IFR upgrade on an Arrow

Frode Berg wrote:

The plane I co-own is IFR ready, but has no autopilot or stormscope, no
de-ice (no options for it either I think, Arrow 180) and a Garmin 95 VFR
GPS.

What would be the most immediate need to safely fly IFR single pilot, single
engine?

The autopilot (would get a one-axis S-tec which easily upgrades to two axis
later), a Garmin 300 or 430 GPS, or a WX-900 stormscope.

Single pilot IFR? My vote would go to the autopilot, hands down.

I suppose you have much less need for it than I do, because
the Arrow is a more stable plane, but even so, it's nice to have
the ability to look at a chart, write down a clearance, or
eat a snack momentarily without having to recover from a rapidly
steepening bank.

As for other upgrades, what you get the most use out of really
depends upon what kind of flying you do. I'm not familiar with
the aviation rules where you fly, but someone in US who flies
mostly into busy airports and in radar environments doesn't
have much need for an IFR GPS IMO. He can still fly direct by
radar vectors backed up by VFR GPS. Most of the airports he's
using are served by an ILS or at worst, a LOC or on-field VOR,
so he isn't getting a lot of extra utility out of an approach
GPS.

OTOH, we fly a lot where there isn't radar coverage once one
descends for approach and the only choice to get into the airport
is NDB or GPS or a VOR 30 miles off the field.

Stormscope, similar kind of thing. What are the wx patterns
where you fly? We want it because there are wx patterns where
we fly where if for some reason one must go VFR, it's harder
to figure out the best routing and because sometimes IMC, it's
supposed to be benign but we get there and whups, there are
isolated tstorms embedded, Beam Me Up Scotty. It's at the top
of my "want" list currently, but we already have an IFR GPS
and a wing-leveler autopilot.

Cheers,
Sydney

Depends where you are flying. If in the NE, I'd opt for the stormscope over the
A/P. Stormscope will give you peace of mind in the typical 3-4 nm visibility in
haze. A/P is handy for checking maps etc, but you can do that without an A/P
without compromising your mission availability. I put both in mine last fall
after flying 7 years without either. I use the stormscope far more than the
A/P.

Frode Berg wrote:

Hi!

I am hoping to commence IR training sometime this fall.

The plane I co-own is IFR ready, but has no autopilot or stormscope, no
de-ice (no options for it either I think, Arrow 180) and a Garmin 95 VFR
GPS.

What would be the most immediate need to safely fly IFR single pilot, single
engine?

The autopilot (would get a one-axis S-tec which easily upgrades to two axis
later), a Garmin 300 or 430 GPS, or a WX-900 stormscope.

All at once is not an option financially, since only one more pilot is IR
rated anyway.

Also, anyone with any experience with a WX-900 stormscope, what are your
opinions on this?

Thanks

Frode Berg

--
--Ray Andraka, P.E.
President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc.
401/884-7930 Fax 401/884-7950
email
http://www.andraka.com

"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin Franklin, 1759

An STEC A/P is a reasonable substitute for a backup electric AI. It is a rate
based system that runs on the trun coordinator gyro, so if you AI or vacuum
system goes T-U, George can keep the shiny side up and even track nav-aids for
you while you monitor the partial panel.

Richard Kaplan wrote:

"Frode Berg" wrote in message
...

What would be the most immediate need to safely fly IFR single pilot,
single
engine?

Where will you fly? If thunderstorms will be present at all then the
Stormscope is clearly first to get utility out of your plane.

Second is a backup electric AI.

Third is an autopilot.

Last is an IFR GPS -- this allows you to fly direct but does not otherwise
add more utility or safety that you do not have with your existing
equipment.

--
Richard Kaplan, CFII

www.flyimc.com

--
--Ray Andraka, P.E.
President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc.
401/884-7930 Fax 401/884-7950
email
http://www.andraka.com

"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin Franklin, 1759