So our RV-3 has been flying with one of the original G3X systems (non-touch) since its first flight. Our screen serial numbers were in the low double digits, and we had significant factory participation in the project. That was eleven years ago - and while the system continued operating flawlessly, “Tsamsiyu” (the RV-3) was getting annoyed that his older brother “Mikey” (the RV-6) had the fancy G3X Touch panel. Under our general rule of “never make an IKran angry”, I figured it was time to get a pair of the newer GDU 470 screens - specifically made to be plug-and-play compatible with the old GDU 37x’s. And boy, are they!
UPS came at 1130 yesterday, but I wasn’t home until 1330, when I unboxed the units in the shop. I swapped airplanes around so that the RV-3 was in the air conditioned shop, took out the old screens (two minutes) and looked at the mounting templates for the new ones. Same size holes (you have to grind out the corners a bit) mounting screw holes in slightly different places. It was about an hour job to cleco the templates in place, drill and grind (die grinders are great), install nutplates, and rivet the mounting rings in place. The new units hook up to the same connectors as the old ones - and it is nothing but software configuration from there.
I took a few breaks, but the hardware was done by 1600, software by 1800 (I broke for dinner), and I taxied out for a magnetometer calibration at sunset. Flew this morning at 0800, and everything works! Better screens, better software, excellent integration to my existing Tru Trak GX Pilot autopilot - easiest EFIS upgrade I have ever done!
Yes, there’ll be a complete Article in Kitplanes coming up, but for now - I’m going flying!
Paul