Panel questions

Question for owners or others who’ve had a closer look at the cirrus panels…

From what I’ve seen so far, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of room in either the radio stack or the main panel area for future addins. At the current relatively rapid rate of avionics development, who knows what new toys might be around in a couple years. Does anyone know how much room is really available for more instruments? Seems especially if you get the C package, things are pretty full - I don’t even know where the ADF indicator would go if you ordered one?

On a related note, what opinions do most people have about the choice of the Arnav display? Again, I haven’t spent a whole lot of time doing much research, but it looks like Arnav has been concentrating a lot more on their datalink services rather than the displays themselves. What about using one of the larger Garmin 530s instead of the Arnav? (and simultaneously removing one of the GPS/NAV/COMs from the radio stack as well) Seems like traffic avoidance, radar, stormscope, etc. are all already mated to the Garmin products while Arnav support is somewhat lagging.

Don’t get me wrong by this post - I am otherwise quite impressed by the SR-20 and might become a position holder in the somewhat near future (later this year??) I am just curious if I’m missing something here…

Steve Lin

  • I don’t even know where the ADF indicator would go if you ordered one?

If you are belonging to the poor European devils who are still required by JAA to carry an ADF, DME and second altimeter, you can order this as a package from Cirrus. The instruments will be installed in the dashboard, just below the switches, to the right of the yoke.

Timm

Steve, the choice of the ARNAV display was questioned from the start. ARNAV is okay, but their database has errors in it. For example their data base shows a 12,347 ft mountain near Salinas, CA that is NOT there. There are other data errors as well. The display is not as colorful as Avidyne for example. The ARNAV screen does not always quickly itself and is accordingly labeled as “reference only”. My sense is that Cirrus is re-evaluating wheither or not to stick with ARNAV.

The only reason I was convinced to take the big screen was for display of ground based captured weather information (data uplink). In my opinion it is foolish to install something like a stormscope and/or radar if that information can be transmitted to you from ground based stations. The only quesiton is when will it be available and will ARNAV support it.

My sense is that Cirrus is re-evaluating wheither or not to stick with ARNAV.

Just as I mouth off, the March 2000 issue of AOPA Pilot has an article about ARNAV and uplink weather!

The only reason I was convinced to take the big screen was for display of ground based captured weather information (data uplink). In my opinion it is foolish to install something like a stormscope and/or radar if that information can be transmitted to you from ground based stations. The only quesiton is when will it be available and will ARNAV support it.