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I-Pad for an EFIS ?

PostPosted:Tue Jan 01, 2019 3:58 pm
by flywheel1935
Having been out of flying for quite a while I,m currently building a Kit Plane. I gather that a suitable I-pad can become an EFIS, does it need any extra inputs ??? and what the best model I-pad and external feed system ?

Re: I-Pad for an EFIS ?

PostPosted:Wed Jan 02, 2019 12:25 am
by PaulSS
The iPad has an internal means of measuring the level attitude and this can be used to provide a horizon but what is better is to use an external information 'supplier' such as the magic box in this link:

https://levilaviation.com/ilevil3-aw/

There are plenty of others available and I only chose this one as an example. Some of them will just use GPS to determine your speed (ground) and altitude (GPS) but, in my mind, it is far better to be able to feed pitot and static pressure to the box and have it provide IAS and baro-altitude as well. Once it calculates the information it can then send all that data wirelessly to your iPad and display it in an EFIS format.

Of course, most of these boxes do a LOT more than just that :D

Re: I-Pad for an EFIS ?

PostPosted:Wed Jan 02, 2019 9:31 am
by riverrock
I believe the LAA will require a small number of fixed instruments which an iPad or equivalent could supplement if you wish. Don't think it can be used as a replacement for those steam guages.
I wouldn't trust the iPad internal sensors.

Re: I-Pad for an EFIS ?

PostPosted:Wed Jan 02, 2019 3:40 pm
by flywheel1935
As I only plan to use it as a secondary instrument, its the best I-pad model I need some recommendation on ;ie which model & size etc, thanks in advance.
Also I see AirGizmo do a mounting panel, but guess it provides no inputs ?

Re: I-Pad for an EFIS ?

PostPosted:Sat Jan 05, 2019 5:57 pm
by MikeW
Have a look at Aeolus from https://www.talosavionics.com
I haven't used it but was very impressed by a demo.

Re: I-Pad for an EFIS ?

PostPosted:Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:14 pm
by flywheel1935
Hi MikeW, put 'talosdemo' on my wife's I-Pad, worked fine, apart from no GPS ??? so its the best I-Pad info I really need, as there lots of apps and inputs.

Re: I-Pad for an EFIS ?

PostPosted:Wed Jan 09, 2019 1:09 am
by riverrock
What are you wanting to get out of the view on the iPad? What sort of kit aircraft are you building?
An iPad is removable so you wouldn't want it part of the certification of your aircraft. A moving map (multiple apps are available such as RunwayHD, EasyVFR, SkyDemon) are obvious things to put on an iPad (or equivalent) screen. If you aren't planning to be IMC, there is no need for an attitude indicator, 3d vision etc. If you were planning to be IMC, an iPad wouldn't be suitable. What supplemental information are you looking for?

To me, many EFIS apps are fun toys but in the UK should be thought of as toys. In the USA, they are a bit more relaxed, with fewer fixed gauges needed. If you are looking for a true EFIS, have a look at Dynon SkyView, MGL or Garmin.

Re: I-Pad for an EFIS ?

PostPosted:Wed Jan 09, 2019 10:23 am
by flywheel1935
Hi riverrock, the aircraft will be a SSDR Microlight, so need to keep as much weight (& Cost !!!) out of the build as possible, there will be a basic panel anyway, but moving map is probably the primary I-Pad use.

Re: I-Pad for an EFIS ?

PostPosted:Wed Jan 09, 2019 11:15 am
by malcolmfrost
If you have a removable iPad with a Levil then it would be less susceptible to being nicked!!

Re: I-Pad for an EFIS ?

PostPosted:Wed Jan 09, 2019 11:53 am
by MikeW
flywheel1935 wrote:Hi MikeW, put 'talosdemo' on my wife's I-Pad, worked fine, apart from no GPS ??? so its the best I-Pad info I really need, as there lots of apps and inputs.


If you have the Aeolus sensor box, it includes a GPS, you don't rely on the iPad one.
What SSDR are you building? I saw this kit in the demonstrator SD-1 Minisport at Plaistows Farm.
Have a look at some of Jiri's videos at https://www.facebook.com/sdplanes.co.uk/

Re: I-Pad for an EFIS ?

PostPosted:Sun Jan 13, 2019 3:42 pm
by flywheel1935
Hi MikeW, building a LMA Taylorcraft 2X , but to SSDR Spec.

Re: I-Pad for an EFIS ?

PostPosted:Mon Feb 18, 2019 10:18 pm
by Sideslipper
There are no legal minimum requirements for what instruments you take up - but you’ll doubtless feel you need reliable basic flight instruments.

The iPad’s internal GPS is generally not considered reliable for our purposes, and certainly won’t give you a reliable AI - although it’ll give you the illusion of one.

To do that properly, you need an external box to take pitot/ static input, a fast, reliable GPS, and ideally a gyro for attitude. That’ll transmit it all by WiFi to your iPad, which then becomes an effective EFIS. Examples are the Levil or Telos boxes - or the novel Levil BOM which mounts under a wing, powers itself by airflow, requires no wires at all, and also gives you an AOA indicator.

Depending on the instruments that you’d save yourself, including a compass, you could conclude that this was no more expensive.

For redundancy, you could mount a basic steam gauge or two into the iPad mount itself, so that they’re there if the iPad should go down for some reason, but don’t otherwise use up panel space.

Model of iPad is entirely subjective - might as well go for the largest you can fit in the panel real estate that you’ve freed up from steam gauges, especially if it dual-screens EFIS and moving map. Otherwise a large iPhone or an iPad mini could serve as EFIS, beside a larger iPad for SkyDemon. Buy second-hand.

Re: I-Pad for an EFIS ?

PostPosted:Tue Feb 19, 2019 8:43 am
by Sideslipper
Or (though it’s not what the OP asked for) do what this guy has done and put the Levil money into a low-priced EFIS/ EMS combo, saving you the mechanical engine instruments. Then an iPad beside that does nav only, and you have no need for any other instruments at all!

Re: I-Pad for an EFIS ?

PostPosted:Tue Feb 19, 2019 2:03 pm
by Sideslipper