another $200. In all three cases, add the RDAC, sensors, wiring harnesses if you don’t make them, radio, transponder, and ADS-B.

You get over 2.6 times the screen area with the 7” compared to the 4.3, and a lot more capability. The extra 200 for the 8.5” is another almost 1.5x on the screen area. Even with just the engine monitors and flight instruments, bigger is easier and faster to read, right? And it does more - weather, 3D terrain, traffic, etc...

It is unfortunately another 250 for the Lite extender and 250 for its harness to get AOA :-(

To me, the sweet spot seems to be the largest Lite you can fit on the panel, plus steam ASI and Alt just in case.

Ed,
If you get the opportunity, swing out to KAWM and see what I did for my Onex. MGL efis Lite, MGL radio, Sandra remote transponder. Give me a call. I think you have my number.

Onex Panel..........?

Ed...Onex 209 I finished and flew my Onex a few months ago (June 17, 2018) and am also "old school" (73 years old). I have a "mix" of steam gauges and new tech stuff in my panel. I couldn't make it all work with the original size panel so I started with a "clean sheet" of .063......made it 2 3/4" deeper and it worked out well. The I-Fly 740 gps (7" screen) is in the middle, round ASI, altimeter, vertical card compass and Hobbs meter on the left, and on the right....Electronics International (CGR-30P) engine monitor, Sandia 165 Mode C txpr, and MGL V-6 on the right side. Breaker switches for those and then 2 toggle switches (ignition), start button and a Cessna type split Master switch plus a Winter Slip Indicator pretty much make up the panel.

Depends on the type of flying you intend to do......this may not fill the bill for yourself. For me....my long flights and travelling days with my RV are in the past....so this is all I need.

I don't know how to post pictures on this site so if you want some pictures of my panel send me an email and I can send some pictures of how this all came together. gdbaxter78@gmail.com

Gordon......Hummel 2400.....Onex

Gordon, way back when, when I was working for Private Pilot magazine, a buddy of mine was working for Flying magazine. Lived in Dallas, and his monthly contributions were normally titled "Bax Seat" and "Armchair Curmudgeon". Flew a real nice Mooney and married a 'keeper' of a Delta stew. Tremendous guy. His name was Gordon Baxter. Any relation that you know of?

Ed

Gordon Baxter....."Bax Seat" Flying magazine

To EdW's comment........yes he is a distant relative. I had attended some of his Oshkosh forums years ago and finally introduced myself to him at one of his "book signings" at Osh a number of years ago before his "passing".

I introduced him to my wife.....Mrs. Gordon Baxter....to which he had some amusing comments....we all had a good laugh. He had a wonderful humour and wit about him....and was highly respected.

Gordon (Baxter).....Hummel 2400.....Onex