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Show us your panel !!!!!

Day VFR panel

I thought I would show you my panel which is fully wired up and installed but I haven't applied power to it yet or programmed the components. Plus I still need to get some decals for some of the switches.

The system comprises 2 by AF-5500, GMA240, 2 by GTR200, SV-GPS-2020, SV-261 transponder with ADS-B out, SV-ADSB-472 ADS-B in which are all being powered through a Vertical Power Sport plus a TCW 6 Amp backup battery for the EFIS'. Plus there is an Artex ELT 345, CO Guardian, GT50 clock/G-Meter on the panel plus a Dynon D3 and my Ipad mounted in ram mounts.

https://flic.kr/p/2jKGZPV

Cheers,
 
There are a lot of nice panels being installed in RV7 today and I'm planning on Garmin for my panel. What I want to do is keep the standard panel that Vans includes in the RV7 kit and install an IFR panel with the following items. Some avionics shops are telling me to pull out the Vans panel and install one that has more height.

Can anyone tell me if ALL these items will fit my standard panel.

Dual 10" G3X
G5
GTN 650
Garmin Autopilot 307
Garmin Audio panel 345
Garmin comm panel mounted.

Will there be enough room for switches, breakers, etc?
 
There are a lot of nice panels being installed in RV7 today and I'm planning on Garmin for my panel. What I want to do is keep the standard panel that Vans includes in the RV7 kit and install an IFR panel with the following items. Some avionics shops are telling me to pull out the Vans panel and install one that has more height.

Can anyone tell me if ALL these items will fit my standard panel.

Dual 10" G3X
G5
GTN 650
Garmin Autopilot 307
Garmin Audio panel 345
Garmin comm panel mounted.

Will there be enough room for switches, breakers, etc?

RV7 Center stack in standard height panel.

i-H8qbv3b-XL.jpg


Put it in this standard height panel:

IMG_0904%20%282%29-L.jpg
 
Thank You Walt. Very much appreciated.

Everything fits better than I expected. I better start planning. Any comments you can give on the Autopilot head being on top of stack vs on bottom near controls. I have seen it both places and can't figure out which is best.
 
Thank You Walt. Very much appreciated.

Everything fits better than I expected. I better start planning. Any comments you can give on the Autopilot head being on top of stack vs on bottom near controls. I have seen it both places and can't figure out which is best.

I like not having to look down, it's closer to being where my vision is usually focused which is PFD or outside. Jets/Turboprops all put them up high so it standard with the 'big boys'. Depth is also limited up at the top of stack so that helps also.
 
Panel Photo's

Good day all,

I have attached 3 photo's of my panel after a retro from steam gauges/MX20 to the Dynon HDX system in my Lancair Super ES.
The ease of installation and Dynon's Plug & Play system makes installs and removal so much easier than any other manufacture I have used.

I have installed and used both Garmin and Dynon in the past and in my opinion for price, quality, reliability and especially customer service Dynon has proven themselves to be the best by far.

If considering Dynon, PM me I can provide you a contact for the lowest possible Dynon prices known.
 

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My RV7 panel

I still need to run wires, but here it is.
Dual 10” G3X
GTX 45R
GTR 20R
GDL 51
GTN650 rack only
GMC
245 audio panel
 

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What I found, help me if you know better

There are a lot of nice panels being installed in RV7 today and I'm planning on Garmin for my panel. What I want to do is keep the standard panel that Vans includes in the RV7 kit and install an IFR panel with the following items. Some avionics shops are telling me to pull out the Vans panel and install one that has more height.

Can anyone tell me if ALL these items will fit my standard panel.

Dual 10" G3X
G5
GTN 650
Garmin Autopilot 307
Garmin Audio panel 345
Garmin comm panel mounted.

Will there be enough room for switches, breakers, etc?

What I found is that I cant get lighted rocker switches in the standard height panel. So I have resigned to using toggle and a glare shield light to illuminate the switches. If anyone knows a better way to light the switches, please help me out.
 
Dan,

Have only hangar flown mine, but like this kind of placement.

panel-1.jpg

����������������������..... this is almost exactly the panel I am going for.
 
