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Show us your panel!

Old school:) My job was driving planes using TV screens, my own ride I wanted to continue my traditional routes:)

I like where you have the throttle quadrant and have mulled over moving mine. Was there any issues in moving it inboard form it's "typical" placement?

thanks
 
well Capt that looks old fashioned alright... never heard of that, but WTH is a "CD player" :confused:
 
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I didn't build the plane but I looked for years to find one that was well thought out using traditional displays. I figure that the cost of getting a panel with all the latest gizmo's was a waste of money (to me) especially when I now fly mostly VFR looking out the canopy enjoying the ride:)
Each to their own:)
Oh and the Radio/CD player clinched it for me seeing as I have hundreds of CD's that work just fine:)
 
8-track

I didn't build the plane but I looked for years to find one that was well thought out using traditional displays. I figure that the cost of getting a panel with all the latest gizmo's was a waste of money (to me) especially when I now fly mostly VFR looking out the canopy enjoying the ride:)
Each to their own:)
Oh and the Radio/CD player clinched it for me seeing as I have hundreds of CD's that work just fine:)
Very cool. I was considering installing an 8-track player, but all my old 8-tracks melted one hot summer. :(
 
Here's a shot of my new ride...



aIMG_2754.jpg
 

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Interested in these photos

Whenever I describe how I modified my panel to accommodate my extraordinary physique, (6'-5"), I'm often asked more questions that only a picture can answer. So, here's what I did to let me pull my feet back to the spar when getting out, without leaving my kneecaps on the bottom edge of the panel.


iyie6a.jpg

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Hope this helps other inseam-challenged RV-ers.
:D

Interested to see the photos of how you modded the panel. I realize this is an old post. Seems like "Tiny Pic" is always blank on older discussions. I PM'd you for photos. Thanks!
 
Finished Cockpit...

Finished up the details / placards just today...

Got the "Smoke Switch" installed.. (Red - Left Side)

Tomorrow's Project...... Get the cabin warmer for Upstate NY winters...

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Finished up the details / placards just today...

Got the "Smoke Switch" installed.. (Red - Left Side)

Tomorrow's Project...... Get the cabin warmer for Upstate NY winters...

ACtC-3cDwIJhiyPwWYF2WQJ-RZc3VIh8xM_FmDwFCvARqCZYqX8BvxfEF7MjZRYWG64LBpH4ZmMLdBWDW4yhNPfYwHKnM0tyJ8em8K_ClBSMGk5JM6OyzcWQiNbHPirGP_N94WQiam-9ZvCQ9IQ7_O-4dmnI=w966-h789

Plane gorgeous! What kind of interior paint did you use Al? Looks beautiful.
 
As a fellow 8 owner I must say, that is a fabulous panel! One of the best I've seen on an 8.
 
Finished up the details / placards just today...

Got the "Smoke Switch" installed.. (Red - Left Side)

Tomorrow's Project...... Get the cabin warmer for Upstate NY winters...

Very nice, Al. I'm curious why it looks like you have a lower box on the left side similar to the lower baggage compartment on the right. What was the thinking behind that mod?
 
Interior Paint

Plane gorgeous! What kind of interior paint did you use Al? Looks beautiful.


Interior Paint:

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Left and right "Boxes"... are for Ball Air Vents & Cross Feed on Heat / Cooling

Have dual heat mufflers installed: (It is upstate NY here)

Thus:

Left Side: ALWAYS just heat...

Right Side: Option for winter Heat or summer cold Air.

Thus the need for a cross feed...



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And I did not like the blue Tygon low pressure brake tubing.. Its going to crack someday..

Replaced with SS brake lines... Much better..


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Left and right "Boxes"... are for Ball Air Vents & Cross Feed on Heat / Cooling

Have dual heat mufflers installed: (It is upstate NY here)

Thus:

Left Side: ALWAYS just heat...

Right Side: Option for winter Heat or summer cold Air.

Thus the need for a cross feed...

Very interesting. What sort of heater box or you using on the firewall? It looks like you closed off the NACA duct. where is your fresh air coming from?
 
Air intake

Check my build log photos..

Had to pull intake air from engine cowl to give me both cool and heated air

Using Van’s Heater muffles ( One left.. One right side)

I will post a few additional photos of mufflers / control box details next time I pull the cowl
 
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Check my build log photos..

