Panel upgrade plan...

[Brantel]

I built my plane on a slim budget. I have been having a ball in it. Someday I would love to be able to legally file IFR as /G. To do that, I am gonna need an upgrade.

Dreaming is cheap!!!!

Here is where I am today, not shown is the Zaon XRX feeding the Aera Traffic Data:



Here is an intermediate step I would most likely go thru, I would keep the Aera and Zaon for weather and traffic mounted on a Ram mount, Gemini becomes my primary backup:



And here would be the final plan, I would use the Dynon Xponder:



Of course non of this is gonna happen till I get paint on the bird in June of next year!

[PCHunt]

Photos are way to big. Can you re-size them somehow?

[Snowflake]

Wait... What? You can feed Zaon traffic data to an Aera? Cr*p... Now I need a Zaon... Can you do that and still have the iCOM pick up frequencies from the Aera?

[Brantel]

Sure can...set the Aera to TIS IN/NMEA and VHF OUT.... connect the Zaon to the serial input line and connect the EFIS/AP and the Com radio to the serial output line.

Originally Posted by Snowflake

Wait... What? You can feed Zaon traffic data to an Aera? Cr*p... Now I need a Zaon... Can you do that and still have the iCOM pick up frequencies from the Aera?

[gordodavis]

I'm currently planning my panel and I have notice that it looks like many builders are not using the standard panel that comes from Van. It appears that a couple of inches have been added to the bottom of the panels. I'm installing a Garmin G3X system in my RV-7a and the screens are veritical, it would be nice to have a couple extra inches at the bottom of the panel for switches. Your panel looks over sized a bit, did you enlarge you panel? Also what are other builder doing? If you were to cut out your own, should you use 2024-T3. I would appreciate any input or suggestions.

[SteinAir]

Originally Posted by gordodavis

I'm currently planning my panel and I have notice that it looks like many builders are not using the standard panel that comes from Van. It appears that a couple of inches have been added to the bottom of the panels. I'm installing a Garmin G3X system in my RV-7a and the screens are veritical, it would be nice to have a couple extra inches at the bottom of the panel for switches. Your panel looks over sized a bit, did you enlarge you panel? Also what are other builder doing? If you were to cut out your own, should you use 2024-T3. I would appreciate any input or suggestions.

With the exception of 1 or 2 per year, every panel we build is a new one that is "non standard". That being said, we are not proponents of making it bigger for no reason other than making it bigger. If you are a taller than 6' you'll learn that many extra inches added to the bottom of the panel get in the way of knees at some point. G3X's will work in a standard RV panel without adding much at all (maybe .75-1"). We simply size the panel to fit whatever is being installed.

You can cut the panel out of any metal you want, but we prefer 5052 so that we can make custom bends/welds/shapes (with a good 5052 don't have to worry as much about bend radius) that are not easily done with 2024 (althout 2024 is much easier to cut/mill). It's all a trade of compromises, but adding up to 1" on the bottom of the panel really won't affect much. If you add much more than that it can start to impact things.

My 2 cents as usual!

Cheers,
Stein

[Brantel]

I made my own panel and riveted an angle on the bottom edge aft. Tried to bend a flange but it cracked since I did not have a large enough radius die for the press brake. It is 1.5" taller with the extra on the bottom vs Van's original. If I had it to do over, I would not even try to bend the flange. The angle is easy and works great.

I have had really tall people in and out of my plane and none of them have issues with it. I am 5'9" so I sure don't however, I would not go any more than that since it starts to impact the ability to crawl under the panel expecially if you are thick like me. I went taller on the panel strickly because I wanted to stack the Dynons. It was a bonus that this allowed me to fit the Stein vents in the panel.

I bought the sheet from ACS and cut it with a jigsaw and files. I think I used 2024-T3.

[Walt]

I'm 6.1 (with chicken legs and my son is 6.2 with big legs. I definately would not want any more on the bottom of the panel (I still have some room), when my son flys with me his legs are up against the bottom of the panel.

[LarryT]

Originally Posted by Walt

I'm 6.1 (with chicken legs and my son is 6.2 with big legs. I definately would not want any more on the bottom of the panel (I still have some room), when my son flys with me his legs are up against the bottom of the panel.

Walt- are your rudder pedals as far forward as possible? I am 6"4" and you comments make me nervous. I am building a -7 for hopefully better leg room. I have a flying -6A with a standard height panel. In order to fit in I only have 1" of temperfoam in the seat back cushion, I removed the wedge and have only 2" of temperfoam in the seat bottom cushion. My right knee will hit the engine control bracket if I try an alternate position besides legs straight ahead.

Larry

[Walt]

Originally Posted by Walt

I'm 6.1 (with chicken legs and my son is 6.2 with big legs. I definately would not want any more on the bottom of the panel (I still have some room), when my son flys with me his legs are up against the bottom of the panel.

I guess I should qualify that by saying that my son is usually not flying and so tries to keep his feet off the rudders, hence the problem. When he is flying there's room, but not a lot, between his legs and the panel.

I do have the rudder pedals all the way forward, I am basically straight legged to push the rudder pedals all the way. I also have Oregon aero seats which are not thin (but very comfortable).

I like to have some "leg room" when flying so if the panel was any lower it would be uncomfortable for me.