apollo mx 20

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robhail

Filing Flight Plan
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robhail
so I was wondering if anyone can tell me what else would I need to install if I wanted to put an Apollo mx20 in my 182
 
A compatible IFR GPS, preferably WAAS. Otherwise, you don't get nearly as much out of it as it's capable of giving. Also, the MX-20 was superseded by the GMX-200 when Garmin bought out UPSAT (formerly Apollo) and the operation became GarminAT. Frankly, for a 182, I think you'd get just about as much for less money and less panel space by just installing a Garmin GTN750 -- go to your Garmin avionics shop and play with their product demonstration wall to see what I mean. About the only thing you'd lack would be the electronic charts, and you can get that a lot cheaper with an iPad and ForeFlight.
 
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Ron Levy said:
A compatible IFR GPS, preferably WAAS. Otherwise, you don't get nearly as much out of it as it's capable of giving. Also, the MX-20 was superseded by the GMX-200 when Garmin bought out UPSAT (formerly Apollo) and the operation became GarminAT. Frankly, for a 182, I think you'd get just about as much for less money and less panel space by just installing a Garmin GTN750 -- go to your Garmin avionics shop and play with their product demonstration wall to see what I mean. About the only thing you'd lack would be the electronic charts, and you can get that a lot cheaper with an iPad and ForeFlight.
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+1 to the whole thing. Couldn't agree more.
 
Actually for the best "bang for the buck" just buy one of the later Garmin handhelds. You'll get most of the situational awareness as well as XM weather, etc.... About the only thing the later MX20's (this one may not have it) is the geo-registered approach plates (ChartView) option. Foreflight is definitely another option.

I've flown behind a MX20 for almost ten years now. It's getting a bit long in the tooth.
 
It was spiffy in 2004 when I installed it, but certainly even the GMX200 isn't something I'd put in today. The older ones have problems. The MX20 is slow and input challenged (no XM if you add ADS-B) and is prone to crashes (most specifically when displaying complex NEXRAD data). It blue screens (it is running Windows NT 4, if you turn the brightness up while it's booting you can see the NT boot).

Frankly, I'm kind of browned off on Garmin after some unfortunately AOG service distaster with my audio panel and the fact that I think the design of the GTN series while better than the POS 430/530 still sucks. Garmin sales support also sucks as they decided to totally ignore me when I was shopping for collision systems at Oshkosh. I'm seriously looking at Avidyne if I ever have to replace the 480.
 
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flyingron said:
The MX20 is slow
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This is the biggest headache for this unit now. I was a very nice unit - more than a decade ago. The demands of modern databases, etc, are just too much for it, and you would be continuously frustrated by the refresh rate.
 
To install it you'll just need to find a place in the panel for it and connect it to whatever will drive it. It doesn't do much alone, it at least needs to be connected to a GPS in most cases. Ours is connected to a 430W plus XM and other things we have in the panel. The cost of installing it can be all over the map depending on how much work you have to do on the panel to make it fit and how many devices you'll connect to it.

I love mine, I've never had a problem with it and I'll keep it until it dies. That said, I don't think I would install one if it wasn't already there. It's old tech and well past it's "use before" date. There are too many good options out there.
 
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