Well, I just got caught up on this thread - it's gone places.

I appreciate the comments and interesting (and not interesting) tangents.

Another option for me would be to go with a Garmin 300XL as my IFR GPS
(those can now be had for very cheap) and go with the SL-30 as well.
(The SL-30 is actually really two nav radios in one, for those who
aren't aware - it can simultaneously tune two stations.)

The GRT EFIS talks to the 300XL as well which is good. My 2nd EFIS
screen would then be used mostly as a moving map to supplement the
300XL's display, which is lacking.

With this setup I can get down to $21K of equipment all-up with my IFR
backup analog stuff, transponder, etc. The only thing I am giving up
that I can see is WAAS approach capability - I don't believe the 300XL
is WAAS upgradable.


Paul Folbrecht wrote:

I am doing some preliminary planning of the panel for my RV-9A and
wondering if a 2nd nav is really a necessity with a GNS 430 in the
panel. Seems to me that flying IFR GPS, with mostly GPS approaches in
the near future, I should not have much need for a 2nd VOR receiver to
identify intersections - obviously the GPS does that itself and the 430
does have one nav radio built-in.

Only problematic area I can think of are the cases where 2 VOR receivers
are pretty much necessary - to identify FAFs on ILS, LOC, and VOR (no
GPS overlay) approaches. I release that ILS's almost always have an OM
anyway and VOR IAPs w/no GPS overlay become scarcer by the month. With
WAAS.. much less of a problem all around (WAAS precision approaches).

If I decide I can do without another nav I save $2000 going with a SL-40
(com only) vs a SL-30 (nav/com).

Interesting in hearing from people with 430s (and up) how they are
flying the things.

(As for navigating with the 430 tango uniform - there's ATC vectors &
the backup handheld GPS.)