Would someone please post a picture of this face plate.
It is in the original post my friend... did you miss it?
Do you really need the EIS displayed on the panel? If you have an EFIS, why not hide the EIS behind the panel and let your EFIS display the instrument readings and warnings?
Yes I do
need the EIS in the panel, at least per my design philosophy. I have EIS in my panel for redundancy. The scenario is my main EFIS (that big display that does
everything, flight, engine, radio, transponder) goes away. On a long cross country far from home what do I need. It's spelled out in the FAR's. I
need engine instruments, fuel Qty, power (map/rpm) to be legal and safe. With EIS I have the option to keep flying, I will have back up flight instrument (PFD). I will have control of COM with ICOM panel mount. Note GRT EFIS can push Freq's to standby. The only thing I may not be able to control is remote Transponder. If it is on 1200 last it should stay there and power on in last configuration? There will be an issue with ADS-B data (GPS position) and Mode C encoder (pressure altitude) from EFIS.
An option is a 2nd EFIS (another GRT HORZ 10.1 or GRT MINI). Than I would not need EIS in panel. However even if I do get GRT MINI EFIS as backup (which can repeat EIS data, control transponder, and provide PFD info). Also second EFIS (GRT MINI) would allow transponder control and assure ADS-B and Mode C. I am likely going to add the GRT MINI to this end and it will also allow Autopilot operation as well. Even with this, I likely will keep the EIS in panel. Besides redundancy WHY?
1) I like the EIS. I installed and flew the GRT EIS in my other RV I built. With EIS display I can always have MAP/RPM prominently displayed. I can also free up some EFIS display space of engine info.
NOTE: The GRT's philosophy on the Engine Indication System (EIS) is you don't have to stare at the engine instruments because it has warning light, if you exceed any limit. The EFIS has better presentation of engine info, especially EGT & CHT graphics, but it triggers a warning light to any limit user desires. But once you configure and use the EIS it is functional. Display is not fancy but customizable, and it just works.
2)
During engine start up, the EFIS should be off* . You lose ability to see oil pressure quickly if EIS is hidden. EFIS takes about 30 seconds to boot.
The EIS will however be powered on during engine start regardless of panel mount or not. Most important is knowing your have OP after start. You don't have panel mount EIS to know oil pressure is OK, with your warning light. It should go out soon after engine fires up... However I like to see FP before start and set RPM to 1000, and see the actual OP. If the EIS display is not visible you wait for EFIS to boot*. The question to hide or not hide EIS. UTY - Up To You...
Preflight you check fuel level visually and by gauges? Are you going to boot the EFIS (30 second wait), then shut it off before start. EIS comes up quickly.
Most important is I paid for the dang thing. I'm going to push denim-dare-buttons, and the builder with the most stuff in panel wins. Ha ha.
* If EFIS is on an isolated DC backup circuit you can have EFIS on during start to see engine info, after waiting 30 secs for it to initially boot. So master on wait 30 seconds before hitting start. The GRT EFIS, Safe Fly GPS have multi parallel prioritized power inputs. Very cool, ideal for back up power.
You can power the EFIS only from ship battery, same one start is using, during start, but it's NOT recommended by GRT. It is possible it will be OK, but if the voltage drops, it may cause EFIS to reboot during start, no engine info, at least readable for 30 secs.
EIS the warning light for low OP should always be on during start, regardless of EIS being panel or hidden mounted. EFIS has 30 second delay to boot initially or re-boot. It's a computer. The EIS powers up NOW. No waiting after turning on master to start. I will NOT have EFIS on during engine start, backup power or not. I will leave it off until engine is running. Once engine is good, OP, RPM, leaned (leather helmet/goggles/scarf on), avionics on, EFIS boots while I get ATIS, do pre-taxi.
Modern "glass" needs boot time. I fly a plane with Garmin GTN750, takes a good bit of time to boot, just enough to be annoying. We do not start this plane with avionics on per the club rules. I teach in it so I follow DA RULES.... However if maintenance did a database update, boot takes a really extra long amount of time, I mean RED X's all over, get a sandwich, have lunch, wait time. Maintenance I guess does not want to take the time to finish installation, load and go, let next sucker wait out the final loading. So first boot it finishes loading after burning $10 of Hobbs and fuel idling. WHAT IS REALLY is annoying is after fueling. There is a short taxi back to parking. You start up and have two choices. Taxi with no radio or wait 30 secs for the GTN750 to boot for a 90 second taxi. The GTN750 is COM and Audio Panel. Each 0.10 on HOBB is about $20, plane. fuel, instructor. Not bad. However that is $18, lunch money for the sandwich you bought while waiting for the data base to load. Ha ha. It is not my money since I am a lump in the right seat CFI, but still. The plane has a good old KX155 com 2. But no use until the GTN750 boots, because again it has the audio panel. BTW that audio panel is a very nice fancy graphical touch one at that is way overkill and makes a B757/B767 audio panel look dumb. But hey it's an audio panel. Just because you can make it wiz-bang touch screen should you? I digress. However the airplane is useless for 30 seconds for glass to wake up. Good news, it's a mighty C182 (hybrid steam + glass) with mechanical RPM/MAP and discrete analog engine / fuel gauges. I would feel naked if I could not see what was going on with all engine parameters before, during and after start, had to wait for the glass to wake up. Can you get to the too many eggs in one basket? Two much integration has downsides. However when it works it is great. But stuff that is ON when you turn it on has it's charm.
Draft of my panel. Yes we all see that big hole on the right side of panel for another GRT HORZ 10.1.... May be someone wants to donate a GRT HORZ 10.1 to me? Please PM me. Ha ha. May be start a "go fund me" to buy a EFIS for my panel?
We have a black powder coated aluminum face plate that fits over top of
the existing EIS face plate that uses the same mounting screw holes as
the EIS. It costs $105.
Thanks Jon I will put in an order.
