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“New” RV-7 owner soliciting avionics feedback

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az350x

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Howdy all-
I purchased a 2021 RV-7 last summer with Dynon Skyview classic 7” displays and a Trio Pro autopilot. I’m finding myself a bit disappointed with both the display size and the current panel layout in the plane.

For context, I sit behind large Garmin displays in the form of a Garmin 5000 system when at work, so I’m kinda ruined in that sense. I LOVE the aspect of logic and display consistency between the two platforms. Plus, I’m a bit of an overkill guy in that I detest settling and spending “X” for something and being disappointed and later learning that had I just spent X plus a bit more, I’d have what I really wanted. So even though I’m impressed by the functionality of the Dynon, it’s just not gonna work for me long-term in its current form (current panel layout and 7” displays).

So that brings me to my quandary. While I don’t ever see myself planing and taking moderate-hard IFR trips in this plane, I’d certainly like it to be easily capable of an LPV approach or climbing out through a mild scud layer should we ever find ourselves in that sort of situation. So I’m exploring either a new panel with larger Dynon (HDX touchscreen I think) and a Dynon autopilot and Garmin 375 or similar GPS Com, or what I REALLY want would be G3X (x2) and all the associated Garmin equipment. I’d stay GPS only for navigation, with a second Comm radio. ADSB-in and a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection for my iPad/Foreflight, etc. I feel like Garmin would be a better investment from a resale perspective down the road.

So as I reread this post, I pretty sure most of the feedback is gonna be pro-Garmin, but in case anyone else has faced this and NOT gone the Garmin route, I’d really love to hear your thoughts on your decision…

Thanks all in advance.

Tony 🇺🇸
 
I predict this thread will get three kinds of replies:

1. Person whose strong recommendation is coincidentally the brand they themselves purchased. This will be the majority of replies, because no pilot will ever admit to making an incorrect decision.

2. Person who had an unhappy experience with some brand's customer service, and now their mission is to bring it up in every thread.

3. Posts like this one, which contain the advice to try out all the available systems, and buy the one that makes the most sense for your mission, budget, and personal preferences - not someone else's! ;)
 
mburch said:
I predict this thread will get three kinds of replies:

1. Person whose strong recommendation is coincidentally the brand they themselves purchased. This will be the majority of replies, because no pilot will ever admit to making an incorrect decision.

2. Person who had an unhappy experience with some brand's customer service, and now their mission is to bring it up in every thread.

3. Posts like this one, which contain the advice to try out all the available systems, and buy the one that makes the most sense for your mission, budget, and personal preferences - not someone else's! ;)
Click to expand...
Or you could replace the entire panel and make the plane a truly fun VFR only plane with only a needle, ball and airspeed.
 
One thing worth noting is that the Dynon system uses several remote boxes, things like the ADAHRS, EMS, GPS, and so on. If you mainly upgrade for size, staying with the Dynon world, much if not all of that, probably including the harnesses, can be used on your upgrade. That will save you both time and money.

Dave
 
If you fly Garmin, then it sort of makes sense to upgrade to the same. Garmin won't be plug and play because as Dave mentioned, none of the stuff will transfer. It may be worth some research to determine if it's a full avionics swap or if some components can be utilized. The mounts and cables may be usable even if components will not. ADAHRS, Servos and Pitot/AOA mast maybe?

I do fly a Dynon dual 10" HDX and I like it. That's to be expected. It's intuitive and very pilot friendly. Updates are free. I am not an IFR pilot. That may skew the choice.

I have flown a Garmin equipped 172, but only a couple hours so I can't make an educated comparison. FWIW, the Garmin had far more buttons and was not as user friendly. That's about it.
 
mburch said:
I predict this thread will get three kinds of replies:

1. Person whose strong recommendation is coincidentally the brand they themselves purchased. This will be the majority of replies, because no pilot will ever admit to making an incorrect decision.

