Panel question

How many of you have modified F-7107 (L&R) and/or F-7108 to get your avionics to fit? To get things just right (radio stack and EFIS where I want), without modifying anything, I would need to get an expended panel that is about 1-3/8" longer than standard. I was hoping to stay within an inch of standard to maintain knee room and be able tomove around a bit in flight. I'm looking for ideas and just wondering if anyone has any pics of how they may have modifed the ribs.

Thanks for the help.

Greg,

It is very common to modify/move these ribs and the method's to move the rib varies with the builder.

You can do a search on this forum and find a number of threads addressing this issue.

ge9a said:

How many of you have modified F-7107 (L&R) and/or F-7108 to get your avionics to fit? To get things just right (radio stack and EFIS where I want), without modifying anything, I would need to get an expended panel that is about 1-3/8" longer than standard. I was hoping to stay within an inch of standard to maintain knee room and be able tomove around a bit in flight. I'm looking for ideas and just wondering if anyone has any pics of how they may have modifed the ribs.

Thanks for the help.

Click to expand...

Speaking only about our experience after doing hundreds of these, of our US based customers probably 90%+ modify their ribs (both in sliders and tippers), but the UK based guys are ZERO - or darn close to zero....they are stuck with having to leave them as Van's designed - as are a few other countries as well.

1.375" extension should be no big deal, but if you get close to 2 inches, the panel is getting pretty big for us log legged folk! You have several options...moving the ribs, adding ribs, modifying the existing ribs, or some of each. As long as you make it as strong as what you started with you're AOK.

My 2 cents as usual.

Cheers,
Stein

Greg, your welcome to come look at my 9A panel.

I lowered the bottom about 1 inch and didn't put in the tipup ejection hardware. I am located at Lenhardt about 45 minutes south of Beaverton.

Kent
(503) 627-4045