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CHI_Pilot

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I'm sure this has been asked a hundred times... but don't know how to sift through all the great boards to find it. Hope someone can help.

I'm looking to buy a 6a with a steam gauage panel and then upgrade. The aircraft has a GRT EIS system, so I think I will lean in that direction for the EFIS.

Does anyone have recommendations on economical vendors who can work with me to create the entire panel (design, component selection, panel build, wiring) so all I have to pull the old panel and drop in the new?
 
I'm sure this has been asked a hundred times... but don't know how to sift through all the great boards to find it. Hope someone can help.

I'm looking to buy a 6a with a steam gauage panel and then upgrade. The aircraft has a GRT EIS system, so I think I will lean in that direction for the EFIS.

Does anyone have recommendations on economical vendors who can work with me to create the entire panel (design, component selection, panel build, wiring) so all I have to pull the old panel and drop in the new?

https://www.steinair.com/

Economical? Depends on one's perspective. Good value? Yes.
 
I'm in a similar boat. You're about to go down a fun but occasionally frustrating rabbit hole.

Talk to Stein - they're great.

Also talk to Aerotronics. And AFS.
 
I'm sure this has been asked a hundred times... but don't know how to sift through all the great boards to find it. Hope someone can help.

I'm looking to buy a 6a with a steam gauage panel and then upgrade. The aircraft has a GRT EIS system, so I think I will lean in that direction for the EFIS.

Does anyone have recommendations on economical vendors who can work with me to create the entire panel (design, component selection, panel build, wiring) so all I have to pull the old panel and drop in the new?

I don't think there is any way to make something that you can just drop it in.
I am just finishing up my change from steam to Dynon glass.
I did the panel design myself, had sendcutsend cut the blank. You can then add nutplates and paint or a vinyl wrap as I did on mine. Then populate and connect all switches, CB's, etc and wire as much as you can so when you install it in the plane it is easier.
Stein or someone like them can do the above but the rest you will still have to do to interface the panel to the boxes.
You still have to install all the boxes IE: adahars, gps, ems, autopilot servos, ADSB, etc, re-rout pitot lines, run wires to behind the panel, then connect all to the pigtails you created on the panel to mate with all the new wiring you installed.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pylotttt/50872813092/in/album-72157717217433273/
 
I don't think there is any way to make something that you can just drop it in.
I am just finishing up my change from steam to Dynon glass.
I did the panel design myself, had sendcutsend cut the blank. You can then add nutplates and paint or a vinyl wrap as I did on mine. Then populate and connect all switches, CB's, etc and wire as much as you can so when you install it in the plane it is easier.
Stein or someone like them can do the above but the rest you will still have to do to interface the panel to the boxes.
You still have to install all the boxes IE: adahars, gps, ems, autopilot servos, ADSB, etc, re-rout pitot lines, run wires to behind the panel, then connect all to the pigtails you created on the panel to mate with all the new wiring you installed.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pylotttt/50872813092/in/album-72157717217433273/

That panel is slick. Nice work.

Where did you get the source file to transmit to sendcutsend? I also have a 6A and have been considering doing something like what you have done.
 
My investigation so far, between Aerotronics, Stein, and Advanced, suggest that the closest to drop in/plug and play would be the Advanced Panel from advanced flight systems. I’ve had experience with all three of those places lately, and all three are really helpful and great to work with. Stein is about a 30 minute flight from here, but I have AFS components in my panel and they apparently won’t have anything to do with AFS. On the other hand, I’ve been dealing a lot with the people at AFS lately on a current upgrade, and I can tell you that they’re extraordinarily attentive and helpful by phone, email, text message, or their forum. I think their Advanced Control Module is a very clever concept and certainly ought to do a lot toward making actual panel installation easier.

https://www.advancedflightsystems.com/advanced-panels.php no
 
Where did you get the source file to transmit to sendcutsend? I also have a 6A and have been considering doing something like what you have done.

You have to draw it yourself in some form of CAD program, unless you have someone that’s doing it for you. I’m not aware of anyone that has “standard” panel cutout drawings available.

I used SCS to cut mine, too; drew the panel up myself in Catia and sent them the .dxf files. Easy to work with them; would use them for more stuff if they offered thinner material.
 
update

That panel is slick. Nice work.

Where did you get the source file to transmit to sendcutsend? I also have a 6A and have been considering doing something like what you have done.

Thanks. I started with a basic outline shape I found on line-
http://www.upnorthaviation.com/panel-templates.html

Note, every panel is different. I recreated the template in Corel Draw then converted to a PDF and printed it out, comparing it to my existing panel. From there went back to Corel and adjusted the outline till it matched.
It took 4 printings to get it to match.
After the outline was correct I designed my layout and added the cutouts to the outline and again printed it out to make sure everything was in the position I needed and there was nothing interfering from behind. When I was satisfied I exported it to DXF format and sent it to sendcutsend.

Almost done, just a few problems to sort out.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pylotttt/albums/72157717217433273/with/50894577541/
 
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