RV-7 Panel

Here is a picture of my instrument panel all powered up. Rob and the rest of the guys at Advanced Flight Systems did an awesome job.
 

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Looks great! Rob and Advanced are awesome. I wish I had done the G5 like you did on my panel.

Ya know... if you want someone to test out that IFD 540, Rob cut a spot in my panel that would look nice with that in it.
 
Looks great! Rob and Advanced are awesome. I wish I had done the G5 like you did on my panel.

Ya know... if you want someone to test out that IFD 540, Rob cut a spot in my panel that would look nice with that in it.

Thanks Dan. That's awful nice of you. :)
 
Greg- Looks great! 16o on 7.8 is nice too!

Question- do you mind the right handed grip on the left stick?
 
Stick grip works great. Second throttle on the left side. Behind the IPAD mini I use on longer flights. I have an empty spot at the bottom of the radio stack where the Apollo transponder was pulled when I did the Dynon ADSB/remote transponder upgrade. I hope to find a Certified GPS navigator to go in there with VORs going away. My current certified Nav source is a SL30. iPad and Skyviews for situational awareness, I’m told. WE Love the -7.
 
Yup, KPWT hangar furthest to the south facing runway. Working on the annual lately due to crummy flying weather of late. Can’t wait to aviate again soon.
 
Awesome! Well, just waiting on inspection and phase 1 fly off and I'll be exploring this lovely state we live in. Might just need to swing in and say hi.
 
Midway

Awesome! Well, just waiting on inspection and phase 1 fly off and I'll be exploring this lovely state we live in. Might just need to swing in and say hi.
I’m about 4 months behind you. I’m at KPLU. STOP in and I will buy you lunch!!
 
Stick grip works great. Second throttle on the left side.

Left hand second throttle sounds like a nice mod, is how that was done documented anywhere, or is there a common way of doing it? Is it just a second cable to the carb/FI actuating lever?
 
This is in the mail, delivers in 2 days. Looking forward to getting this part of the build complete.
 

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Could get interesting when you hit TOGA instead of disconnect or vice-versa.

We're doing dual side throttles though, so putting TOGA on the panel didn't make sense either. As of now its a complete HOTAS (hands on throttle and stick) setup for approach and go-around. If we put it on the panel you would have to let go of the stick at minimums to press it, which for fully coupled approaches isn't too big of an issue since you'll have a hand mostly free. But even in coupled approached, I like having my hand near the yoke/stick just in case. We thought about putting it on the throttles, but there's only room for a single button on the throttles and that's being used for smoke activation. I'm sure it'll take some getting used to, but most planes take at least a little bit of practice before the switchology becomes 2nd nature.
 
AZ VFR "budget" Panel

I thought I would share with you my budget-panel build up. Mission is VFR with some cross-country comfort features.

1) I already fly with my Garmin GDL50 (ADSB-in) displaying traffic and moving map (via Garmin Pilot) on my iPad and happy with that. So, wanted to keep that going in my RV7. Placing the iPad on the panel is new/different for me. We'll see how that goes. I have a hole in the panel behind the iPad to provide cooling air; not sure yet how I'm going to make that happen. Drilled a 5/8" for snap bushing and was thinking of connecting some sort of blast tube from the air duct. (If anybody has any ideas, let me know). Eventually, that space on the panel can be upgraded to take a G3X vertical mount (maybe, I already have a hard time calling this a "budget build").

2) ADSB-out & Transponder solution is the Tailbeacon-X operated via AV-20S. The Uavionix Skybeacon has been a great solution in my Cherokee-180. Also, the AV-20S provides some back-up features to the Garmin G5

3) Garmin GTR 200B: features the "monitor" mode which monitors the stand-by frequency and that's the only reason I use two separate radios in my Cherokee today (to get ATIS at destination airport, and stay on with ATC or with CTAF. I didn't see the need for two separate radios nor an audio panel). I have two separate Comm antennas mounted on the belly; the second is dedicated to a hand-held back-up radio with a RG-400 Coax w/BNC connector. I've tested the range of the Sporty's PJ2 connected via coax bnc & external antenna and it's quite impressive!

4) I really wanted auto pilot, so going with the stand-alone G5 and GMC 507.

