The RV10 owner had not fitted a back-up alternator as the glass screen kit have built in batt back-up of at least 30mins.
I am not a specialist on this but
AFAIK this is no good for IFR cert. Aspen have the same issue with their EFD-1000; the built-in battery is "nice" but your only legal IFR options are (a) a separate big battery or (b) a vacuum AI. I have the FAA reference somewhere if you email me. And EASA is even more anal about this.
A technicality now as the CAA are removing ADF from the relevant carriage requirement in the ANO.
They have been "removing" it for at least five years now.
Using EGNOS over here, we have a let-down to our strip with FAP and MAP fixes/GPS co-ords, measured on the ground under the flyover points.
Maybe some confusion here. EGNOS/WAAS is relevant only to LPV and similar approaches (GPS-synthesised glideslope). There is no way
AFAIK to get any IFR LPV-capable GPS to provide a vertical guidance for an approach not in its database, and there are
AFAIK no such approaches anywhere in Europe, yet.
Maybe some "homebuilt market" GPS can provide LPV guidance? For example the Garmin 496 can be configured to display a virtual ILS, which IIRC takes you down to 500ft AGL. I have the setup procedure somewhere; never tried it on mine. Apparently, some pilots use this as a double check when flying an ILS
What you can of course do is load a few waypoints, set the GPS to 1nm FS, fly to the IAF, then set the GPS to 0.3nm full-scale, fly to the FAF, and doing your own VNAV you fly effectively a DIY GPS approach. Lots of pilots, myself included, fly published nonprecision navaid-based approaches in this way (using the OBS mode to fly the published procedure track, rather than loading user waypoints which is a bit dodgy if you drop a digit, etc
) but then WAAS/EGNOS is not relevant (except for the extra assurance, but you don't need the extra accuracy to hit the runway in the centre) because you are doing your own VNAV.
You can always fly IFR in VMC in anything, quite legally; you can also ask for an any level of ATC service. Just don't accept an ATC clearance that would take you IMC (or in a permit aircraft, over built up areas, or in single engined aeroplanes contravene rule 5). I've done this in a flexwing through southampton zone, declined an ATC clearance over the city, and been given an alternative that suited everybody. This really isn't that difficult.
Sure, though IMHO there is no point in doing this (UK only) exercise, other than to impress ATC and perhaps be more likely to get a transit
There are many VFR flights where IMC capability provedes a definite safety benefit.
I think you meant to say There are many VFR flights where
radio navigation provedes a definite safety benefit.
I would very much argue that
IMC capability is highly desirable for VFR flights, but for other reasons
FWIW, one of the best things to have in a plane for going places, VFR or IFR, is an
autopilot. The U.S. Experimental market ones are pretty impressive, especially for the prices, but I don't think they are light enough for many UK homebuilts.