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The Ultimate RV-7 Panel with Garmin G3X Touch

Walt

Walt

Well Known Member
Our latest project from EXP Aircraft Services, the RV7 dream panel!

This is my brother's RV7A so it was a team effort, I let him do all the hard work (installing it in the airplane) while I did the easy stuff like basic system architecture, building custom interconnect harness, panel wiring etc..

I'd also like to give credit to the Stein Team (Christer especially) for a superb job helping getting it all to fit and then cutting the panel.
And thanks to Brandon at GloCustom Paint for the custom flat black epoxy finish.

Details:
Garmin: G3X 10" Touch, GTN750, GTR20 (remote mounted com 2), GMA240 (audio panel), GTX23ES (remote mode S xpdr), GDL39R (ADS-B in), Full A/P w/GMC307 control panel, GI260 AOA indicator with heated pitot.
(Airspeed indicator is a place holder for future back-up.)

795 was left over from old panel, probably not going to be needed much now!

rickpanel.jpg
 
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All you Boeing and Airbus drivers are having panel envy about now. Beautiful setup.
 
No picture

can't see the picture :-(
Works now, thanks!
 
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Seeing picture

Walt said:
I'm was using the new google photos site, I uploaded the pic to my own site and revised the link, let me know if that fixed it.
Click to expand...
I find that using the wrong browser when looking at VAF notes is a problem. Only the Windows Edge browser does it correctly. I use Chrome for most of my Internet browsing but have to switch to the native Windows browser to see the posts correctly.

Steve
 
I'm loving it

Many thanks to Walt for all his help on this project. I knew basically what I wanted but with all his experience doing panel upgrades the final design credit goes to Walt.
I now have a new appreciation for the amount of work that goes in to doing a major panel upgrade.

I debated a long time about removing the MVP-50 engine monitor but in the end I decided that a fully integrated Garmin suite was the way to go. It was a good decision.
I'm also really glad I decided to bite the bullet and cough up the extra bucks for the GTN 750.

Don't look too closely at the labels/placards - I'm replacing the ones in the picture with a custom set I got from Aircraft Engravers.

I've got about 3 hours flying with the new panel and I'm loving it. It's been an easy transition. Garmin did a great job with regards to usability and human factors but needless to say, it will take a while to learn all the tricks
 
bkthomps said:
With a small cockpit like the Rv7, I don't get needing a portable mounted up with all that
Click to expand...

You're probably right. I had the 795 mounted there before I did the upgrade and decided to keep it for now. After I get more familiar with G3X and GTN, I may decide to remove it.
 
Is that a stock panel sheet, and is the bottom flange bent or is it a piece of angle riveted to the flat sheet? If it is angle, is clearance for the stuff along the bottom a problem? I can't tell in the photo if that is angle on the bottom it must be riveted on?

Nice looking panel!

Jim
 
Jimd said:
Is that a stock panel sheet, and is the bottom flange bent or is it a piece of angle riveted to the flat sheet? If it is angle, is clearance for the stuff along the bottom a problem? I can't tell in the photo if that is angle on the bottom it must be riveted on?

Nice looking panel!

Jim
Click to expand...

Panel was extended 1" to make room for radio stack, the bottom is bent just like standard design. The panel design guru's at Stein air can custom make that happen.
 
Awesome - more pictures please

Do you have more pictures - close ups so I can read the labels on the switches and breakers. Any pics of how you laid out the boxes behind the panel? Thanks in advance. This is going to be a model for lots of other panels. I might use a garmin G5 instead of the air speed indicator ;-). Don't you hate that, just as you finish they come out with more cool stuff.
 
Actually the steam gage AS indicator was used as a place holder for the new G5 which will take its place shortly.
Will try to get some shots of the switches and labels for you and post them.
 
greight said:
Any pics of how you laid out the boxes behind the panel? Thanks in advance. I might use a garmin G5 instead of the air speed indicator ;-). Don't you hate that, just as you finish they come out with more cool stuff.
Click to expand...

