leeschaumberg
Well Known Member
When the bucking and thinking is started you have to install a panel that can tell you what you want to know. Use a panel planner to lay out your panel. This is not an article of what is recomended but one that helps you think of the many needed things. So with that in mind here goes.
*Glass Cockpit - This sounds strange or new because it is. Steam gauges have been around since moby was a minnow. With only 2 3.5 inch gauges you can see all flight and engine things. Yes all things! The second or engine gauge can double as the back up to the flight gauge. A manufacture that does this is Dynon. Just look at thier website.
*Vacum gauges are part of the past (steam gauges) so you don't need a vacumn pump.
*GPS with autopilot. Now GPS is around thier is no other guidance system that is this capable any where. You can forget ILS , VOR , ADF , DME , and etc. Precision is important so check how close you can read. Because GPS works any where you can have your very own approach. Just don't tell people. An autopilot is nessecary to fly from point A to B unless you are so prompt and capable that you can't stand it. Again a manufacture that comes to mind is TruTrack. Many GPS manufactures exist along with the portable units that can output to the autopilot signal and be used in the car.
*A 720 channel communication radio. There are many out there.
*A backup to your nav and com equipment. Things do happen and a portable radio would be nice when your out and about or at an airshow. Look at the Icom IC-A24.
*A transponder that replies with the required codes with altitude reporting.
*An electric trim. A nice button on the stick that moves the trim tab up and down so control pressure remains light.
*The ELT Some way to tell other folks where you are if you crash.
*Electric switch and breaker panel. This way you can turn things on and off , and not fry your wires.
*Annunciator light panel showing every thing that is turned on.
*Glove and map box.
*Throttle , prop , mixture control. A good multi lever control works nice.
*Intercom - This way you can talk to all the folks in your plane while you are flying.
*Music radio - When you're sitting there flying and looking at the moon you can listen to your favorite tunes. CD , or a satellite radio is what you need.
*You may need two steam gauges so you don't have to start praying when things go wrong. An altimeter and a magnetic compass. This way when every thing goes dark you know were you are. Installation of either does not require special things.
*If you want to make things easier stick with 3.5 or 2.25 panel mount gauges.
*With Van's around to help you can get all these things from them if you want to.
* It's easy to put a zillion dollars in your panel and almost nothing in your plane. A comon mistake.
Lee
*Glass Cockpit - This sounds strange or new because it is. Steam gauges have been around since moby was a minnow. With only 2 3.5 inch gauges you can see all flight and engine things. Yes all things! The second or engine gauge can double as the back up to the flight gauge. A manufacture that does this is Dynon. Just look at thier website.
*Vacum gauges are part of the past (steam gauges) so you don't need a vacumn pump.
*GPS with autopilot. Now GPS is around thier is no other guidance system that is this capable any where. You can forget ILS , VOR , ADF , DME , and etc. Precision is important so check how close you can read. Because GPS works any where you can have your very own approach. Just don't tell people. An autopilot is nessecary to fly from point A to B unless you are so prompt and capable that you can't stand it. Again a manufacture that comes to mind is TruTrack. Many GPS manufactures exist along with the portable units that can output to the autopilot signal and be used in the car.
*A 720 channel communication radio. There are many out there.
*A backup to your nav and com equipment. Things do happen and a portable radio would be nice when your out and about or at an airshow. Look at the Icom IC-A24.
*A transponder that replies with the required codes with altitude reporting.
*An electric trim. A nice button on the stick that moves the trim tab up and down so control pressure remains light.
*The ELT Some way to tell other folks where you are if you crash.
*Electric switch and breaker panel. This way you can turn things on and off , and not fry your wires.
*Annunciator light panel showing every thing that is turned on.
*Glove and map box.
*Throttle , prop , mixture control. A good multi lever control works nice.
*Intercom - This way you can talk to all the folks in your plane while you are flying.
*Music radio - When you're sitting there flying and looking at the moon you can listen to your favorite tunes. CD , or a satellite radio is what you need.
*You may need two steam gauges so you don't have to start praying when things go wrong. An altimeter and a magnetic compass. This way when every thing goes dark you know were you are. Installation of either does not require special things.
*If you want to make things easier stick with 3.5 or 2.25 panel mount gauges.
*With Van's around to help you can get all these things from them if you want to.
* It's easy to put a zillion dollars in your panel and almost nothing in your plane. A comon mistake.
Lee
Last edited: