Seems instrument troubles are once again the order of business for me. After the last flight I had, and being as happy as a proverbial pig in, you know what, my next attempt at flight turned to just that. At 9.3 x hours I hopped in the plane, after a pre flight, and started up. I noticed the engine instruments all crossed out on the EFIS. It took a while and then they came to life. I was a bit worried so taxied to the main apron where they crossed out again. Hmm. Back to the hangar. I had just flown it for 3 hours or so that day and this was to be the final flight to take it up to the 10 hour mark for servicing. Anyway I looked over everything and all seemed fine. I had no idea what was going on. I jumped in the plane again and started up and all was working again. "What the Heck". So I carried out a short flight and brought the hours up to 9.7 total so close enough for the 10 x hour service.
A little bit worried the next day about the going on's of the EFIS again I carried out the service on the engine and so on and powered up the Instruments. This time nothing was happening in regard to the engine instruments at all. I carried out a very comprehensive check of the wiring with no faults found. I had noticed the steady flash of the green LED on the RDAC and was thinking that was a good sign as in the manual it says that's what they do. Well actually that's what they do when they aren't transmitting data it seems. When they do transmit, they have a nice data type random blinking pattern like you would see on a modem communicating. Had I known about this b4 it would have saved me a week of stuffing round.
So after a week of no results I rang the MGL dealer who was quite certain that the RDAC had probably failed in some way and he would post me a replacement. I was VERY appreciative as I had lost a week's flying already and I should be flying again by next weekend. So I got to Friday and no module in the mail. Great... 2 x weeks flying down the tube now. I rang again Tuesday thinking maybe it will arrive on Monday and I'm just being impatient. Nope, get hold of the Dealer, "oh sorry, I forgot to send it." Typical, just my luck.
Being the 3rd week now of no flying a shiney new RDAC arrives in an express post bag on the Friday morning. "WOOHOO, flying this weekend". Open the box, Wrong RDAC, Doesn't have a MAP sensor. Let the swear words begin. So on Sunday arvo I had calmed down enough and rang the Dealer again. He apologised and said he would send the correct part on Monday. Well hopefully he will and has, so I am patiently awaiting its arrival.
My last flight now was on the 11th of June, exactly one month ago as I write this. Massively disappointed in my choice of instruments and I don't know if I have just had a bad run or not but, in less than 10 x hours, I've needed a new EFIS and RDAC. I am now really worried about the long term prospect of a reliable single glass panel dash. I should have added round dials and saved myself thousands and been flying still. I have been constantly trying to work out if I have done something wrong with the install or caused this issue somehow. I bought all the pre wired harnesses and followed every instruction to the letter, so that thought process has not really been helping. I have had very experienced people helping me out in the process and they all can't see an issue apparent in the install. So it looks to be a bad luck case for me once again. If I could do it over again I would have bought the whole instrument package with the airframe from SONEX . In the US, there is a three year warranty on the instruments, here in OZ we only get one year. Warranty time is quickly running out for me and I haven't even flown for ten hours yet!
Anyway I'm hoping the last of the problems are now behind me.
