AV-30-C

[ddr36d]

I treated myself to the AV-30-C after my vacuum pump went belly up. My AH and DG also needed overhaul. I removed the entire vacuum system, gained a few pounds of useful load and have a fancy instrument in the panel.

[Bill_Green]

I will be interested in your impression of the AV30 after you have flown with it for a bit. Also any thoughts on the installation difficulty, or ease. I'm considering one of these for a project plane of mine. Thanks.

[GAHorn]

A recent article I read mentions the battery life of these sort of Garmin equipt needs to be remembered and that the current price of the battery is about $1500.

[n2582d]

I can’t find the price of the lipo backup battery for the uAvionix AV-30C. Their Instructions for Continued Airworthiness outline how to test the battery. This is to be done every two years. For VFR operation there is no mandatory replacement interval like there is for an ELT battery. For IFR use they call for a 5 year replacement cycle. Sarasota Avionics sells the backup battery for the Garmin GI 275 for $379. They list the Garmin G5 battery for $235.

[4583C]

A recent article I read mentions the battery life of these sort of Garmin equipt needs to be remembered and that the current price of the battery is about $1500.

I found an article in Aviation Consumer that gives the $1,500 price for a L3/Harris/ESI-500, replacement battery.

[ddr36d]

I haven't flown with the AV-30-C much but I think it is a great instrument. It has a lot of features but since my 170B is a VFR aircraft I kept the installation simple. I removed the entire vacuum system and just hooked up 12v power and the pitot and static lines. I'm not concerned about the battery since for VFR operation no tests or replacement are required. I can flip the screen between AH an DG in flight since I did not lock the unit to one or the other.

[ghostflyer]

I have now flown behind both the AV-30-C instrument and the Garmin G5, and while the AV-30-C has a heap of information on it and it’s a great instrument but it’s a bit too small for all the instrument information. I found myself having to scan the instrument longer and take my eyes from outside . While I have now all digital instruments in my aircraft I do miss the steam gauges as one gauge did one job and you know where it was. I do have the legally required steam gauges but they have been mounted to the side of my normal vision and sometimes i am sneak peeping that gauge for information. For some obscure reason I am also comparing both forms of gauges against each other while flying .

PS. i miss my steam gauges .

[brianm]

I've had a single AV-30 in my 170 for about a year. In general I am happy with it for my purposes. I fly a fair bit of XC and night, which carry a somewhat increased risk of inadvertent IMC compared to local and daytime flights. For that reason I want a useable attitude indication for emergency situations. Getting rid of the weight and cluttered plumbing of the vacuum attitude instruments was a bonus.

I have found that the heading indicator drifts to the point of being unusable. I am told there is a factory software update that may help (something to do with an internal magnetometer that needs to be activated) and there is also an external magnetometer feature "coming soon". For now I have an external GPS connected and have the heading indicator configured to show ground track.

If I was flying IFR, I would go with the Garmin GI 275 or G5.

[c170b53]

I agree, heading indicator is not useable. I’m waiting on the remote as well.
I was asked recently by a 180 owner whether Ua would be suitable for him. I would go Garmin for A/P integration, but its mucho dinero.
Seems Ua is in the habit announcing products with the real rollout occurring much later, so I’m not holding my breath on Ua. With the slow rollout, its likely going to mean patches between supporting products which might also mean more aggravation.

[GAHorn]

….., but its mucho dinero…...

Is that a Canadian term…?

[ddr36d]

George, I think "mucho dinero" is Spanish. Canadian would be "mucho dinero, eh"

[GAHorn]

George, I think "mucho dinero" is Spanish. Canadian would be "mucho dinero, eh"

[Mike Gourd]

Has anyone installed one with the tailbeaconX? I am considering this, as it should meet future Canadian requirements.

[4583C]

TailbeaconX was the main reason I installed the AV-30. I am really enjoying both, and yes the heading indicator drifts more than I would like. I think the external magnetometer will cure the heading drift when it becomes available. Replacing my old Vacum AI, DG, vacuum system and transponder saved about 16 lbs as well as getting something built in the current century in the panel! Setting the barometric pressure and heading is much easier than the old stuff.

[mmcmillan2]

How often do you have to retune the DG on a one hour flight?