Had to pull intake air from engine cowl to give me both cool and heated air

Using Van’s Heater muffles ( One left.. One right side)

I will post a few additional photos of mufflers / control box details next time I pull the cowl

Wow...... every now and then I see a build log that is just inspiring.... to the point of OMG, that is how it is supposed to look! Makes we want to tear out what I have and rebuild to your example standard!!

Beautiful work Al.
 
The Panel.....then.......

I know this is mostly for the -8 but here's my panel in Suzie Q, a -4, about a 1000 hours ago. It took me months of moving cutouts of instruments to get this layout, which I REALLY like. Is it Old School with "steam gauges"? Yep! I like it. I am currently installing a Dynon EFIS D10A (including the remote compass unit) to replace the Rocky Mountain Instruments mEncoder which served me well for many hours. The old Trimble GPS was great at the time but is being replaced with a iFLY 740b, likely gimbal mounted. Also installing an Echo FYX ADS-B unit. Meanwhile, the Cub is getting a lot of time on her.....:):):)
 

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Here's my panel in Suzie Q about a 1000 hours ago. It took me months of moving cutouts of instruments to get this layout, which I REALLY like. Is it Old School with "steam gauges"? Yep! I like it. I am currently installing a Dynon EFIS D10A to replace the Rocky Mountain Instruments mEncoder which served me well for many hours. The old Trimble GPS was great at the time but is being replaced with a iFLY 740b, likely gimbal mounted. Also getting an Echo FYX ADS-B unit. Meanwhile, the Cub is getting a lot of time on her.....:):):)

No attitude indicator? What am I missing?
 
That would be the Dynon that is being installed. Everything available in '92 was too expensive, heavy, archaic or I just didn't find the need for the type of flying I did/do. I guess I was waiting for the electronic, multi-functional equipment to become available. Besides the fact my other airplane is a J-3 Cub. The Attitude Indicator is an LOTW: look out the window..... L:)
 
Hello Steve, Nice look! Can you share what you used for your lettering. Also, how you applied to get everything to line up?

Thanks,
 
Thanks Randy.

As for the lettering, the white lettering on the sub-panels isn't vinyl.
The panels are painted destroyer gray and a guy on my field engraved the lettering with his laser engraver, down to the aluminum, and painted the letters. He has a special technique for doing this and it looks really good. He also does vinyl lettering and all kinds of etching. He's a local pilot: Texas Precision Engraving 210-587-5344.
I used some black vinyl letters too. (Wish I would have had the panel sides engraved too but I only found out about it after the fact and didn't want to take everything apart.)
He also does reverse engraving on clear lexan(?) with your selected color on the back. He paints the engraved letters on the back, whatever color you want, and you can see them through the top. Gives a smooth feel to the top and looks really good. I used that for the rear throttle cover.
 
Just finished a rewire and new panel on a new to me RV8

I like where you put your circuit breakers.

Mine are located on the extreme left and right sections of the main instrument panel. Unfortunate as they are VERY hard to get too.

Also even if I moved the breakers elsewhere, those two panel sections are riveted to the fuselage so it would be very hard to re-purpose them.
 
Here's my new panel, shortly after I fired it up for the first time this week. Still a few things to tie up and finish, but you get the idea.

Some details:

The panel was painted with PPG basecoat, then I had a local company screen-print the lettering, then we clear-coated the whole thing. It seems tough as nails, and I like the look.

The angled switch panel is a custom thing I created, inspired by the great Lyle Hefel and some other guys out there who created ones like them. It's structurally tied to the panel, the vertical channel cap, and also the stiffener that would have attached the stock Vans switch panel on the sidewall. It's removeable for servicing.

The annunciator panel is 100% scratch-built using 12V LED units like the ones Stein Air sells. The labels for them were created using Avery clear label stickers that go inside the lenses.

The circuit breaker panel is identical to a stock mid-cabin cover, but I made it out of thicker 0.040" sheet, since it was going to support C/Bs, a USB port, and a main battery charging port. (There is one downside to this location for C/Bs -- there are a LOT of wires going through the gear towers!)

