Panel Upgrade

Lance F

Lance F

En-Route
Joined
Apr 9, 2005
Messages
2,946
Location
GA
Display Name
Display name:
Lance F
Since I got my Mooney last July, I've been thrilled to have a Garmin 430, which I every feature of on all flights of any length. But at Sun n Fun last year and this year and at the AOPA Expo, I just got the itch real bad for in-cockpit weather of some kind. When I saw the features that XM weather was offering, the gotta have it meter went off scale. The 430 screen is too small to show NEXRAD very clearly in my opinion, but where on a Mooney panel can one put a decently sized MFD? Just about nowhere.

Well, I challenged a nearby avionics shop (they'd put in the 430, a WX500, an autopilot and someother stuff before I bought the plane) with what I wanted. After 9 days at the shop I got the results back today, and I'm REALLY happy.

They moved a bunch of stuff, made a complete new right side stack and now I have an MX20 MFD fed by a GLD69 XM Weather receiver, the WX500 storm scope and of course the 430 in my main stack.

This thing is awesome and at this stage still a bit overwhelming with the info it can display. During my 20 min flight from the Av shop to my home airport, I just couldn't look at it for fear of totally burying my head in the cockpit for extended periods.

I have a bunch of cross country flights coming up in the next few weeks, and I'm looking forward to learning and using this incredable device. :goofy:
 
Awesome Lance. Have you any photos you can post?

I've been looking at the GNS 480/MX20 for my panel. Last I heard, Garmin wasn't ready to ship the GDL 69 for the 480, which is the element I want most onboard. I'll just have to wait!

Congratulations!
 
Big Bird said:
Awesome Lance. Have you any photos you can post?

I've been looking at the GNS 480/MX20 for my panel. Last I heard, Garmin wasn't ready to ship the GDL 69 for the 480, which is the element I want most onboard. I'll just have to wait!

Congratulations!
Click to expand...

If you are getting the 480/mx20 combo dont worry about interfacing with the 480, you don't really want to. The GDL 69 was designed for the MX20 and they are retrofitting it to the other garmin units. Don't wait buy, buy, buy.
 
Lance F said:
They moved a bunch of stuff, made a complete new right side stack and now I have an MX20 MFD fed by a GLD69 XM Weather receiver, the WX500 storm scope and of course the 430 in my main stack.

This thing is awesome and at this stage still a bit overwhelming with the info it can display. During my 20 min flight from the Av shop to my home airport, I just couldn't look at it for fear of totally burying my head in the cockpit for extended periods.
Click to expand...

Great choice...in fact our plane is in the avionics shop getting the exact same thing. I can imagine how excited you are to be flying with all the new toys. Some pictures would be wonderful!
 
I've never tried posting pictures so far (you see I haven't even figured out how to get an avitar in there yet :confused: ). I'll bring my camera over to the hanger some time today, take some pix, and try to post one. Panel work in a Mooney is tough...there is so little space. I'm quite amazed they got all this in.
 
Last edited:
Here's an atttempt at a picture of the new panel with MX20 MFD. Those that know the M20J panel note the annunciator is now in the right stack. I'll try to get a better view this afternoon. (All the little red dot-like things on the MX20 screen are obstructions, as in towers! Note to scud runners: be careful down there!)
 
Lance F said:
Here's an atttempt at a picture of the new panel with MX20 MFD. Those that know the M20J panel note the annunciator is now in the right stack. I'll try to get a better view this afternoon. (All the little red dot-like things on the MX20 screen are obstructions, as in towers! Note to scud runners: be careful down there!)
Click to expand...

THAT is a drool-worthy panel!
 
Thanks Joe. Here's a couple of better pictures. It ain't a Garmin 1000, but I think now I have a very solid IFR / cross country panel. I know I'm going to love the NEXRAD.
 
Time to upgrade that transponder looks so old compared to the rest!
Awesome looking panel, what do you true out at?
Rob
 
Not a contest Michael, just trying to stay away from TS. And yes, that transponder looks old and you know what, a new SL30 Nav-Com does neat stuff with the MX20 and would look a whole lot better than that old KX155. Oh, there's also the TCAD traffic box. Now let's see, where's that lottery ticket....:goofy:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top