5) JPI EDM 900 for engine & fuel monitoring

6) All exterior lighting is via FlyLEDs "The Works"; Tested in my garage and the family enjoyed the light show.

I may be missing something, but this is where I'm at for now.

Ryan
 

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Placing the iPad on the panel is new/different for me. We'll see how that goes. I have a hole in the panel behind the iPad to provide cooling air; not sure yet how I'm going to make that happen. Drilled a 5/8" for snap bushing and was thinking of connecting some sort of blast tube from the air duct. (If anybody has any ideas, let me know).

I have two mini iPads mounted in my RV-12 both running ForeFlight w/ cockpit sharing enabled. Angled iPad shows route and iPad above center stack is zoomed-in to show close traffic. I removed a 296 and left the large hole behind the center iPad for cooling. The iPad is mounted using small squares of 3M Body Side Molding Tape on the four corners of the case which provides 1/32” standoff and allows air to flow around the iPad for cooling. Works a charm…
-
 

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cooling suggestion

I thought I would share with you my budget-panel build up. Mission is VFR with some cross-country comfort features.

1) I already fly with my Garmin GDL50 (ADSB-in) displaying traffic and moving map (via Garmin Pilot) on my iPad and happy with that. So, wanted to keep that going in my RV7. Placing the iPad on the panel is new/different for me. We'll see how that goes. I have a hole in the panel behind the iPad to provide cooling air; not sure yet how I'm going to make that happen. Drilled a 5/8" for snap bushing and was thinking of connecting some sort of blast tube from the air duct. (If anybody has any ideas, let me know). Eventually, that space on the panel can be upgraded to take a G3X vertical mount (maybe, I already have a hard time calling this a "budget build").

2) ADSB-out & Transponder solution is the Tailbeacon-X operated via AV-20S. The Uavionix Skybeacon has been a great solution in my Cherokee-180. Also, the AV-20S provides some back-up features to the Garmin G5

3) Garmin GTR 200B: features the "monitor" mode which monitors the stand-by frequency and that's the only reason I use two separate radios in my Cherokee today (to get ATIS at destination airport, and stay on with ATC or with CTAF. I didn't see the need for two separate radios nor an audio panel). I have two separate Comm antennas mounted on the belly; the second is dedicated to a hand-held back-up radio with a RG-400 Coax w/BNC connector. I've tested the range of the Sporty's PJ2 connected via coax bnc & external antenna and it's quite impressive!

4) I really wanted auto pilot, so going with the stand-alone G5 and GMC 507.

5) JPI EDM 900 for engine & fuel monitoring

6) All exterior lighting is via FlyLEDs "The Works"; Tested in my garage and the family enjoyed the light show.

I may be missing something, but this is where I'm at for now.

Ryan

Hi Ryan,
An idea for cooling the iPad is to use 12V computer fan(s), mounted in the face of the instrument panel behind where the iPad will sit. The commercial iPad coolers use these types of fans and would I think give a wider and more suitable airflow than a 5/8" blast tube.
That's a nice and simple, interesting panel that you've made, versus the current trend of multi-screen G3X's!
Cheers,
Paul.
 
Thank you for sharing Jim!
With two iPads, is "cockpit sharing" a feature provided by the Foreflight app? Or, is sharing something that any two iPads can do?

Thanks again!
Ryan
 
Thank you for sharing your idea Paul!

I just said out loud "duh" that's a great idea. Just last weekend I mounted two 12V 60mm computer fans on the top of the glare shield and it couldn't have been any easier (I have the Harbor freight punch/die set that includes the 2&3/8" hole punch).

There should be enough stand-off room to allow for the screw heads for the fan since I'm using two vertical strips of Velcro (one on each side of the iPad) to mount the iPad. Or, I supposed I could use countersunk screws for the fan.

Thanks again!
Ryan
 
KISS

I thought I would share with you my budget-panel build up. Mission is VFR with some cross-country comfort features.

1) I already fly with my Garmin GDL50 (ADSB-in) displaying traffic and moving map (via Garmin Pilot) on my iPad and happy with that. So, wanted to keep that going in my RV7. Placing the iPad on the panel is new/different for me. We'll see how that goes. I have a hole in the panel behind the iPad to provide cooling air; not sure yet how I'm going to make that happen. Drilled a 5/8" for snap bushing and was thinking of connecting some sort of blast tube from the air duct. (If anybody has any ideas, let me know). Eventually, that space on the panel can be upgraded to take a G3X vertical mount (maybe, I already have a hard time calling this a "budget build").

