Show us your RV-10 Panel

[CJK]

Originally Posted by SteinAir

Again, not my personal panels...but 2 customers have finished installing their G900X panels and indeed they are nice.

Those are awesome, Stein -- I'm very far from panel installation (just ordered my empennage), but I'm anticipating installing a G900X system, and I like seeing how people have arranged the two displays. Have you done any with a Vertical Power system as well?

-- Chris

[SteinAir]

We actually have two of them (RV panels with G900X's) going together in the shop right now with Vertical Power systems being installed. No good pictures yet, but it won't be too long. It's a tight squeeze, but it will all fit...barely!

Cheers,
Stein

[rleffler]

And I'm sure that Gary is very much enjoying his new Garmin panel over what was in his first panel. It will be interesting to see how Gary gets both of his RVs (one with four wheels and one with three) to OSH this year.

I certainly have panel envy for those new ones that SteinAir is building with both the G900 and VP-200 installed. Now all I need to do is to find a job that will pay enough to allow me to buy one.

[AMac]

Yes and your panel is cut and waiting..... the glove box is being made this week to suit, along with your ER tanks!

Love your work

[ddnebert]

I have scoped out most of the instruments and was working on layout. The EFIS is the MGL Odyssey. Any -10 operators have suggestions with layout?

Here is the panel image.

[Mike S]

I would move the headset jacks outboard.

Looks nice otherwise.

[dmaib]

I disagree on moving the headset jacks outboard. If they are outboard, the wires may be in the way when you are entering and exiting the airplane. I mounted mine in the center console and am very happy with them there. I can report that this airplane is not the easiest to get in and out of for "mature" fat guy's!!

[SteinAir]

Originally Posted by ddnebert

I have scoped out most of the instruments and was working on layout. The EFIS is the MGL Odyssey. Any -10 operators have suggestions with layout?

Here is the panel image.

I don't have a ton of comments, but I do have a few questions...

1) Do you plan on using the airplane IFR (I'm guessing so since you have a 430 and a few backups)? I would review choices based on the answer to that question.

2) Do you already have a King Txpdr? If not, then buy a Garmin. If so, that's ok.

3) Do you already have the EXP Bus? If so - ok, but if not then forget about it and go with either switches/breakers or switches/fuses...there are a lot of reasons - too many to decipher here. If you do have the EXP bus already-still do some careful consideration about what your plane needs for total current load and what the EXP can handle.

4) Is this a plane you're going to keep or possibly sell? Again, makes a huge difference in what I might comment on. Equipment choices can cause huge and drastic valuation differences in the plane.

5) Will you be flying it from the right seat? If so, then the EFIS location should be re-considered...and if you're going to fly it from the left seat then the switch location should perhaps be reconsidered.

6) I'm guessing no trim switches on the stick? How about using the trim indications in the MGL?

7) Why put the ELT remote in the valuable panel space in front of the pilot?

8) Think carefully about putting the Jacks there. Again that's valuable real estate for engine controls, heat cables, parking brake, alternate air/carb heat, flap switch, etc..

9) Back to flying from the right or left seat...and the Garmin GPS. If you don't use an angle adapter, it'll be pretty hard to see the GPS on the right side from the pilots seat. Perhaps locating it closer to the center of the panel (in the stack) might locate it in a more centralized location?

10) Is there a reason for not locating the EXP bus (if you go that way) up in the main panel instead of on the lower panel? The main panel is pretty valuable space, and the lower "switch strip" works pretty well to put switches/breakers and such.

Anyway, I know those aren't a lot of comments...but I can't really comment until I know the answers to some of the above questions as my response would be different depending on what you are planning to do. As it sits now, it's not bad, but I'd spend a bit of time really looking at your mission for flying, mission for the plane, your plan for the plane, and then perhaps take a serious look at equipment choices as it relates to that. It's hard for any one person to give good objective criticism without knowing your intent in several aspects of the plane. Typically the RV-10's are built for good, solid X/C IFR platforms....and the equipment choice/placement will have a lot of impact on not only the functional use of the plane but overall value of the plane. Do stellar job in both areas and the plane will be bang up great in all aspects. Do a poor job in either area you'll be disappointed in both aspects of the plane. You're doing a good job to take some time and study before cutting metal!

My 2 cents as usual.

Cheers,
Stein

[lbgjb]

I agree with Stein--also, you have backup airspeed and altimeter, but no backup attitude indicator. Put in smaller AS and Alt, and then add some sort of attitude indicator. For sure put in the angled 396/496 adapter. If you don't you will not be able to see the portable garmin--it's hard enough angled due to distance. Garmin digital TXP much better than King. Headset jacks cause problems putting them on the sides as mentioned, but the wires will be in the way coming out on the panel. Putting them back on the tunnel works well. Wires out of the way for getting in and out, and for flying. ELT dufur needs to be on the right. Personally, you will use the 430 and TXP much more than you will use the AS and ALT, so I would move the radios over to the left. Only downside of that is in real emergency you have to look further right for instruments. I would rather design for 99.999% of time rather than for the rare use of the backup instruments. Also, with this setup, you would need to depend on the portable gps, so for sure do the angled setup. getting the switches over to the left would also help. (at least some of the most important and most used--master, avionics master et al) IMHO larry (currently TDY in Charlotte, NC!!!!!)

[rvmills]

Was thinking about this last night, and Stein's (and others') posts hit the nail on the head. Looks like a primarily left-seat pilot orientation, perhaps with the X96 over on the right to give the right-seater something to view. However, it looks like a lot of reaching, which I'm guessing will get old pretty fast! My thoughts (moving left to right), to echo the others:

1. Headset jacks to the lower corners.
2. ELT panel to far right (opposite of where it is). Rarely used.
3. Key switch to where the ELT panel now is.
4. 2 light rheos to where the key switch is, or drop them onto the lower panel. Big reach where they are now.
5. Steam backups to the left of the EFIS, perhaps consider 2.25 inch models.
6. Swtiches down to the lower panel, and below the EFIS...no reaching. Toggles may fit better there.
7. Trim via a cooley hat. Use EFIS for trim indicators or tuck them in to the left of the EFIS (where key switch is if rheos go to lower panel).
8. Stack the GPS (as Stein said) over the audio panel, and slide them all closer to the middle if you move the steam...a lot less reaching to smash all the buttons, and better vis of all the data.

That leaves a lot of real estate to the right for CB's, a glove box, or a possible upgrade path to a second EFIS for the right seater (Voyager?) if/when budget allows or the need arises.

Just another $0.02. It's all very personal of course, and you have a lot of very nice equipment in there. When I did my panel upgrade, ergonomics was a huge factor, as the previous set-up had a lot of reaching across the panel that I wanted to eliminate. With all this great stuff, a few possible ergo-adjustments will really make it sing!

Have fun!!

Cheers,
Bob