[Ironflight]

AS I wrote a couple of weeks ago, I was totally blown away with the XM weather on a Garmin 396 that a friend loaned me for a trip. By my estimation, adding XM weather to a capable airplane is probably the single biggest enhancement to using a GA airplane for travel since the invention of the wing...

(It was also mentioned that I was a hopeless technology addict...well, that may be, but I'll let you know that I have passed on the "Popeil Pocket Nuclear Reactor"...and have put all thoughts of the Ronco Flux Capacitor of my mind....probably wouldn't work with my food processor anyway...)

Anyway, I called GRT to order their XM weather box, so that I could add the weather directly to my EFIS, but alas, they are currently doing some re-engineering, and delivery is on hold. I had them add my name to the waiting list, and went to eBay to find a used 396...which I got from a good avionics shop at a great price!

The only problem that I faced was finding a place to put it in my admittedly already full panel. I took great care in designing an integrate cockpit with everything just where I wanted it - so adding an additional box was a challenge. Several friends contributed good ideas for using a RAM mount attached to the roll-bar reinforcing triangle - and that would have been good, except it would block my view to my other avionics. So I engineered it the old fashioned way - by sitting in the cockpit and moving the box around until I found the right spot. I then attached a RAM mount base to hold it there, and voil? - a nice solution!

The ball of the RAM mount is attached with four screws to Rivnuts on the F-804 cover. I was impressed at how sturdy the RAM mount is! Having the 396 in this spot makes it very easy to operate with my right hand - sort of like a keypad on a center console would be from a left seat. I was surprised that there is no interference with my flying hand (right) as my elbow is behind the 396. If it ever did get get in the way, I can swing the 396 straight back, down into the passenger foot well. The antennas and cables are just velcroed in place, so nothing is permanent, and I can use the system elsewhere, or remove it when I get the GRT Wx box.

I'm sure that everyone's solution will depend on how they have laid out their panel - just thought I'd share this one, as I hadn't seen it before.

Paul

 

[pierre smith]

Legs

Tsk, Tsk Paul,
You just REALLY wanted to show your leg!! Neat mount tho'. I don't suppose that you'd want to deviate to 2J3 on your next trip to/from Titusville, would you?

Stay safe,

 

[rickrv8]

Another Option

Paul, your solution looks like it will work great. I recently obsessed over the same challenge in my -8; there simply wasn't room in or around the panel. Because I fabricated subinstrument panels/extended arm rests ala Lyle Hefel I couldn't use your solution (plus it didn't occur to me). I really didn't want to mount the 396 on the gare shield nor put it on my lap so as a consequence I put off the purchase. However, when the gentleman that won a 396 from AOPA at SnF this year offered to sell for a good price I decided to buy.

I finally settled on a removable mount on top of the glare shield. I fabricated the mount out of fiberglass and carbon fiber. The mount is held on with two thumb screws that attach from the bottom of the glare shield overhang. I also fabricated a mounting plate for the XM antenna out of 1/4" plastic sheet which is painted black and mounted in front of the 396. The antenna is held to the mount with two protruding screws which lock into two slots milled into the plastic. It is very secure and quite easy to remove the antenna with a slight twist. I simply use the integrated GPS antenna in the 396 vice the remote antenna and it works great. The power and audio wires run behind the panel and come up through a snap grommet on top of the glare shield and are therefore out of the way.

I attempted to keep the 396 as low as possible. I was really concerned about the unit obstructing my forward visibility. After flying this arrangement for about 50 hours I'm pleasantly surprised that it's not at all a problem. In fact, having the screen in this location is quite handy. You do have to keep the screen brightness high otherwise the glare can be overpowering.

 

[Ironflight]

Nice work!

Your solution is in very good company Rick - I saw a similar location just the other day in an immaculately restored Mark 9 Spitfire! The fellow has a mount for his 396/Antenna that slips into the same mount as the gun sight. For show, he puts in the gun sight, for traveling - the GPS...very slick!

Paul