Horizon EX EFIS

The Horizon EX is the perfect upgrade from a Horizon WS. Uses your existing AHRS and wiring, only requiring slight relocation of the mounting screws and minor wiring changes on some installations.

Includes synthetic vision, IFR autopilot function (vertical commands), moving map, ADS-B  traffic and weather displays, Bluetooth interface, and 6 High-Speed Serial Ports. Touch screen option available.

Includes wiring harness. AHRS and magnetometer not included.

Includes AHRS/Air-Data
and wiring harness.


$2,800.00

Synthetic Vision

Synthetic vision, with its 30 mile range, provides intuitive terrain awareness. This awareness is essential whey flying in mountainous areas, and also creates a natural sense of height above the ground, location, and direction of flight. 3-D way-points, obstacles and runways, make navigation simple and help protect you from the threat of towers.

Split-Screens

Ten split-screen combinations are included, combining two or three views into one screen of the PFD, map and HSI, and engine monitoring. Information is clearly presented, making it practical to fly with a single screen and rarely touch a button. For dual screen installations the split-screens provide a single-screen reversionary mode suitable for IFR flight.

Dual-Screen Optimized

Dual screens were never an after-thought. The Sport EX was designed to function together, providing more information, interfacing and redundancy. Illustrated below are two screens configured for takeoff. We like displaying the EGT time history for takeoff. It allows for differentiating between engine problems affecting a single cylinder, and those affecting the entire engine-potentially valuable data for making critical decisions.

Below two Sports as they are configured after initial climb-out. The map now replaces the engine page, and the engine strip is shown on one of the screens. Either screen could show the engine strip. The PFD has the terrain mode turned on. Choosing the screen is one button push away.

VFR Friendly

Often the days we fly do not require constant monitoring of the airplanes attitude. Airspeed, altimeter, and a map are all we need, with the PFD attitude to back us up if conditions change. We love those days and so does the Sport EX. That is why we allow you to show airspeed and altimeter tapes on your moving map. The Sport EX rounds everything out with wind and destination information.

The green arc shows where the airplane will be when it reaches a pre-selected altitude (ground level in this case). Extended centerlines make it easy to line up on the correct runway, and is essential at night.

Obstacle Alerting

The greatest value of obstacle alerting occurs when you find yourself forced to fly under an overcast in less than desirable visibility. At times like this, it must be effortless to understand such threats. That is why we show your threats on the PFD and not just the map. We show you the threat in the exact place you will be looking-the PFD. They appear in the same location out the window as they appear on the screen. Simple, and potentially life saving. Shown here with the synthetic vision option, but also without this option (lower right).

Situational Awareness without Synthetic Vision

Deferring synthetic vision does not mean you are sacrificing situational awareness. The Sport EX shows obstacles and runways on the screen as they appear out the window, even without the synthetic vision. The highway-in-the-sky guidance for the synthetic approach still delivers the sense of reality necessary to make any approach easier and more precise.

Display ADS-B Traffic and Weather

Include the ADS-B Option, and the Sport EX is ready to display weather and traffic from a large variety of ADS-B receivers, including the popular Stratux/Raspberry Pi based receivers. Weather displays include weather radar overlay, as well as metars, temporary flight restrictions, and other weather functions as they become part of the ADS-B system. Traffic, with voice alerts, is displayed on the map, and on the primary flight display, just as the airplane appears out the window.

Angle-of-Attack (AOA) Sensing/Stall Warning

Angle-of-attack sensing is now available on the Sport EX. Sensing is via a two-port 45 degree pitot tube, such as those commonly available from a variety of manufacturers, or using a probe fashioned by the builder. This method has no moving parts, and allows the use of heated pitot tubes that preserve the stall warning function even in the presence of icing.

The GRT Avionics AOA function drives on-screen AOA symbology that shows too fast/too slow/optimal approach speeds, as well as stall warning. An audio output provides an approaching stall warning annunciation (a pulsating tone that varies with proximity to the stall warning angle) and a solid tone indicating stall is imminent.

Basic or Comprehensive Engine Monitoring

Connecting any GRT EIS to the EX provides you with comprehensive engine monitoring, but you can start simpler with the Basic Engine Monitoring Option. This low-priced option includes the sensors to provide oil pressure, oil temperature, tachometer, hourmeter and flight timer, which wire directly to the Sport EX. The engine data appears on split-screens, and the full graphical engine monitor pages. Later, when you choose to upgrade to an EIS, the sensors are also usable with the EIS, reducing the upgrade cost.

