Avionics News October 2014 - 30

DIGITAL REDUNDANCY
Continued from page 29

Photo by S.M. Spangler

batic	RV-10	because	he	didn't	want	to	leave	
anyone	at	home,	not	even	the	dog.	
Halmos	starting	building	his	quick-built	
kit	 four	 years	 ago	 and	 made	 its	 first	 flight	
	
	
in	 May	 2014.	 He	 started	 thinking	 seriously	 about	 its	 instrument	 panel	 during	 a	
weeklong	RV	builder's	course	in	Eugene	at	
Synergy	Air,	where	he	met	Gary	Worrell	of	
Aerotronics,	 who	 taught	 the	 avionics	 section	of	the	course.	
"I	 was	 nowhere	 near	 writing	 the	 panel	
check,	but	he	was	ready	to	sit	down	and	talk,	
to	go	over	my	thoughts	and	ideas,"	Halmos	
said.	"He	gave	me	his	cell	number	and	said	
to	call	when	I	had	questions	along	the	way."	
When	 Worrell	 retired	 from	 the	 shop	 in	
Billings,	 Montana,	 before	 Halmos'	 first	
	
flight,	 Jason	 Smith,	 who	 took	 over	 the	
	
shop's	 experimental	 division,	 continued	 as	
his	 always	 available	 sounding	 board	 and	
avionics	guide.	
There	was	never	any	question	of	building	 the	 panel	 himself.	 Building	 a	 reliable,	
John Monnett and the cockpit of the Sonex Aircraft JSX-2 SubSonex single-seat
safe	system	using	components	from	differjet. With limited space, the MGL Avionics 8.5-inch iEFIS Touchscreen provides all
ent	 manufacturers	 -	 and	 testing	 its	 capanecessary flight and powerplant information. On the pedestal beneath are the
RPM and EGT indicators and warning lights for the PBS TJ-100 turbine engine,
bilities	-	required	expertise,	experience	and	
the control head for the MGL V-6 comm radio, the audio panel and the oxygen
equipment	that	were	beyond	him.	Choosing	
system. The red flag to the right is for the BRS airframe parachute.
equipment	 from	 different	 original	 equipment	manufacturers	was	part	of	his	all-digly-mounted	 Dynon	Avionics	 transponder	 and	 FreeFlight	 Systems	
ital	redundancy	plan	"because	I	didn't	want	
combo	that	provides	ADS-B	Out	and	In	services.	
to	rely	on	the	software	of	one	company,"	Halmos	said.	
"This	is	the	panel	of	my	dreams,"	Halmos	said.	"ADS-B	was	a	
The	RV-10's	instrument	panel	seems	unadorned.	Two	Advanced	
part	of	it	from	the	start	because	the	deadline	is	drawing	close."
Flight	Systems	5600	screens	serve	as	his	primary	flight	and	multi	
Halmos	calls	the	Vertical	Power	VP-X	electronic	circuit	breaker	
function	displays.	Providing	everything	from	angle-of-attack	to	synthetic	vision,	one	backs	up	the	other.	A	TruTrak	System	Gemini	PFD	 system	"the	heart,	the	backbone	of	the	entire	installation."	Integrated	
with	the	EFIS,	it	saves	weight	and	money	while	adding	capabilities,	
in	the	lower	left	corner	of	the	panel	backs	them	up.	
"It's	essentially	a	six-pack	of	instruments	in	a	3.125-inch	hole,"	 from	starter	and	alternation	protection	to	wig-wag	light	control,	and	
detailed	information	of	how	much	power	the	airplane	was	drawing.	
Halmos	said.	"It	has	a	dedicated	battery	backup	and	its	own	software.	The	only	thing	it	gets	from	the	airplane	is	the	pitot-static	line.	 The	RV-10	has	one	12-volt	battery,	a	PlanePower	60-amp	alternator,	
and	a	20-amp	backup	alternator	on	the	engine	accessory	pad.	Behind	
If	everything	goes	dark,	it	can	stand	alone	and	get	me	to	a	safe	landing.	That	helped	settle	my	mind	that	we're	going	to	have	electronics	 the	panel	are	two	TCW	backup	batteries,	one	for	both	AFS	displays	
and	the	other	for	the	Gemini.	
keeping	the	lights	on	in	the	plane."
Halmos	is	anxious	to	make	his	first	long	cross-country	in	the	air	
A	Garmin	GTN	750's	communication	function	is	supported	by	a	
GTR	225,	and	their	audio	is	controlled	by	a	PS	Engineering	PMA	 plane,	and	EAA	AirVenture	in	Oshkosh,	Wisconsin,	was	his	goal	
8000BT	(for	Bluetooth).	At	the	top	of	the	panel	are	the	controls	for	 when	we	talked	three	weeks	before	the	event.	But	he's	only	about	
halfway	through	the	airplane's	40-hour	Phase	1	test	flight	period.	A	
	
the	AFS	autopilot	and	the	Flight	Data	Systems	GD-40	carbon	monoxide	monitor.	Below	are	a	handful	of	necessary	switches:	master,	 Federal	Aviation	Administration	requirement	for	all	new	homebuilt	
alternator,	avionics,	boost	pump	and	pitot	heat.	On	the	pedestal	are	
the	switches	for	exterior	and	interior	lights.	Unseen	are	the	remoteContinued on page 32
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Avionics News October 2014

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