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Roast my Panel

JohnD.TF4

Active Member
Greetings all,

Running panel ideas for my RV-8 build. Questions, comments, and hate mail welcome!

Mission is day VFR only, turn it upside down every now and again... fly to breakfast on the weekends. I already have the D-10 (non-A) so I will stick with that for now.

Switches from left to right are (left side) flaps, fuel pump, left mag, right mag, (right side) avionics master, start, anti-collision light, alternator field, battery master. PTT and Pitch Trim are on the stick. I just have a smattering of circuit breakers in there. Might need more... might need less.

Photo would not populate in the post, but the link should be good.

view
 
Are you planning on a transponder?

I also have all the lights on the side panel, none on the main panel.

Avionics master is so 1980s. (You said to roast your panel! :D)
 
looks like a good VFR starter panel, you can spend the big bucks later when you have a better idea of what you want/need. Some folks (like me) like to have analog backups for alt and airspeed.

But yeah, don't forget the transponder and ADS-B
 
I don't have lights or a transponder actually.

Below 10,000ft and outside of class A, B, C airspace ADS-B / Transponder is not required. Is it nice to have... absolutely. It is for sure on my future upgrades list, but it won't keep me from most of the flying I will be doing.

On lighting. I don't have a huge need to fly at night so I will not be installing lighting. Again, super nice, but it will have to be a future upgrade.
 
I would leave space for upgrades so you don't have to hack the panel apart to add them later on. Landing light switch, position light switch (although you can use a 3-position switch for Off/Nav/Nav+Strobe, and use the existing anticollision light switch hole in your panel), transponder circuit breaker, IFR GPS circuit breaker, etc. Of course, you want a clean panel, so don't overdo it. I have a switch hole plug on my new panel and it sometimes triggers my OCD.

Can you get away without a magnetic compass when using the Dynon instrument?

I like the switch separator guard things, but don't see the point of having only one switch between a pair of guards. With two switches between a pair of guards, you will be able to find the switches based on which side of the switch has a guard.

Can you reorganize the switches to have a better flow for startup or other phases of flight? Right now, numbering your switches from left to right, your startup flow is probably going to be 9-7-2-3-4-6-5. The ideal order for switches, in my book, is to write the checklists for the plane and then organize the switches so that going through them in the order they appear on the panel is the checklist.

I like that the engine start is on the right side so you don't have to flail around to hit that switch while adjusting the throttle and mixture. And flaps are on the left side so you don't have to switch stick hands to operate them. But there is a lot of room for improvement. I would try to put switches I use to start the plane up on the right side and switches I use in flight on the left side, if doing so does not preclude optimizing the flow.

If possible, design space in for an IFR navigator, transponder, and other necessary instruments for IFR flight. You will either fly this plane forever or sell it, and in either case it will have greater value to you if upgrading it to allow night and IFR flight does not mean starting over from scratch.

It's a good, clean panel and you'll love flying behind it. I hope some of my questions in this post give you ideas to make it even cleaner and more lovable to fly behind.
 
More than enough for your mission. Clean, elegant and functional. Get that restoration finished asap and go up enjoy! Life is short... :)
 
From a safety standpoint, I think having a transponder with at least ADS-B out is a must, regardless of the mission. Should you ever require ATC assistance you can immediately be identified. Your position will also be available to other ADS-B IN equipped aircraft therefore decreasing your chances of a mid-air collision. Why limit your options for airspace in a 200 mph aircraft? Considering the cost to build an -8, you should be able to budget $2K or so for what I consider to be a no brainer.
 
Some suggestions that may help

Hi John, that looks like a nice simple panel that will be good for VFR as you enjoy the great views outside! The Aera will give backup GPS altitude and ground speed in case the Dynon fails. Do you really need the analog VSI in addition to what's in the EFIS? And are you left-handed enough to work the comm... if not it may be worth moving it a couple of inches to the right so you can also reach it with your right hand.
If you are able to make the panel removable then in future if you want to change it substantially it will be easy to just replace the whole thing with a new bit of metal, which can be worked on while you continue to fly.
 
I would for sure install ADSB, if you don’t care to see others it’s fine but at least let the other see you. You can do that super simple and cheap.
I actually am in the process of upgrading my panel and I removed my Uavionix EchoUat that unit works great it’s in and out, you don’t have to see the in if you don’t want to but why not?
I haven’t listed for sale yet. Pm me if you have any interest.
 
just my two cents, but I would not do it that way. I want the primary gauges front and center. airspeed and heading (even for VFR) are more important than nav data.

bob burns
RV-4 N82RB
 
Isn't it front an center?

just my two cents, but I would not do it that way. I want the primary gauges front and center. airspeed and heading (even for VFR) are more important than nav data.

bob burns
RV-4 N82RB

I haven't flown in an 8 but suspect his instrument placement is front and center.
 
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