Mini Glass Cockpits for experimentals

All_In

Gold Supporter
Joined
Apr 21, 2008
Messages
16,105
Location
San Diego, CA. USA
Aircraft
Airgyro AG915 Centurian, Aviomania G1sb
Total Flight Time
Gyroplane 70Hrs, not sure over 10,000+ logged FW, 260+ ultralights, sailplane, hang-gliders
Lately I've been flying aircraft with glass panels and must admit I like the new technology.

I've been looking for a light weight mini-glass panel for my Genesis G1sa.
Dave Bacon, John and the forum recommend MGL's XTreme.

I am not recommending anyone buy it until after I flight test it, however I have some good news if anyone wished to buy one...
while doing my research with the owner I became an OEM distributor for MGL!

For those who do not know... What is it?
The XTreme EFIS is an affordable mini Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS).
It can be configured as a (PFD) ‘Primary Flight Display’ with (AHRS) ‘Attitude Heading Reference System’ sensors added and/or an engine monitor system with (RDAC) ‘Remote Data Acquisition Computer’ added.

You may also program the XTreme by using MGL’s “Central” program to enter your Navigation Log and upload it using the SD card slot.

It includes a GPS receiver that is used to provide ground speed and range information, a basic (CDI) Coarse Deviation Indicator navigator, and as a backup/control for the AHRS ‘Attitude Heading Reference System’.

You can attach many different kinds of sensors to display Engine monitoring statistics, air temperature, a compass, fuel flow and sensors that tell you your spatial orientation like the SP-7 (AHRS) ‘Attitude Heading Reference System’ sensor for three axes that provide heading, attitude and yaw information for the aircraft.
If you do not select the AHRS SP-7 attitude sensor, you can still have a GPS-derived bank angle display! You may add sensors at any time to monitor just about everything.

Replaces the old fashion steam gauges and adds much more information:
1. Airspeed indicator with Vne (Max exceed speed), Vno (Max maneuvering speed), Vs1 (Min safe speed, normal), Vso (min safe speed, landing)
2. True airspeed
3. Altimeter with local pressure setting
4. Slip/skid indicator
5. Turn indicator
6. Wind speed and direction
7. Vertical speed indicator
8. Temperature (w/probe)
9. 2 Flight Timers as well as Hobbs, maintenance, and airframe Timers
10. Clock

The PFD Primary Flight Display navigation features:
1. Compass Rose
2. Heading Bug
3. Coarse Selector
4. CDI Coarse Deviation Indicator
5. ETA Estimated Time of Arrival
6. ETE Estimated Time En Route
7. DTW Distance to waypoint
8. CRS Current Set Coarse to active waypoint
9. Horizontal line roll and pitch indicators
10. Climb Ratio
11. Barometer
12. Density Altitude

You also get comprehensive engine monitoring gauges including:
1. RPM Tachometer
2. EGT displayed as a bar graph with warning limit alarms
3. CHT displayed as a bar graph with warning limit alarms
4. Oil Temperature
5. Oil Pressure
6. Fuel Level (1 or 2 with resistive senders)
7. Fuel Flow (w/ sensor)
8. Fuel Pressure (if not using NTC CHT inputs)
9. Water Temperature (if required w/sensor)
10. Carburetor Temperature (if required)
11. Rotor RPM (w/sensor)
12. Current Sensor Input (RDAC XF only)

Recommended Packages:

• Rotax 582
1. Stratomaster XTreme mini EFIS 1 1,195.00
2. RDAC XF, 12 thermocouple channels 1 315.00
3. Harness – MGL XTreme EFIS Cable 1 109.00
4. Harness - RDAC XF with CAN Bus 1 90.00
5. Type-K CHT Thermocouple, 14mm spark plug 2 70.00
6. Type-K EGT Thermocouple, M8 x 1 thread 2 90.00
7. TOTAL $1,869.00

• Rotax 912iS
1. Stratomaster XTreme mini EFIS 1 1,195.00
2. RDAC 912is, For Rotax 912iS Engine 1 215.00
3. Harness – MGL XTreme EFIS Cable 1 109.00
4. Harness - RDAC 912iS with CAN Bus 1 105.00
5. TOTAL $1,624.00

• Rotax 912UL
1. Stratomaster XTreme mini EFIS 1 1,195.00
2. RDAC XF, 12 thermocouple channels 1 315.00
3. Harness – MGL XTreme EFIS Cable 1 109.00
4. Harness - RDAC XF with CAN Bus 1 90.00
5. Type-K EGT Thermocouple, Clamp-Type, Small 1.25”dia. Exhaust 2 100.00
6. TOTAL $1,809.00

• Lycoming O-320
1. Stratomaster XTreme mini EFIS 1 1,195.00
2. RDAC XF MAP, 12 thermocouple channels & MAP 1 345.00
3. Harness – MGL XTreme EFIS Cable 1 109.00
4. Harness - RDAC XF with CAN Bus 1 90.00
5. CHT, bayonet-stype 3/8”-24, Type-K 4 140.00
6. Type-K Thermocouple Extension Cable, per foot, with splice kits 24 60.00
7. Type-K EGT Thermocouple, Clamp-Type, Small 1.25”dia. Exhaust 4 45.00
8. Westach Oil Temp Sender, 5/8-18 UNF Thread (Lyc./Cont.) 1 50.00
9. VDO 360-004 Oil Pressure Sender, 145 PSI, 1/8-27 NPT 1 35.00
10. UMA T1A9-1 Tachometer pickup for Slick Mag 1 95.00
11. TOTAL $2,164.00

Here is a link to the manufacture and soon it will listed in AviomaniaUSA.com website. http://www.mglavionics.com/html/xtreme_efis.html