Connect an EIS for Comprehensive Engine Monitoring

Having produced the EIS engine monitor for over 20 years, we’ve accumulated a great deal of personal and customer engine monitoring experience. From this came such exclusive features as the exhaust gas temperature (EGT) time history. A simple graph of the last two minutes of all EGTs, our engine monitoring system makes it effortless to distinguish between engine problems affecting one cylinder, or the entire engine. This distinction could be essential when making decisions in response to engine problems, especially at critical times such as initial climb out. We find it so useful that we never takeoff without it displayed, and we recommend you don’t either.

CHT time history also proves useful by making the trend obvious. This is especially useful in high-performance airplanes, such as RV’s, Lancairs, and all pushers, where engine cooling can require some pilot technique to manage. It leaves no doubt which way temperatures are headed.

Finally, we love the specific fuel consumption display. Its measure of engine efficiency that confirms when you have leaned properly, and tells you when you need to lean again.

Engine Data with a Bonus

Engine data is provided to the Sport EX via the Engine Information System (EIS). The EIS is a complete instrument with a display and user-interface. It may be remotely mounted, just like any data collection device, but it can also be mounted in the instrument panel as a primary or backup display of engine data. In tandem seating airplanes it can be used as an instrument for the rear seat. Engine limits can be set in the EIS and can be used to drive its own warning light, even when remotely mounted. Have room in your panel? We recommend you mount it there. You will come to appreciate this time-honored engine monitoring instrument, even if it isn’t as colorful as our EFIS.

Simple Operation

Dual rotary knobs and 5 lighted softkeys make up the pilot interface. All are high tactile force, which is optimal for operation in turbulence. Pilots upgrading an older Horizon WS screen will find the user-interface practically unchanged. Primary knob functions are heading selection and baroset. Pressing any softkey brings up secondary knob functions and softkey labels. Simple, effective and efficient.

GRT Safe-Touch – Your PFD is now an Autopilot Mode Control Panel!

GRT Safe-touch option provides touch screen interaction without the risk of inadvertent activation. We use the simplicity of the touch screen for making selections, such as choosing the leg of the flight plan to be modified, with the positive action of a softkey press before activating the selection. Simple and secure, even in turbulence, nothing happens until you confirm or cancel and touch screen edits with a softkey press.

Touch screen functions will be added over time, but the first release will include at least the following:

Shortcut to setting of autopilot airspeed/vertical speed/altitude targets. Just touch the airspeed/altimeter, or vertical speed display and select the target with the knob. Your PFD becomes an autopilot mode control panel.

  • Flight plan editing, including moving, deleting, and inserting waypoints.
  • Flight plan “rubber-banding”
  • Direct-to waypoint selection
  • Airport/navaid details selection
  • Map Slewing

The Connectivity You Need

Three serial ports in and out (optional with six), a USB port, and a dedicated magnetometer port, allow for great flexibility within your panel design. An optional ARINC 429 interface can also be added, while still retaining all serial ports, for connectivity with IFR GPS navigators, such as the G430/650/750.

Autopilot Ready

The Sport EX includes autopilot functionality. Just add GRT servos and you are on your way to a fully automated cockpit. Like our GRT EFIS systems, it can also control an external autopilot. Even without servos, all autopilot functions are available to drive the flight director, giving you a single cue to follow, making you the autopilot, and simplifying hand flying while improving accuracy. Read more here.

Already own an autopilot? Just wire it to the Sport EX, and the Sport will couple it to all your navigation sources!

Heads-Up Display Capable

A heads up display can now be part your your GRT Avionics equipped airplane for as little as $300. Our pursuit of heads up display technology has led to support for the Hudly automotive after-market heads up display. Graphics optimizations in the GRT remote app, combined with the impressive readability and value of the Hudly have resulted in the first practical heads up display for experimental and general aviation (certified) airplanes.

  • Aircraft mounted heads-up display
  • Sunlight Readable Color Symbology
  • Primary Flight Data
  • Flight Director and HSI Guidance
  • Lateral/Vertical Deviation for Approach
  • Stall warning and all other features of GRT Remote app

Easy Upgrade Path from Older Horizon Systems

The Sport EX shares the same wiring as our previous Horizon systems. (Note: Gray Code altitude encoding is not supported by the Sport EX.)