My "behind the panel" layout is probably not something many people would copy - I had to work around prior cut-outs in the sub-panel and I tried to re-use some of the mounts I had used from the old stuff.

I had a shelf on the left side between the sub-panel and firewall that was for the old single GRT AHRS. I re-used the shelf, but mounted the GSU 25's on the bottom side. This is not the best location from a serviceability standpoint but it serves its purpose.

Similarly, I had another shelf one bay to the right that I had used for a Lightspeed Plasma ignition box (removed and changed to PMag). I mounted the GTR 20 on the bottom of this shelf. Again, not great for serviceability but workable.

I have the GEA 24 mounted on the sub-panel directly behind the Pilot side display. You need to give yourself plenty of room for connectors to the GEA 24 because there a many wires going to that box. I have the connectors facing down.

The GAD 29 is mounted to the left of the rib, on the sub-panel on the left side.

My GDL 39R is mounted on the sub-panel all the way to the right.

I re-used a shelf that was between the panel and sub-panel for fuse blocks. I had fuse blocks on this shelf in my old panel. If this shelf had a more solid mount, I would have put the GSU 25's in this location. However, I had used a hinge when I originally mounted it and Walt told me the hinge mount was not adequate for the ADAHRS.

The GTX 23 is mounted on the back side of the lower baggage wall.

However much room you think you need for connectors - double it :eek: Even though I thought I had given myself plenty of room, I still had to make a few changes during the final installation.
 
switches

This panel looks to have had lots of thought gone into it, the switches and their ordering is intriguing to me. In particular the lack of the typical ACS ignition switch and the black flap switch. Would you be able to share your source for the switches, in particular those for the ignition and flap?
Thank you
-Darin
 
Switches follow a logical turn on sequence from left to right.
Aux bat bus is first to turn on and powers up 1 screen, 1 ADAHRS and engine monitor.
Pmag breakers located above each Pmag switch.
(would have left a space between the lights but ran out of room).
"Radio" switch handles the Com radio and GTN750.
These P-touch labels have since been replaced with labels from "aircraft engravers"
All switches are Mil-Spec Honeywell 2TL series.

IMG_7420a.jpg
 
xorb said:
This panel looks to have had lots of thought gone into it, the switches and their ordering is intriguing to me. In particular the lack of the typical ACS ignition switch and the black flap switch. Would you be able to share your source for the switches, in particular those for the ignition and flap?
Thank you
-Darin
Click to expand...

I never had a key switch in this plane. Always just 2 toggle switches and the starter push button switch. The Starter use to be over next to the Flap switch but Walt convinced me that his flow was more logical.

The Starter switch came from Stein. Walt is correct that most of the toggles are Honeywell TL but the Master/Alternator, and Mag toggles are Eaton locking switches - also from Stein.

The black Flap switch is actually just a rubber push on cover on a Honeywell TL. I don't remember where I got the cover.

Most of the switches were also in my old panel, I only had to buy a few new ones.
 
Start button

Hi,
I love your panels, beautiful work!
May I ask you what brand of start pushbutton you are using in your panels?

BR, Steffen.

Walt said:
Our latest project from EXP Aircraft Services, the RV7 dream panel!

This is my brother's RV7A so it was a team effort, I let him do all the hard work (installing it in the airplane) while I did the easy stuff like basic system architecture, building custom interconnect harness, panel wiring etc..

I'd also like to give credit to the Stein Team (Christer especially) for a superb job helping getting it all to fit and then cutting the panel.
And thanks to Brandon at GloCustom Paint for the custom flat black epoxy finish.

Details:
Garmin: G3X 10" Touch, GTN750, GTR20 (remote mounted com 2), GMA240 (audio panel), GTX23ES (remote mode S xpdr), GDL39R (ADS-B in), Full A/P w/GMC307 control panel, GI260 AOA indicator with heated pitot.
(Airspeed indicator is a place holder for future back-up.)

795 was left over from old panel, probably not going to be needed much now!

rickpanel.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Start switch button

As best I recall the start switch came from Stein, just the standard push button that he sells.
This is the same switch that I used in my original panel - so it’s 11+ years old and still works great.
 
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