Does Cirrus offer a second attitude indicator, as an option? If not, is anyone adding a 2nd indicator after market? Larry
Larry: I don’t think Cirrus is offering a second attitude indicator. So far as I know, no one has actually added a second attitude indicator to their aircraft. One option for a second attitude indicator would be to replace the Davtron clock/oat/voltmeter that is in the top left of the panel with a 2" electric attitude indicator. So far as I know the only source for this is BFGoodrich Avionics. They make an AIM series. This is the same indictor used by Piper in it’s new Meridian that was on the cover of Flying magazine this month. If you look at the Flying magazine story you will see a photo of the panel with a three position switch near the AI marked “test, off, on”. Piper wires it with a back up battery. The same could be done in the Cirrus. The outside air temperature and voltmeter functions will need to be replaced. One way of doing this is with an Insight air data computer. Take a look at www.strikefinder.com for data on this unit. I would hope to mount this unit above the airspeed indicator. This is a very capable unit and can give fuel endurance, winds aloft, oat, voltage and many more functions. This mounting would require relocation of the annunciator unit, the 6 warning light unit that presently occupies a large portion of the panel above the primary AI and airspeed. I hope that Cirrus can supply an alternate mounting location for this unit above the Arnav display on the bottom side of the glareshield. This would then leave three locations above the primary flight instruments. On the SR22B the location above the altimeter is occupied by the selector/alerter for the STec autopilot. The location above the primary AI is available for a radar altimeter. There is a Trimble unit of the same 1/2 3" ATI size of the selector/alerter for the STec. The Insight air data computer is also the same size. The size is specifically designed to mount above a standard 3" flight instrument.
There was an article a while ago in IFR Magazine which indicated that the priority of additional instruments should be with a back-up AI, before TCAS or radar altimeter. I understand that the cost of the BFGoodrich 2" electric AI is about $2,000, which is to my way of thinking quite reasonable for the additional security it provides. Insight sent one of their air data computers and the panel punch to Cirrus to have them evaluate offering this item as an option. I would certainly like to see them offer both this and the backup AI as options.
If they don’t, I would like to see Cirrus offer the option of putting the annunciator unit on the bottom side of the glareshield and punching the panel for both the Insight air data computer and the Trimble radar altitmeter. You really need the outside air temperature and voltmeter functions on the left side of the panel, and one way to get them is through the Insight. Of course, the main function is the winds aloft and fuel endurance calculations.
If anybody has any hands-on experience with mounting a second AI in a SR20 or SR22, I would sure like to hear from you.
Does Cirrus offer a second attitude indicator, as an option? If not, is anyone adding a 2nd indicator after market? Larry
Stephen, thanks, I too would be very interested in Cirrus offering this as an option. Larry
Larry: I don’t think Cirrus is offering a second attitude indicator. So far as I know, no one has actually added a second attitude indicator to their aircraft. One option for a second attitude indicator would be to replace the Davtron clock/oat/voltmeter that is in the top left of the panel with a 2" electric attitude indicator. So far as I know the only source for this is BFGoodrich Avionics. They make an AIM series. This is the same indictor used by Piper in it’s new Meridian that was on the cover of Flying magazine this month. If you look at the Flying magazine story you will see a photo of the panel with a three position switch near the AI marked “test, off, on”. Piper wires it with a back up battery. The same could be done in the Cirrus. The outside air temperature and voltmeter functions will need to be replaced. One way of doing this is with an Insight air data computer. Take a look at www.strikefinder.com for data on this unit. I would hope to mount this unit above the airspeed indicator. This is a very capable unit and can give fuel endurance, winds aloft, oat, voltage and many more functions. This mounting would require relocation of the annunciator unit, the 6 warning light unit that presently occupies a large portion of the panel above the primary AI and airspeed. I hope that Cirrus can supply an alternate mounting location for this unit above the Arnav display on the bottom side of the glareshield. This would then leave three locations above the primary flight instruments. On the SR22B the location above the altimeter is occupied by the selector/alerter for the STec autopilot. The location above the primary AI is available for a radar altimeter. There is a Trimble unit of the same 1/2 3" ATI size of the selector/alerter for the STec. The Insight air data computer is also the same size. The size is specifically designed to mount above a standard 3" flight instrument.
There was an article a while ago in IFR Magazine which indicated that the priority of additional instruments should be with a back-up AI, before TCAS or radar altimeter. I understand that the cost of the BFGoodrich 2" electric AI is about $2,000, which is to my way of thinking quite reasonable for the additional security it provides. Insight sent one of their air data computers and the panel punch to Cirrus to have them evaluate offering this item as an option. I would certainly like to see them offer both this and the backup AI as options.
If they don’t, I would like to see Cirrus offer the option of putting the annunciator unit on the bottom side of the glareshield and punching the panel for both the Insight air data computer and the Trimble radar altitmeter. You really need the outside air temperature and voltmeter functions on the left side of the panel, and one way to get them is through the Insight. Of course, the main function is the winds aloft and fuel endurance calculations.
If anybody has any hands-on experience with mounting a second AI in a SR20 or SR22, I would sure like to hear from you.
Does Cirrus offer a second attitude indicator, as an option? If not, is anyone adding a 2nd indicator after market? Larry
Stephen, thanks, I too would be very interested in Cirrus offering this as an option. Larry
These posts on the 2nd alt, as well as other posts with very good points on optional equipment, show that aircraft manufacturers ought to think about market surveys of GA pilots. Anyone ever get one about aircraft equipment, etc? Probably not.