Documentation

Manuals Revision Release Date
Sport EX Pilot’s Guide A 8/21/2019
Sport EX Installation Manual B 7/6/2022
     
Optional Wiring    
Trim/Flap Sensor Installation A5 6/20/2014
OAT Probe Installation Notes (All Systems) A1 8/28/2014
     
Sport EX to Sport SX Harness Adapter    
Sport EX to Sport SX Harness Adapter A 3/01/2024
     
Drawings Revision Release Date
Sport EX Dimensional Drawing A 7/14/2017
Sport EX Mounting Template A 4/29/2020

Software

Beta Software

This section contains software in the development or testing stage for customers interested in testing new features before a final release. The software below may be incomplete or have unexpected behavior. Never use in instrument conditions or other situations where EFIS failure or unexpected behavior will affect safety of flight.

  Version Release Date
Display Unit Software (beta) 4.05-beta2 3/25/2024
Version 4.05-beta2 adds support for the newer serial interface of newer Garmin radios (GTR200/GTR225/GNC255) and sending GPS data to them (GTR225/GNC255), adds G3X Text serial output, and adds initial support for landing gear indicators
Miscellaneous software
Software Description
AHRS Software The most current release of the AHRS software is included in the Display Unit update files. Most GRT EFIS users will never need to use this page. However, there are times when customers request AHRS-only updates or would like to try beta testing new AHRS software.
Checklist (Example) All versions of the GRT EFIS with a MAP page (except Mini) contain a checklist function (with recent software). The checklists must be created on a computer in plain text format and loaded into the EFIS as CHECKLIST.TXT. A text editor such as Notepad will work.
Demo File Decoding and Analysis

SavvyAnalysis.com analyzes engine data as a service.

Emarit Ranu’s Excel-based Flight Data Analysis Tool can open demo files in Excel to make graphs, compute statistics, and show flight paths on Google Earth.

Carl Morgan’s Demo File Decoder can load flight data into a spreadsheet & plot GPS data on Google Earth.

Demo Flight HXr

Demo Flight HX

Demo Flight SX
Copy the files inside these ZIP files to your USB memory stick to play back some recorded approaches and weather on your EFIS.  *Note that any demo file can be played on any GRT EFIS, regardless of which model it was recorded on.
EIS Log Allows EIS recorded data to be decoded in spreadsheet form. Record on your EFIS memory stick or to a laptop and decode the file with this software.
Version 11 3/09/2015
GRT Remote App The GRT Remote App offers many tools to ease pilot workload for flight planning, radio tuning and offers support for the Hudly Heads-Up-Display. It is also a unique and simple solution for back-seat flight instruments and controls for radios and flight planning.
Version 2.3.0 Updated 1/05/2017
Install issue: The latest Android 14 refuses to install this old version. We are working on an update.
Stratux serial patch Serial output patch files for use with official Stratux software releases. See our Stratux Supplement in Miscellaneous Documentation for instructions.
Trig TT22 Adapter Software Version 5 adds support for more types of compliant GPS data and supports sending air data for ADS-B air-ground switching by setting Squat Switch to AHRS and GPS data (requires display software update).
Version 5 released 7/6/2017

 

Navigation Database

Navigation Database Valid Date Posted Date

Free U.S. Navigation Database (all systems)

10/31/2024 10/29/2024
Note: The Nav database is on a 28-day cycle. New updates are posted when we receive them.
Optional or Non-U.S. Navigation Database (All Systems)
Jeppesen Avionics Database Subscription
Note: One Jeppesen data subscription can be shared among all GRT EFIS screens in the airplane. Database sharing is supported by EFIS software versions 2a (HXr), 6a (HX), 10 (SX), all Mini, all EX, and newer versions.
Approach Plates and Charts (Horizon 10.1, HXr and HX only)
Seattle Avionics Georeferenced IFR & VFR Chart Subscription
Free Non-Georeferenced FAA Approach Plates

 

Compatible Equipment

GRT Systems are Specifically Designed to Play Nice with Other Manufacturers’ Equipment

Every builder has his or her own taste when it comes to devices such as weather & traffic information, radios, transponders, and GPS units. We strive to give builders a choice when it comes to third-party equipment. This page is an overview of popular choices of our customers, with equipment supplements for some to help you install and use your product to its full potential with a GRT EFIS system. Check this page often for updates, as we are always adding to our equipment supplement library and third-party vendor list.

