Avionics
For more detail, see the Bill of Materials.
Instrument Panel
The standard Zenith CH750 Super Duty instrument panel is relatively small. This means it can’t fit a lot of displays on the panel. It appears the CH750 Cruzer instrument panel could be used as well. The Cruzer panel is larger.
Features
Avionics features categorized by priority.
Essential
Essential features.
VFR.
Touch screen PFD.
EIS, with support for for ULPower FADEC (CAN bus).
WAAS GPS.
Comm Radios.
Intercom audio.
Transponder.
ADAHRS.
Magnetometer.
OAT (temperature).
HSI.
Synthetic vision.
Topography.
Terrain.
Maps.
Airport database.
Charts.
ADS-B out.
ADS-B in for weather and traffic.
Traffic alerts.
Fail over to backups (e.g. reversionary mode on Garmin G3X Touch to G5).
Autopilot.
Autopilot “Level” button.
AOA.
No dumb software licenses required (which can break/fail).
No proprietary software required to run system (e.g. windoz dependencies).
Electronic circuit breaker.
Flight planning.
Light control.
Flap control.
Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT).
IDENT button.
Fuel levels.
Oil pressure and related sensors (e.g. CHT).
Fuel flow sensor.
Optional
Good to have optional features. Probably include most of these.
IFR.
Touch screen MFD.
SiriusXM NEXRAD weather.
Approved GPS for IFR (ARINC 429).
NAV radios.
Glide system (e.g. Garmin Smart Glide).
Satellite communication (e.g. Inmarsat, Iridium).
AGL terrain radar.
Bluetooth for cell phone connection.
Flight parameters stored to SD/USB for post-flight analysis (e.g. CSV file).
USB-A/USB-C ports for charging devices.
Electronic Stability and Protection (e.g. Garmin ESP-X).
TAS.
TCAS.
Backup batteries for PFD/MFD, etc.
Battery monitoring.
Annunciator.
Consider
Other features to consider.
Camera/video input (e.g. camera mounted on the wing). Thermal or not.
Carbon monoxide (CO) detetors.
Pulse oximeter (oxygen).
Autopilot yaw damper.
HUD.
LEMO headset plugs.
Exclude
Features not needed.
Weather radar with onboard radar system (e.g. Garmin GWX 8000 StormOptix).
iPad/Android connections.
Entertainment system (e.g. SiriusXM music).
Traditional steam gauges.
Free Software / Open Source Hardware
Airball
Free Software / Open Source Hardware
AOA-like indicator.
Airduino
Avionicsduino
Open software & open hardware.
Avionics for Experimental Aircraft
Basic Air Data
DME LimeSDR
https://destevez.net/2024/07/recording-dme-with-the-limesdr/
Enguino
Experimental Avionics
FlyONSPEED
Free Software / Open Source Hardware
AOA tone system.
HUD with AR glasses.
Homebuilt Avionics
Homemade Avionics
huVVer.tech
Free Software / Open Source Hardware
Jiří Pittner
https://www.pittnerovi.com/jiri/hobby/electronics/avionics/index.html
“An experimental open hardware and open source avionics (AHRS IMU sensor), possibly useful as a standby attitude/heading indicator in ultralight planes”.
Kitplanes
https://www.kitplanes.com/custom-display/
Home-made EIS.
https://www.kitplanes.com/lighting-up-the-tail-feathers/
Lighting.
https://www.kitplanes.com/round-and-around-we-go/
Beacon.
https://www.kitplanes.com/can-you-hear-me-now-2/
Audio panel.
Kotuku
https://github.com/kotuku-aero/diy-efis
CanFly “experimental Aircraft Avionics based on CanBUS”.
Kwik EFIS
https://ninelima.org/efis/about.html
https://gitlab.com/ninelima/kwikEFIS
Also on F-Droid:
MakerPlane
Free Software / Open Source Hardware.
ModAir
https://hackaday.io/project/19325-modair-modular-aviation-instruments
“Open Source Avionics for Microlights and other Non-Type-Certified Aircraft”.
Mode-S.org
ADS-B free software.
oahupilot
https://hackaday.io/project/120858-1090-mhz-mode-s-extended-squitter-transponder
openEFIS
Openvario
“High performance, open source flight computer”.
Phil’s Lab
sam-itt
https://github.com/sam-itt/sofis
Open Source EFIS.
Stratux
DIY ADS-B receiver.
VariantReality
vierfuffzig
VORs and SDRs
https://housedillon.com/blog/vors-and-sdrs-part-3-supplemental-materials/
vortrack
XCSoar
For gliders.
x-io Technologies
https://x-io.co.uk/open-source-imu-and-ahrs-algorithms/ Open Source IMU and AHRS Algorithms.
Manufacturers
360 Avionics
Advanced Flight Systems
Proprietary.
Approach Fast Stack
https://approachfaststack.com/
Hubs, wiring systems.
Avidyne
Proprietary.
Avilution
Proprietary.
Dynon
Proprietary.
Some hardware runs Linux. You can mail them $15 and request their kernel source code. Their software is proprietary.
EarthX
Batteries.
Electronics International
Epic Optix
HUD.
Falken Avionics
Garmin
Proprietary.
https://www.garmin.com/en-US/c/aviation/experimental/
At present the plan is to use the Garmin G3X experimental aircraft avionics system.
Guardian Avionics
https://www.guardianavionics.com/
CO Detectors.
GRT Avionics
Proprietary.
Kanardia
Has configuration and approach software than runs on GNU/Linux using Qt. Provides code to the Qt libraries, but not to the actual application, AFAICT.
Levil Aviation
MGL Avionics
https://www.mglavionicsusa.com/
iEFIS G4 runs Linux. Uses buildroot for the build system. It appears some of this code is provided with the system. Lots of the code is written in proprietary “Embedded Pascal” (!).
https://mglavionics.co.za/iEFIS%20G4%20internals.pdf – “At time of writing the development system is not yet available for general access. It is planned, should this be feasible and there is interest to release a “hello world” development system that can be used as a bases to develop applications from. MGL may decide to release the EFIS source code at a later date excluding any parts that are subject to NDA.”
PS Engineering
Proprietary.
https://www.ps-engineering.com/
Audio control systems.
TCW Technologies
Proprietary.
Battery backup units for avionics.
VAL Avionics
Vertical Power
Proprietary.
Electronic circuit breaker.
Requires MS windoz for setup/configuration of their VP-X.