Avionics question

[Chairboy]

So I'm thinking about the bare minimum needed for useful IFR training in my own plane.  It's got an MX-300 NAV/COM that runs a VOR, FAR 91 says that (plus the standard six pack) it's just a pitot static test from being instrument legal, but that would be useful for a popup clearance through a marine layer at best with radar vectors.

I'd like to have something just a tiny bit better so I can learn how to play follow the needle.

I'm thinking I need:
* An additional NAV/COM - Listening to ATIS without dropping off frequency seems awful useful.  Plus redundancy for COMs is nice, and the single VOR won't teach me what I need to learn.
* A glideslope receiver.  My MX-300 doesn't have one built in, so the second NAV/COM needs one, unless I'm ready to drop a few hundred on a standalone GS receiver (which the MX-300 will talk to via ARINC).
* Another CDI, one with a glideslope needle & marker beacon.  Having a second VOR would make VOR intersections a possibility too.

What I have:
MX-300 NAV/COM w/ VOR indicator
Mode C transponder
ASI/AI/Alt/TC/Gyro Compass/VSI
Fine for night VFR

FAR 91

I've got plenty of panel space, I'll see if I can find a pic shortly.

While it's not fancy looking, this loks like a barebones path to turning my plane into a basic trainer.  I know, no IFR GPS or DME, but I'm figuring that RNAV is like learning to drive in a stick instead of an automatic:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=010&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=200110973513&rd=1,1

Thoughts?

[Chairboy]

Here's the current panel:

[AKIron]

When my dad learned to fly in the 50's he just stayed low enough to read the road signs.

Looks like everything just got a fresh coat of Armor All. I must admit to a bit of envy, maybe someday.  

[Chairboy]

That's a different form of IFR, namely "I Follow Roads".  

[Maverick]

I'm  pretty rusty but I thought you needed 2 Nav Coms, a DME and an NDB or IFR GPS for IFR. Your panel only has a single nav com and a single VOR head. I don't see your marker beacon display either. If you have one, where is it?

IIRC the most cost effective way to get a bird up to IFR was a panel package like you find in the Trade a Plane avionics advertizers. Then you have the instalation costs and depending on how good (conscientious) the installer is the cost can about double on the radios.

Has your bird ever been IFR certified? If so, have you examined in the logs what equipment was installed then checked to see if all of the wiring harness for the old instalation was removed? If they just did the hack and slash removal you may still have a bunch of cut wires under the panel and strewn through the aircraft adding to your over all weight for no gain. Removing all those harness fragments will drive up the cost of the installation.

[Chairboy]

(d) Instrument flight rules. For IFR flight, the following
instruments and equipment are required:
    (1) Instruments and equipment specified in paragraph (b) of this
section, and, for night flight, instruments and equipment specified in
paragraph (c) of this section.
    (2) Two-way radio communications system and navigational equipment
appropriate to the ground facilities to be used.
    (3) Gyroscopic rate-of-turn indicator, except on the following
aircraft:
    (i) Airplanes with a third attitude instrument system usable through
flight attitudes of 360 degrees of pitch and roll and installed in
accordance with the instrument requirements prescribed in
Sec. 121.305(j) of this chapter; and
    (ii) Rotorcraft with a third attitude instrument system usable
through flight attitudes of 80 degrees of pitch and
120 degrees of roll and installed in accordance with
Sec. 29.1303(g) of this chapter.
    (4) Slip-skid indicator.
    (5) Sensitive altimeter adjustable for barometric pressure.
    (6) A clock displaying hours, minutes, and seconds with a sweep-
second pointer or digital presentation.
    (7) Generator or alternator of adequate capacity.
    (8) Gyroscopic pitch and bank indicator (artificial horizon).
    (9) Gyroscopic direction indicator (directional gyro or equivalent).
    (e) Flight at and above 24,000 ft. MSL (FL 240). If VOR navigational
equipment is required under paragraph (d)(2) of this section, no person
may operate a U.S.-registered civil aircraft within the 50 states and
the District of Columbia at or above FL 240 unless that aircraft is
equipped with approved distance measuring equipment (DME). When DME
required by this paragraph fails at and above FL 240, the pilot in
command of the aircraft shall notify ATC immediately, and then may
continue operations at and above FL 240 to the next airport of intended
landing at which repairs or replacement of the equipment can be made.

The relevant section in FAR 91 just says radio navigation equipment appropriate to ground facilities to be used (bolded above).  A DME is nice, but not required.

The 'classic' avionics rig I linked to has a marker beacon.  It would add the second NAV/COM (which, while not required, sure is a Good Idea).  If I'm not using NDBs, then I don't  need that.  Dual VORs+GS should cover my RNAV needs, yes?

[AKIron]

I don't know what's required by law but I think all you really need practically is an altimeter, artificial horzion, directional gyro, and a $200 hand held GPS receiver.

[Chairboy]

Can't use a handheld GPS for IFR, there would be no way to measure inspection compliance.  It'd have to be a panel mount IFR GPS to meet the requirement.

Sure, I could probably get a Garmin 430 w/ CDI for about $6,000, but that's a bit spendier than I can rationalize right now.

[AKIron]

I know it wouldn't be part of your "regulation" gear but I don't think there's any restriction preventing you from having or using one either.

[Chairboy]

Followup question, how do y'all feel about EGT/CHT gauges?  My plane doesn't have one right now, but it seems like it'd be useful for economizing and monitoring engine health a little more.  Right now, I use a strategy of "full rich below 3,000" + "pull mixture back to engine stutter then advance a touch back to full RPMs during cruise" and "lean it 1/4 inch or so while taxiing to avoid lead fouling".  It ain't fancy, but I can see a benefit to tuning my leaning to be more efficient as well as having an idea about a developing engine problem when a cylinder starts changing temperature compared to the rest.

How much does installation of something like this cost, too?  An hour of mechanic time?  Two?

Or is it a waste and my current rough method should be fine?

[Golfer]

EGT is nice to have to not only see how you lean but also check a trend at cruise.  Even if you go with a simple EGT that is one needle that will enable you to select each individual cylinder once or twice an hour in cruise it's a plus.

The JPI Engine Analyzers are real nice with CHT/EGT stacks and at one glance you can see that all cylinders are doing their combustion thing as well as they can.  They can get expensive like anything else but even a simple EGT (I'd want to select each cylinder) and a CHT on the hottest cylinder so you can monitor your engine cooling (this will be even more important as you step up in airplane complexity, especially in your rear engined airplane).

If you want to fly your airplane with the same precision that I hope you're going to put into building it then I'd use all the tools at your disposal to do just that.  A TLAR (That Looks About Right) attitude will get you through a Cherokee most likely without any major problems because there really isn't much to go wrong.  You may as well learn how to use all the tools you'll need in your next airplane while you've got one you already know how to fly.