My Panel's Installed!

Speed3Guy · Post by **Speed3Guy** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 10:12 pm

Ok here's the pics. It's not wired yet, but I do have the EFIS running off of my bench power supply.

Cheers!
Guy

tmbg · Post by **tmbg** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 12:26 am

ohhh dear lord hotness.

love love love your panel, Guy!

tmbg · Post by **tmbg** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 12:29 am

btw, not doing any VHF NAV?

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 9:55 am

SWEET!! That is a sharp looking panel Guy! Simple, and to the point!

Speed3Guy · Post by **Speed3Guy** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 10:07 am

tmbg wrote:btw, not doing any VHF NAV?

Nope. I figure two independant navigation systems are enough for this VFR bird. The first system is my eyes, the second is the GPS.

The only real problem I see with my system is that both navigation systems have a common point of failure. That's my brain. If it doesn't work, the whole things goes to h*((.

If I ever do become an IFR dude, both of the radio racks already extend as low as possible in the panel. I simply have to enlarge the cutouts and insert the extra radios. I would probably put an independant CDI in the bottom right instrument hole that is currently blanked off.

Post by **Spike** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 3:18 pm

Beautiful !!!

And dare I say it ... its fairly symmetrical

RV7Factory · Post by **RV7Factory** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 4:56 pm

Spike wrote:Beautiful !!!

And dare I say it ... its fairly symmetrical

That's the first thing I noticed too.

Nice Panel Guy!

dons · Post by **dons** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 5:36 pm

Nice Guy, you're going to love flying that machine.

Womack2005 · Post by **Womack2005** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 5:57 pm

VERY nice dude!

Where be da circuit breakers though?

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 6:02 pm

Circuit breakers? Are we building in the 1960's here?

Probably shouldn't have said that...

Speed3Guy · Post by **Speed3Guy** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 6:11 pm

Womack2005 wrote:VERY nice dude!

Where be da circuit breakers though?

LOL! The circuit breaker is on the right side of the panel. All other circuit breakers will be in your plane, not mine.

My FUSES are on the access panel I made on bulkhead between the panel and the forward baggage compartment.

Wicked Stick · Post by **Wicked Stick** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 10:33 pm

Guy,

Nice job and progress... My panel will be close to what you have, but with subtle diferences.

Just a few comments about your setup.
I decided to put the mag switches on the left side, so that I can keep my right hand on the stick "full aft" during the run-up checks because I have the infiniti stick grip, which is contoured for my right hand and it would feel awkward to hold with the left.

I decided to put the starter switch on the stick instead of the panel so I don't have to hold the stick between my legs during startup. (I plan to put a starter disengage switch on the lower right side panel)

Do you think the compass will be bothered by the radio stack ? I was thinking of putting it on the right side away from them.

Will the Trio Autopilot work with the AFS 3500EE ? I have the Tru-Track ADI Pilot II and I believe that will work with the EFIS display.

Speed3Guy · Post by **Speed3Guy** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:10 am

Wicked Stick wrote:Guy,

Nice job and progress... My panel will be close to what you have, but with subtle diferences.

Just a few comments about your setup.
I decided to put the mag switches on the left side, so that I can keep my right hand on the stick "full aft" during the run-up checks because I have the infiniti stick grip, which is contoured for my right hand and it would feel awkward to hold with the left.

I decided to put the starter switch on the stick instead of the panel so I don't have to hold the stick between my legs during startup. (I plan to put a starter disengage switch on the lower right side panel)

Do you think the compass will be bothered by the radio stack ? I was thinking of putting it on the right side away from them.

Will the Trio Autopilot work with the AFS 3500EE ? I have the Tru-Track ADI Pilot II and I believe that will work with the EFIS display.

I think the compass might be bothered by the radio stack. My roll bar is severly magnetized at the moment. I'm in the market for a growler to de-gauss it. If I have further problems with the compass, I might just remove it. I purchased the compass used quite some time ago--before the AFS EFIS was released. I wanted a Vertical Card Compass because I like being able to glance at the panel and see the headings I need to fly for crosswind, downwind, etc. at a strange airport. The AFS EFIS with its virtual DG serves that purchase. When I bought the compass I was planing on installing a Dynon which just has a scrolling tape across the top. You can tell which way you're going, but have to do the math to get the other 3 directions that interest you in a pattern etc.

I'm not planning on interfacing the autopilot to the EFIS. Why would you? That's a real question, not a loaded rhetorical one.

I plan on sending the serial output from the GPS to both the autopilot and the EFIS. All courses, waypoints, etc will be entered into the GPS. The HSI on the EFIS will display it and the TRIO will fly it. FWIW I'm not using the moving map feature of the EFIS. I've got a dedicated moving map right next to it (GPS) and the EFIS display is pretty busy already.

Can't wait to see your panel. If it's as nice as the rest of your work it oughta be a site!

G

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:18 am

Guy,

This may or may not be of interest to you, but I bought a Ritchie M-2 marine compass that has a remote magnatometer. The instrument hole is a bit smaller than standard, but magnetic interference won't be an issue. I bought mine off of Ebay, and it works great!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RITCHIE- ... enameZWD1V

Check it out...

Just an idea...

Post by **Spike** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 11:19 am

Thats a great idea Chad.

Wicked Stick · Post by **Wicked Stick** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:01 pm

Guy,

I guess I was half asleep and with this head cold I got, I didn't make much sense on the Trio to Efis comment. I was thinking and typing a little dislexic (spelling?) on that one. Your right it shouldn't matter since the display will be the GPS course on the EFIS from the Garmin, not the Trio.

I agree completely with you on the moving map display, as I did not purchase that option "yet" as I too will have the 496 to the right of the EFIS and get my moving map fix from that.

Thanks for the comment on my workmanship, I can't take all the credit though, I've had some good assistance along the way, guys like CJ, Scott Jordan, Jon Ross, and Bill Higgins to name a few.

I've heard the roll bar in the 8's have given a lot of builders issues with magnetic interference, and that's why I too have planned on putting in the remote compass back behind the baggage area. Since the EFIS displays a compass display similar to a compass card, (a feature I like for the exact reason you spoke of) I may put a card compass on my right side panel.

I have most of the layout finalized, just a couple of small issues to think through before getting the hole thing cut. I'm going to try and layout a CAD file for it and perhaps water jet cut mine locally, but I have also been toying around with the idea of cutting some or all of it by hand.
How did you cut yours ??

Wicked Stick · Post by **Wicked Stick** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:14 pm

I completely forgot you were building an "A" model, so I guess the fact that you have the mag switches on the right are a mute point.

Only us tail draggers have to worry about hold the stick full aft during startups and mag checks.

Womack2005 · Post by **Womack2005** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:35 pm

FUSES!?!?!?!?! OMG! Did you install the kind that will accept a penny when you run out of spares? How do you check to make sure none are blown?

Rant complete

tmbg · Post by **tmbg** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:49 pm

Will, next time I see you I'm gonna hit you repeatedly over the head with a copy of the AeroElectric Connection

Womack2005 · Post by **Womack2005** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:55 pm

Don't EVEN get me started on that rag