2) ADSB-out & Transponder solution is the Tailbeacon-X operated via AV-20S. The Uavionix Skybeacon has been a great solution in my Cherokee-180. Also, the AV-20S provides some back-up features to the Garmin G5

3) Garmin GTR 200B: features the "monitor" mode which monitors the stand-by frequency and that's the only reason I use two separate radios in my Cherokee today (to get ATIS at destination airport, and stay on with ATC or with CTAF. I didn't see the need for two separate radios nor an audio panel). I have two separate Comm antennas mounted on the belly; the second is dedicated to a hand-held back-up radio with a RG-400 Coax w/BNC connector. I've tested the range of the Sporty's PJ2 connected via coax bnc & external antenna and it's quite impressive!

4) I really wanted auto pilot, so going with the stand-alone G5 and GMC 507.

5) JPI EDM 900 for engine & fuel monitoring

6) All exterior lighting is via FlyLEDs "The Works"; Tested in my garage and the family enjoyed the light show.

I may be missing something, but this is where I'm at for now.

Ryan

Ryan,
I've had a "Budget" panel in my RV6X (and RV4 prior) for 15 years.
I have a Mini Ipad "imbed" using WingX pro (free to Vets) although Falken and iLevil have numerous progams and AHRS to suit your needs.

When others get outdated, the iPad will still be updated and most importantly, work.
A side benefit is always having an iPad along on trips!
:)
V/R
Smokey
 
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Thanks for sharing Smokey! I had also thought about how easy and automatic software updates occur on my iPad. Pretty much whenever I'm in range of wifi and have the Garmin Pilot App open, it's updating as needed. It's been very reliable for me the last few years flying the Cherokee, so I wanted to continue using it. Plus, as you mentioned, it's handy to remove from the plane and carry along with me at destinations, like hotels, etc.

Appreciate all those who are willing to share their budget panels, pictures, and ideas. I'm sure I'll upgrade some day, but for us VFR flyers, especially in the desert southwest where you can just wait 10 minutes for the weather to clear, I haven't found a need for more VFR panel capability than what I'm putting in now.


Thanks again!
Ryan
 
Panel Installed in my -7

Just installed this all Garmin panel in my -7. Built the harness myself :eek:

  • GDU 460 primary display
  • GDU 470 MFD #1
  • GMC 507 auto pilot controller
  • GNX 375 GPS navigator
  • GTR 200B Comm
  • GDU 470 MFD#2
 

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New member… first post. Proud of my brand new panel

RV7A with 150 hours located at LS40 in Louisiana. Haven’t gotten to fly it yet… still no power to hangar due to Hurricane Ida. Hope to meet some nice people on here.
 

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Here's my panel. After a summer of constant SF fog keeping me on the ground, it somehow grew some IFR capability (GPS175 + G5) ... funny how that works!

95 hours on it and it has been a joy to fly behind.
 

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Here's my panel. ...

This is why we need a like button!

Nice looking panel. Although, I'm building an RV-8 and using Skyview, The colors, switches and labeling are exactly what I had in mind.

I'm laying out my panel by hand right now. Doing the cut template in 1/8 hardwood veneer. ....Tedious and nerve-wracking.

How well can you read the switch labeling at night? And, how do you illuminate them?
 
Here's my panel. After a summer of constant SF fog keeping me on the ground, it somehow grew some IFR capability (GPS175 + G5) ... funny how that works!

95 hours on it and it has been a joy to fly behind.

Awesome panel. Congratulations and happy flying.
 
It will fit in a 7

It started as 7 panel blank, does that count?

I cant help about the shape i’m in
I cant sing i aint pretty and my wings are thin
 

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RV-6 with:

GDU 460 and 470
G5 backup
GMC 307
GMA 340
GNS 430W
GEA 24
GSU 25
GMU 11
GDL 50R
GTR 20
Trig TT21
... and a partridge in a pear tree.

- mark


glasspanel.jpg
 
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