1st picture is what it looks like and here are some of the screens the displays you can select:
 

Attachments

  • Xtreme.JPG
    Xtreme.JPG
    19.8 KB · Views: 0
  • Screen1.JPG
    Screen1.JPG
    37 KB · Views: 0
  • Screen2.JPG
    Screen2.JPG
    34.5 KB · Views: 0
  • Screen3.JPG
    Screen3.JPG
    29.9 KB · Views: 0
  • Screen4.JPG
    Screen4.JPG
    32.4 KB · Views: 0
  • Screen5.JPG
    Screen5.JPG
    28.2 KB · Views: 0
Well John the only thing I can think of would be the MGL Enigma. It's not that much bigger then the mini and it gives you the moving map and the ability to tune radios. I think it also has some kind of rudimentary synthetic vision as well.
Randy
 
I love my MGL panel, and wish I would have spent the other 900.00 for the color one. Matt at MGL is a great guy and they stand by their products and customer support is awesome. I actually had one fail in flight and strongly recommend steam back up gauges just in case. Oh it was replaced no questions asked by Matt himself!!
 

Attachments

  • DSC03238.jpg
    DSC03238.jpg
    128.5 KB · Views: 0
  • DSC03239.jpg
    DSC03239.jpg
    131.3 KB · Views: 0
The Enigma does give you a moving map and sythetic vision. Personally, I believe the synthetic vision is good for people who want to play video games. Don't use it for flight. But that statement holds true for any synthetic vision system likely to be installed in an aircraft most of us could afford.

Living in the US you can take advantage of free raster maps (sectionals), free approach plates and free airspace information.

The ArrowCopter is equipped with an MGL Voyager. I have been dealing with screen design and writing utilities for the MGL Voyager extensively. The MGL line of EFIS is a very open and customizable architecture. It's perfect for people who like to change things until they fit their specific needs.

-- Chris.
 
Chris a question for you on the Enigma as you have some time working with it. Can the Enigma be configured in some way to indicate or record tow sources of attitude. I am looking at the attitude of the airframe while also looking at the attitude of the rotor head?
 
Excellent advice.
I was going to buy the Enigma.
However after I became an OEM distributor for them and he mentioned that gyroplanes are using the XTreme with the Garmin.

I felt if I'm going to sell them that I needed a test bed to evaluate the XTreme so I'm putting it in the Genesis G1sa and I'll be putting the Enigma in PRA31's two-place Genesis G2sa to evaluate it.

If I like the Enigma better I'll replace it in the G1sa and make one of my PRA31 brothers a deal on the XTreme.

Thank you my friends for the suggestions and feed back it is good to know!


@Chris
Good to know it is programmable as a programmer that is great news.

Do you know if the XTreme is programmable too and did you get a programmers guide with the instructions or where?
 
PS:
I cannot talk about a specific discount on a public forum.
However, for those who know me and my support of PRA and if your a member of PRA in good standing you might wish to PM me to ask.
 
Chris a question for you on the Enigma as you have some time working with it. Can the Enigma be configured in some way to indicate or record tow sources of attitude. I am looking at the attitude of the airframe while also looking at the attitude of the rotor head?

No, there is only one attitude sensor possible. However, there is a thing called an IOX (input/output extender), which accepts a number of analog inputs, converts them to a format the Enigma understands and feeds it to the EFISl. where you can display them on screen.

Couldn't you use two potentiometers (or other more suitable position sensors) to give you the stick position. That, in turn would yield the relative position of the rotor head with respect to the airframe. And the latter you get from the installed attitude sensor.

-- Chris.
 
@Chris
Good to know it is programmable as a programmer that is great news.

Do you know if the XTreme is programmable too and did you get a programmers guide with the instructions or where?

No, I don't think the XTreme is programmable.

The programming you can do on the Enigma, Voyager and Odyssey line of EFIS is an extremely flexible screen design. The firmware itself will turn open source pretty soon.

Don't get me wrong, John, I think the XTreme is a good choice. In addition, it gives you redundancy in GPS receiver. But I would nevertheless explore the Enigma, too, when you get a chance.

Greetings, -- Chris.
 
No, I don't think the XTreme is programmable.

The programming you can do on the Enigma, Voyager and Odyssey line of EFIS is an extremely flexible screen design. The firmware itself will turn open source pretty soon.

Don't get me wrong, John, I think the XTreme is a good choice. In addition, it gives you redundancy in GPS receiver. But I would nevertheless explore the Enigma, too, when you get a chance.

Greetings, -- Chris.

Oh, Yaw Mon, I read about the Enigma, Voyager, and Odyssey screen program-ability and the limited screens available on the XTreme.

I'm going to use the one with the Airspeed indicator, Altimeter, RPM, etc. on the left of the screen and the engine and fuel flow etc on the right and then use the Garmin for Navigation.
That way I will not have to change the screens and they become more of a static display.

Thank for the heads up, I was hoping you hacked the XTreme but the source code is coming.

I will take your advice on the Enigma in PRA31's two-place Genesis G2sa w/ Lyc O320 with 150hp... weight is not as much an issue as for a yank and bank G1sa delight.

Thank you for your input I always appreciate it.
 
Last edited:
Check out the Genesis G1sa new glass cockpit Stan just made for me.
 

Attachments

  • G1saPanelFinal.jpg
    G1saPanelFinal.jpg
    130.3 KB · Views: 0
I love my MGL panel, and wish I would have spent the other 900.00 for the color one. Matt at MGL is a great guy and they stand by their products and customer support is awesome. I actually had one fail in flight and strongly recommend steam back up gauges just in case. Oh it was replaced no questions asked by Matt himself!!
Hey I missed you post buddy!

Thanks for the pictures and the heads up on the customer support!
 
Top