Vega AHRS-1, MAG-1 Operating Manual
Introduction
The AHRS-1 / MAG-1 is a 2 1/4” sunlight readable color display instrument providing a display for an artificial horizon
reference system (AHRS), an advanced digital compass, or both depending on which sensor packages is connected.
The AHRS-1 / MAG-1 can be setup to display the following:
• Compass with optional slip indicator (requires MGL Avionics SP-6 sensor package)
• Horizon with optional slip, turn indicator & G-Force (requires MGL Avionics SP-7/9 sensor package)
• Turn and bank indicator (requires MGL Avionics SP-7/9 sensor package)
• Combined compass and horizon display with bank indicator, optional slip indicator & G-Force (requires MGL
Avionics SP6 & SP-7/9 sensor packages)
1 Features
• Large 1.8” high resolution 160x128, sunlight readable, wide viewing angle, 1000 cd/m2 TFT LCD display
• Artificial horizon reference system (AHRS) display unit with slip indication, turn and bank and G-Force
indication
• Advanced magnetic compass with a course steering feature and slip indication
• Can be setup as an individual compass display, artificial horizon or both
• The AHRS-1 / MAG-1 is connected to the AHRS / Compass sensor packages by a simple CAN bus
interface. This allows for the optimum placement of the sensor packages in the aircraft
• More then one AHRS-1 / MAG-1 unit can be connected onto the CAN bus. This allows the compass,
artificial horizon and the turn and bank indicator to be displayed on different units
• G-Force indicator (MGL Avionics SP7 required)
• Standard 2 1/4” aircraft enclosure (can be front or rear mounted)
• Rotary control plus 2 independent buttons for easy menu navigation and user input
• An external output activates when a high alarm condition has been reached
• Wide input supply voltage range of 8 to 30V DC with built in voltage reversal and over voltage protection
for harsh electrical environments
• 1 year limited warranty
Vega AHRS-1 / MAG-1
AHRS-1: Artificial Horizon and Magnetic
Compass indicator
MAG-1: Magnetic Compass Indicator
Operating Manual – English 1.01
Vega AHRS-1 / MAG-1 Operating Manual Page 2
2 AHRS-1 / MAG-1 Layout
2.1 AHRS-1 Layout
2.2 MAG-1 Layout
F2 / Down Button:
Menu System: Softkey button
Fast level function
Sunlight readable color
graphic display:
Backlight can be adjusted in the
menu system
Rotary Control (Up/Down) & Enter Button:
Press the rotary control during the normal display screens to access the menu system.
Rotate anti/clockwise for up/down menu scrolling. During normal mode turning the rotary control
anti/clockwise will scroll through the main displays (Artificial horizon, compass and turn and bank
indicator).
F1 / Up Button:
Menu System: Softkey button
Pitch level function
2 1/4” enclosure.
Can be front or rear mounted
Rotary Control (Up/Down) & Enter Button:
Press the rotary control during the normal display screens to access the menu system.
Rotate anti/clockwise for up/down menu scrolling.
F1 / Up Button:
Menu System: Softkey button
Enable coarse steering display
F2 / Down Button:
Menu System: Softkey button
Enable the reverse coarse display
2 1/4” enclosure.
Can be front or rear mounted
Sunlight readable color
graphic display:
Backlight can be adjusted in the
menu system
Vega AHRS-1 / MAG-1 Operating Manual Page 3
3 Main Displays
The AHRS-1 can be set up to show 3 different display screens. Turning the rotary control either clockwise or anticlockwise allows you to select the operation of the AHRS-1 as an artificial horizon with mini compass and a mini turn and
bank indicator, turn and bank indicator, and a digital compass.
The MAG-1 only displays the compass display.
Note: If you have purchased the artificial horizon and compass sensor packages with two or three AHRS-1 / MAG-1
displays, it is possible to setup either of the units to display either the artificial horizon, turn and bank indicator or the
compass.
3.1 Artificial Horizon with Compass
Pitch level function
Should your aircraft fly “nose up” or “nose down” due to trim, then you can press the F1 key to level the pitch as displayed
on the horizon.
3.2 Turn and Bank Indicator
Slip indicator
A “step on the ball” slip indicator can be enabled to appear below the horizon and compass displays. The source of
information for this indicator is derived from the accelerometer aligned with the pitch axis of the aircraft, i.e. the
acceleration forces acting in the direction of the wings.
G-Force display
10 degree pitchbars
5 degree pitchbars
Slip indicator can be turned on or off in the menu system
Estimate Horizon
Magnetic or true heading reading
(compass can be switched off
in the menu system)
Mini turn and bank indicator
(can be switched off in the
menu system)
Slip indicator
Marker description
Vega AHRS-1 / MAG-1 Operating Manual Page 4
Fast level function
Press the F2 key should the horizon display be toppled (i.e. indicating incorrectly by a large amount) due to excessive
maneuvering or by exceeding the maximum bank, pitch or yaw rates. This will indicate to the instrument that you are
flying straight and level and that gravity tracking may be accelerated to ensure rapid realignment of the horizon.
Extended range of operation
Please see the corresponding MGL sensor documentation for maximum rate specifications.
Depending on conditions maximum rates may reach 180 degrees per second. No caging of the electronic gyro system is
required during excessive maneuvering, unlike systems based on mechanical gyros. Simply correct the horizon when you
are finished or let the horizon right itself which will happen during straight and level flight.
Message displayed when the maximum bank, pitch or yaw rates have been exceeded
3.3 Digital Compass
3.3.1 Compass Tape
The digital compass tape can be displayed in 3 different ways. The way the compass is displayed can be setup in the
menu system under “COMPASS SETUP”
Numeric compass display
The heading tape shows headings as numbers in degrees.
Mixed compass display
The heading tape shows headings as number in degrees except for the four major
cardinal points which are shown as N, S, E and W.
Cardinal compass displayThe heading tape shows headings as major and
intermediate cardinal points: N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W and NW.
Magnetic (M) or true
(T) North indicator
Slip indicator can be turned on or off in the menu system
Course steering Indicator
Vega AHRS-1 / MAG-1 Operating Manual Page 5
3.3.2 Using the course steering indicator
To activate the course steering indicator, steer the required heading and then press the F1 key. The compass will display:
The F1 key pressed at a heading of 176 degrees. Currently the heading equals the
course to steer as shown below the heading tape. No course steering indicators are
shown.
The current heading is 169 degrees; course steering indicators show the need to steer
slightly to the right to intercept the course.
The current heading is 218 degrees; course steering indicators show that a large
correction to the right is required to intercept the course.
Each “>” or “<” equals 2 degrees of heading error. To cancel the course steering function, simply press the F1 key again.
3.3.3 The reverse course (from heading) display
Press the F2 key to activate the reverse course display. This display remains active for
about 5 seconds before reverting back to the normal heading display.
3.3.4 Heading stability issues
You may find short term fluctuations of the heading occurring. These tend to be very small and are typically less than one
degree. This could still cause the heading to fluctuate occasionally by a single degree. These fluctuations occur naturally
in the earth’s magnetic field and can also be caused by nearby electrical equipment such as radios, lamps, electronic
instrumentation or computers, even the ignition systems of engines. The AHRS-1 / MAG-1 has a compass filter setting
which can be set to filter out some of these small fluctuations.
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