General list of Compatible Equipment

ADS-B In (traffic and weather)

  • GRT Discovery ADS-B Receiver
  • Dual Electronics XGPS170D
  • Dual Electronics XGPS190
  • Flight Data Systems Pathfinder
  • Free Flight Systems XPLORER
  • iLevil Technologies iLevil AW
  • iLevil Technologies iLevil SW
  • Open Flight Solutions Flight Box
  • Radenna SkyRadar-DX
  • Radenna SkyRadar-D2-v2
  • Stratux

ADS-B Out Only

  • Garmin GTX 330-ES
  • Trig TT21
  • Trig TT22
  • Trig TT31
  • uAvionix tailBeacon-X

ADS-B UAT (In and Out)

  • Free Flight Systems RANGR-FDL-978-XVR
  • uAvionix echoUAT

Audio Panel/Intercom

(Horizon 10.1 only)

  • PS Engineering PAC15EX
  • PS Engineering PDA360EX/XR
  • PS Engineering PMA450EX
  • PS Engineering PRI30EX

Autopilot

  • GRT Autopilot Servos
  • Trio Autopilot (requires control head)
  • TruTrak Autopilot (requires control head)

Carbon Monoxide

  • CO Guardian

Comm/Nav Radios

Note: All GRT Avionics EFIS systems can push frequencies to com and nav radios, but only the Horizon 10.1 and HXr EFIS offer full remote control of com, nav radios and intercoms.

  • Any radio with RS-232 SL30 or SL40 format
  • Garmin GTR 200 (COM)
  • Garmin GTR 225 (COM)
  • Garmin GNC 255 (NAV/COM)
  • SL30 (NAV/COM)
  • SL40 (COM)
  • Trig TY91 (COM) (remote option on 10.1/HXr)
  • Val Avionics (panel COM and NAV units, or remote COM and NAV units on 10.1/HXr)

GPS Receivers

  • GRT Avionics Safe-Fly 2020
  • All types with NMEA0183 serial output (GPRMC) or Aviation format serial output

IFR Navigators

  • Avidyne IFD 440/540/550 Series
  • Garmin GNS 430/530 Series
  • Garmin GPS 175/GNC 355/GNX 375
  • Garmin GTN 650/750 Series

Power Management

  • Vertical Power (All Models)

TIS-A Traffic

  • Garmin GTX330
  • Trig TT21
  • Trig TT22

Transponders

  • Garmin GTX 327 (altitude encoding)
  • Garmin GTX 330/GTX 330-ES (altitude encoding and TIS-A)
  • Garmin GTX 345 (altitude encoding and ADS-B In)
  • Sandia STX165R (remote)
  • Trig TT21 (remote option)
  • Trig TT22 (remote option)
  • Trig TT31 (altitude encoding and TIS-A)
  • uAvionix TailBeaconX (remote)

Weather (non ADS-B)

  • L3 Stormscope WX-500
  • XM Weather
 
 

Equipment Supplements

These “mini-manuals” explain how to install and set up popular devices and avionics that work with GRT EFIS systems. You can pick the ones you need, print them out, write notes all over them and store them with your aircraft’s electrical system diagrams. Check back often for new releases or email us for special requests. We often create new supplements based on customer requests and then post them here for everyone’s benefit.

Note: Only Horizon 10.1 and HXr EFIS systems are capable of full remote control of com radios, nav radios, and intercoms.

Equipment Supplement Revison Release Date
ADS-B Receiver Supplement (universal) A 3/17/2016
Avidyne IFD440/540 Series (Garmin GNS430 supplement, pin compatible) A2 6/10/2014
Flight Data Systems Pathfinder ADS-B Receiver A1 11/10/2014
Garmin GNS430/530 Series A2 6/10/2014
Garmin GTN650/750 Series A1 6/10/2014
Garmin GTX327 Transponder A 12/15/2014
Garmin GTX330 Transponder A1 10/23/2013
GRT External GPS Modules A 5/31/2013
Microair M760REM User Manual 1 3/10/2011
PS-Engineering PAC15EX Remote Audio Panel/Intercom for HXr A1 4/29/2014
PS Engineering PDA360XR Remote Audio Panel/Intercom  Manual   10/2016
PS Eng PRI30EX Remote Intercom Manual   6/2013
PS Eng PRI30EX Remote Intercom Supplement A 3/2016
Radenna SkyRadar D2 and DX ADS-B Receiver A2 7/09/2014
Stratux (Raspberry Pi – Based) ADS-B Receiver E 1/19/2024
Trig TT21/TT22 Transponder B 7/23/2024
Trig TY91 Remote Com Radio (for adapters purchased after 2020) D 11/23/2021
Trig TY91 Remote Com Radio (for adapters purchased prior to 2020) A 12/13/2013

Horizon EX Options

Subtotal:

Add-ons total:

Total: