GPS-175 and a G5 HSI and you are covered. Or dual G5s. Then your CDI and annunciation status is right in front of you. No CDI required for IFR. The price of an installed GI-106A/B will take you a long way toward a G5. I removed my GI-106A but am considering whether or not to keep it for an upgrade of NAV/COM 2.
Appreciate the reply, and what you suggest makes good sense. I recognize that, IFR-GPS-wise, I'm at the point where I don't know what I don't know....I've studied enough and taken enough practice tests to know I can pass the written, and have flown enough with my CFI to get to the point where we did some approaches and were about to do a cross country (twice over the years before life got in the way), but always using VOR and ILS approaches which is all the capability my plane has.
You wrote, "No CDI required for IFR" ... I thought a connected CDI was required for LPV approaches. Is that incorrect?
I'd love to complete my IR in the next couple months, but my recent annual/renovation was a wallet-buster. While I would LOVE to take your advice and go the G5 (or dual G5) route, that would zoom past my budget at mach speeds right now. I could cough up enough money for a gps175 and do an owner-assisted installation, but adding a G5 or two would be beyond my finances and probably enough beyond my installation experience that I'd have to completely rely on a shop for the full installation. Maybe not...won't know until I dig into it. So far, I've done a Stratus ESG and antenna and a four place intercom installation, and my A&P was sufficiently happy with my work to ask me to continue working with him.
Around $4k? Sure. $14k (or more)? Sadly, not a chance at least this year.
@chemgeek ...we both fly in the same neck of the woods... do you think I could complete the IR training and checkride with the equipment I currently have (vor/ils capability only) and kick the gps upgrade down the road for a year or so? I know some of the VORs are either closed or frequently ots.. are their still enough approaches in the area?