Kevin Horton

Kevin Horton

Well Known Member
I'm going to buy one of the Garmin Aeras soon, to get XM weather for my RV-8. I'm going to want some sort of mount to hold it from the side of the cockpit. The list of stuff you get in the box includes a yoke mount, if I understand correctly. Could I use the part of the yoke mount that the Aera clips into, and buy something else to replace the part that clamps onto the yoke? If so, can any Aera users recommend what I will need to buy to complete the mount? Or, do I need to buy a complete mounting system? If so, I'd appreciate any recommendations on what to purchase.

Note: I am not looking for a panel mount solution, like the recently announced AirGizmos gadget.
 
Kevin - I am with you. I am going to get an AERA but don't want a panel mount. I am curious how to mount it without. I was thinking of a quality velcro?
 
Kevin- I cut down the rubber based car-mount and bolted it to the side of my -6 panel. The rubber base helps with vibration and the ball mount makes it adjustable. Don't have pic.

 
The mounts that come with the Aera are quite "hackable" to provide various mounting options.

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The portable friction mount (left) is a flat rubber pad with one of those silicone or some such sticky layers on the bottom, and a fold up ball on the top (kind of like an R-A-M mount if you've seen those). The sticky is repositionable on your car's dash. Onto the ball clips a bracket (right) that holds the Aera, and the 12V cig-lighter cable plugs into that (and the XM antenna too if you have that option). I haven't checked yet whether the ball is RAM compatible, but I think it's smaller.

cf-lg.jpg
cf-lg.jpg

The yoke mount (left) comes with a pre-molded power cable (right) attached. It's only held on with screws, so you can remove it and re-purpose it into any location with enough space.

I used the molded cable from my yoke mount initially to mount the GPS to a bare spot on my panel, but afterwards I elected to buy the cable with bare wires so I could hook the Aera up to my ICOM A210 and my PS intercom. Now I get audio alerts on the Intercom, and frequencies transfer automagically from the GPS to my A210.
 
Thanks for the info. I'll order the Aera and then see exactly where it will fit the best in the cockpit.
 
Re-configure it, Kevin...

...as other posters have said.

This is a picture of my re-done 496 suction cup mount that I used to have on the left side of my -6A. I kept the mount and for the -10 removed the suction cup and its ball. I then reshaped the leg with a 1" round grinding cylinder to match the roll bar brace contour on my -10:
496mount.jpg


If you'd like the suction cup ball, you're welcome to it.

Best,
 
Do you have clearance under the panel?

Kevin:
Not sure of clearances/sight lines with the "8", but several of us have mounted our X96 units at the bottom of the panel directly in front of the pilot. My original position was up high using a ram mount, but the unit got in the way and resulted in unnecessary head movement during instrument flight.
The mount is just a couple of pieces of sheet (.040?) the width of the Garmin and held together at 90 degrees with a piece of angle. One sheet has a bend at the end to allow attachment to the underside of the IP. Angle of the bend determines sight line to the GPS. Part of the standard Garmin mount was used to attach the GPS to the sheet. Makes the GPS easily removable. You can see a similar set-up on following link by clicking on Roger Bentlage's RV7 panel (you'll need to click on the panel picture itself to enlarge).
http://www.advanced-flight-systems.com/Installations/RogerPanel.jpg
Terry, CFI
RV-9A N323TP
 
I completely forgot to mention that AirGizmos is now offering pre-orders for the Aera panel mount. That might be an option for some people too. I've ordered one.
 
Suction Mount

I was visiting with an RV-6A owner on Saturday, and he had his 510 mounted
with the automotive suction cup, diriectly to the panel. His panel was
painted (smooth) and he had no issues with it coming loose.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=35158#featureTab

suctionmount.jpg


These are available in electronic retail stores that sell GPS's (like Best Buy)
 
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Not sure about the unit you have, but for my 696 I mounted a 1inch ball ram mount to the panel and than put the supplied device to that for a swivel mounting for my 696. If that is what you have the part no. is RAM-B-202. P/n 11-07069 from ACS. about 8 bucks.
 
slyfox said:
Not sure about the unit you have, but for my 696 I mounted a 1inch ball ram mount to the panel and than put the supplied device to that for a swivel mounting for my 696. If that is what you have the part no. is RAM-B-202. P/n 11-07069 from ACS. about 8 bucks.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately the ball on the Aera mount is about 5/8" diameter. Still have to remember to measure it when I get out to the car next... :)
 
I ordered an Aera 510, and it arrived a few days ago. I haven't flown with it yet, as the aircraft will be in the paint shop for another week or so, then I have a few days of reassembly.

Now that I have the Aera and all the included accessories in my hands, I see that I can dissemble the yoke mount and just use the portion that clips onto the back of the Aera. That part has four screw holes that I'll use to attach it to a small flat plate. I'll mount a RAM Mount ball on the other side of that flat plate, put a second ball on the side of the cockpit and use a RAM Mount arm to fasten the two balls together.

The balls come in several different sizes. The bigger the ball is, the more secure the GPS will be mounted, but the bigger balls will have more of a tendency to get in the way when the GPS is not mounted. I've never used any RAM Mount stuff before. How big a ball do I need to ensure the GPS doesn't move around, even in turbulence? Do I need the 1" balls, or can I get away with the 9/16" ones? Or do I need to go up to 1.5"? The GPS plus mounting clip will be 12 oz or lighter.
 
Having worked with RAM mounts before, I can say that the smaller balls work fine for smaller equipment. A 1.5" ball? You'd only need that for a laptop support. And for a big, heavy laptop at that. 1" would be overkill, in my opinion. The 9/16" balls would hold just fine.

My AirGizmo's mount for the Aera just arrived yesterday, I test fit the Aera into it and it looks really nice. Now I have to decide how soon I want to re-do my panel... :)
 
Snowflake said:
Having worked with RAM mounts before, I can say that the smaller balls work fine for smaller equipment. A 1.5" ball? You'd only need that for a laptop support. And for a big, heavy laptop at that. 1" would be overkill, in my opinion. The 9/16" balls would hold just fine.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I'll probably go with 9/16" balls.
 
Would there be any issue with cutting the cigarette lighter off the pre-moulded power cable on the mount, crimping on some terminals and running the wires straight to the power bus? This would eliminate the bulky cigarette lighter sticking out of the panel. Of course I'd have to buy another one if I also wanted to use the Area in the car.
 
I have an Aera 500 and I just took the four screws out of the back of the mount and then just mounted the unit flat onto my panel. See picture below. This allows you to easily remove the GPS if you want to.

IMG_4229-1-1.jpg
 
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Here's my 510 mount

I mounted my bare wire mount like this and connected it to my Dynon.
I like it better directly in front of me. Someday I'll remove the Air Gizmo mount.

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