The 2-1/4" gauge next to the G-meter is a Volt/Ammeter screen that can display data from both alternators. To the right of that is an elapsed time clock that will point at the tank I should be feeding from every 30 minutes. It's the KISS philosophy.

The military/airline Landing Light switch cap took me forever to source. It's a custom-milled item from a company in Spain that makes flight sim gear! Oh, the things we do for our passions...


i-crFgZt9-L.jpg
 
C-FGWW Panel ( ff 2011 )

Here's my take on basic VFR. The glove box was sized to fit an open Canada Flight Supplement, and thanks to EFBs is now just the glove box The round tube on the lower right is another storage bin and is housed in the oxygen bottle mount.
I fly with an iPad on the right knee running ForeFlight and the checklist on the other.
Eyeballs outside 90% of the time to avoid running into things.
The switches are grouped by function.
This is a 10yo build so big screens weren't a thing but I still like the minimalist approach. >$200 a year for my ForeFlight subscription, no other fixed costs or updating. But I must admit I don't fly in that 1000/3 East Coast muck with a ton of traffic.

RV8 C-FGWW
CZBB

Ralph Howey
I admire, respect, and support this fine group of aviators
 

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Ralph,
I really like the ‘minimalist idea. I’m starting an RV6 build (previously started by two other builders) and I am thinking light, simple, VFR. I’ll have an EFIS, because that is easier and lighter than the collection of round gages, but I really like your glove box idea. I might try something similar. Thanks for posting.
 
Information Overload

Here is my updated Harmon Rocket II Panel. I just call it Information Overload.

93B6182D-E6DC-4C2A-A57B-865D338E665B.png
 
Finished up the details / placards just today...

Got the "Smoke Switch" installed.. (Red - Left Side)

Tomorrow's Project...... Get the cabin warmer for Upstate NY winters...

ACtC-3cDwIJhiyPwWYF2WQJ-RZc3VIh8xM_FmDwFCvARqCZYqX8BvxfEF7MjZRYWG64LBpH4ZmMLdBWDW4yhNPfYwHKnM0tyJ8em8K_ClBSMGk5JM6OyzcWQiNbHPirGP_N94WQiam-9ZvCQ9IQ7_O-4dmnI=w966-h789

Nice panel.

How did you handle the circuit breakers?
 
System Wiring

Sorry for delay in responding..

Used simple diodes to minimize number of breakers required..

The Garmin systems and Led lighting really have minimal current drains ..

Check my Google build log for wiring details..

You can have the wiring diagrams printed out at Staples on C or D sized paper ..
 
Finally.

It’s only been done a year. But it needed some cosmetic clean up. I think it’s finally ready to show off.
 

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It’s only been done a year. But it needed some cosmetic clean up. I think it’s finally ready to show off.

Very nice looking.

The arched cutout on the lower edge of the panel solves all stick height issues.
I'm considering that myself.

What did you do for circuit breakers? Where are they located?
 
Very nice looking.

The arched cutout on the lower edge of the panel solves all stick height issues.
I'm considering that myself.

What did you do for circuit breakers? Where are they located?

It’s a mix of CB switches and I have a blade fuse panel on hinges underneath the panel.

If needed in flight, which it should never be. You pull the aft pin and the panel presents with a diagram printed in the EP checklist.
 

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It’s a mix of CB switches and I have a blade fuse panel on hinges underneath the panel.

If needed in flight, which it should never be. You pull the aft pin and the panel presents with a diagram printed in the EP checklist.

Another nifty solution.

Thanks!
 
image.jpeg

There's some fancy panels out there -) think I've posted this before but I still get a kick out of driving my 8 like the good old days -)
I spent a lot of hours staring at glass for a living, am over that!👍
 
FYI, for normal operation the 'Stby battery' (backup battery source for GDU/GEA24/GSU25) switch should be left on, turn on prior to start and turn off last at shutdown.
 
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FYI, for normal operation the 'Stby battery' (backup battery source for GDU/GEA24/GSU25) switch should be left on, turn on prior to start and turn off last at shutdown.

OK, got it. Thanks for the tip! Seller had told me to turn off after startup, but that makes sense to leave it on in event of an electrical failure.
 
8 panel

Been flying this one for a few years, pretty simple.
 

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