2. Person who had an unhappy experience with some brand's customer service, and now their mission is to bring it up in every thread.

3. Posts like this one, which contain the advice to try out all the available systems, and buy the one that makes the most sense for your mission, budget, and personal preferences - not someone else's! ;)
Click to expand...
And here is yet another response.

I have used them all and primarily another brand, BUT ....

From his write-up, he has already made the decision whether he realizes it or not.

And it is probably the BEST decision for him.

Spend the money. Get a fully compatible system that is compatible with what he flies otherwise.

Of he doesn't, every time he goes from one plane to another, he is likely to regret not going for consistency.

And yes, the 10+" Touchscreen (dual!!) variant. 😁😁
 
I like the Dynon, I fly a pair of 10" HDX and an Avidyne 440, and I do use it for moderate-to-hard IFR rather frequently. The system works very well, and all you need to replace are the screens - all the other hardware will be plug-and-play with the HDX screens.

Having said that - as others have already noted - the best system is the one the pilot has the most comfort with. If your blood pressure is better with Garmin, then go Garmin. It's your plane, your butt in the seat, your family as passengers. Make the choice you will be most comfortable with on the day the forecast lies to you.

16gn panel.jpg
 
You said you fly behind Garmin at work. I suspect you’ll probably end up with Garmin. That being said, I whole- heartedly agree with buying what you want to start with as long as you can afford it. Settling for less usually means ,for me, spending more in the long run.

But, like I tell a particular friend who seems to regularly buy and sell airplanes for personal use “because??”, you bought it for a reason. So, fly it for a good while before you change anything, just to make sure that the changes you make are the ones you’ll want 6 months from now.
 
Buy the best kit you can afford, regret of leaving something out inevitably becomes more expensive in the long term. Both Dynon and Garmin ae fantastic systems, as you use Garmin at work I'd say go with that as its the same architecture and feel as your work kit. I have Garmin in my RV9A and love it. I wish I had bought the extended squitter version of my transponder though, and a IFR Navigator, even though its a VFR only aircraft.

Nige

G-CSAM Panel 2026.jpg
 
I installed an AFS Quick Panel in my RV7 and Javron Super Cub, very reliable and trouble free. Excellent customer support. AFS is affiliated with Dynon and most peripherals work together.20230729_182848.webp20191018_165816.jpg
 
Realistically, it’ll be years before I get around to upgrading my Rocket or RV3 with completely new panels, but if I were to do it today, they’d be all Garmin… but for reasons that are becoming more relevant as my career morphs from airline flying to contract flying.

I’ve been amazed and surprised that almost every plane I’ve been asked to fly in the last year has been some flavor of Garmin. Similar to the original poster, I’d just prefer to keep everything basically the same. I’m still making friends with some slightly different buttonology and philosophy with the Garmin stuff versus the airline Collins, Honeywell, Thales boxes, but they all basically do the same stuff, just different ways to get there. So far in the last couple of years I’ve been checked out in a King Aire 300, a TBM700, a PC12, a Piaggio Avanti, an Aerostar, and a Cirrus Jet. All but the Piaggio use Garmin.
 
N804RV said:
You said you fly behind Garmin at work. I suspect you’ll probably end up with Garmin. That being said, I whole- heartedly agree with buying what you want to start with as long as you can afford it. Settling for less usually means ,for me, spending more in the long run.

But, like I tell a particular friend who seems to regularly buy and sell airplanes for personal use “because??”, you bought it for a reason. So, fly it for a good while before you change anything, just to make sure that the changes you make are the ones you’ll want 6 months from now.
Click to expand...
There is some value here. I have GRT in one plane and Garmin in the other. Going back and forth have to retrain myself where all the bits are on the screen. Not a terrible issue, but there is value in flying the same system across multiple planes.
 
David Paule said:
One thing worth noting is that the Dynon system uses several remote boxes, things like the ADAHRS, EMS, GPS, and so on. If you mainly upgrade for size, staying with the Dynon world, much if not all of that, probably including the harnesses, can be used on your upgrade. That will save you both time and money.

Dave
Click to expand...
From a cost stand point, this is the simple answer. A new Dynon screen can basically be plugged in. If the layout isn't ideal, maybe look at tweaking it with minimal work. This assumes whoever wired it wasn't a chef at an italian restraunt making pasta.

People that fly X brand like X, same with Y.

I fly and install Dynon's but have done all 3. (dynon, garmin, advanced). All 3 will get the job done.
 
RWoodard said:
Realistically, it’ll be years before I get around to upgrading my Rocket or RV3 with completely new panels, but if I were to do it today, they’d be all Garmin… but for reasons that are becoming more relevant as my career morphs from airline flying to contract flying.

I’ve been amazed and surprised that almost every plane I’ve been asked to fly in the last year has been some flavor of Garmin. Similar to the original poster, I’d just prefer to keep everything basically the same. I’m still making friends with some slightly different buttonology and philosophy with the Garmin stuff versus the airline Collins, Honeywell, Thales boxes, but they all basically do the same stuff, just different ways to get there. So far in the last couple of years I’ve been checked out in a King Aire 300, a TBM700, a PC12, a Piaggio Avanti, an Aerostar, and a Cirrus Jet. All but the Piaggio use Garmin.
Click to expand...
There is a very real reason for your (correct) observation.
Garmin "grew up" in the certified world, with its TSO's, STC's, etc. It was a relative 'late-comer' to EAB.
Dynon, Advanced (now part of Dynon), GRT all 'grew up' in the EAB world. For these relatively small companies the cost of, for example, obtaining a TSO for a GPS navigator, was beyond their fiscal means. Only recently (with FAA relaxed standards) have you been seeing a few Dynon or GRT avionics in normally certified aircraft.

It's certainly true, that if you routinely fly different aircraft with different avionics systems, it's an additional burden.
 
Hi all, I am in basically the same situation that this poster is. Except I don’t have a work airplane that I fly Garmin all the time. It’s just my last airplane had Garmin G3 X systems in it. The add-on question I had was what does everyone think about the resale value between a 12 inch Skyview HD X system and related components versus a Garmin G3 X system and related components? Thank you.
 
Cary Cumberland said:
Hi all, I am in basically the same situation that this poster is. Except I don’t have a work airplane that I fly Garmin all the time. It’s just my last airplane had Garmin G3 X systems in it. The add-on question I had was what does everyone think about the resale value between a 12 inch Skyview HD X system and related components versus a Garmin G3 X system and related components? Thank you.
Click to expand...
I’m curious to hear feedback on the resale thing as well. I feel like Garmin might add $20-30k of market appeal and resale value, so in the long run it’d only be costing me $20-30k to enjoy the airplane that much more while I’m still blessed and able to fly it…
 
The delta, if any, between resale values of any avionics will decrease over time as the suite ages.
I have seen little evidence that the brand, if comparing the popular ones mentioned here, has a significant impact on sales price.

Secondarily, if you’re concerned about resale value, you might be in the wrong product segment. Folks tend to build RV’s for the challenge and love of doing it, to get capabilities that they can’t in the certified world, and a host of other reasons.
Preserving capitol may not be a good reason.
 
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Tony

Having flown both Dynon and Garmin g3x, they are both very capable. It really comes down to budget vs familiarity. If you already fly garmin at work the transition would make sense.
When shooting approaches in IMC it really reduces your work load not having to think through every step and remembering the differences from the day job.
You’ll be able to use the engine and fuel sensors and the existing panel will have a resale value.
Budget wise a single screen and G5 backup is perfectly adequate. It’s easy to get carried away buying extra features that really just add complexity.
Just remember it’s a long term investment.

Good luck with your decision.

Regards Peter
 
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