Nukemzzz

I'm going to speculate wildly here because its an interesting topic, however, this is outside of my expertise and experience.... Remember that W&B changes the in-flight angle of attack. You can change the in-flight panel tilt by moving stuff fore and aft in the cabin. Also, if you slow down the plane enough you can make that 6-7degress closer to 0. I suspect that avionics manufacturers set the gages up so they work across typical AOA ranges using "level on the ground" as the stable point of reference since you can't achieve this reliably in the air with any specifications because there are too many factors in play (speed, W&B, rigging, etc). It sounds like your PIC is tilted too far forward, but the only way to know for sure is to compare with the avionics bay level reference seam as that is what they are talking about when STEC says 0 degrees. Side note: I set my PIC panel tilt when the engine was out of the plane and the tail was on the ground. I had to set it for 10degrees negative. lol

Believe it or not I’ve found that the modern IPhone is pretty capable of measuring the plane tilt at the avionics bay seam, and it’s even more capable of laying against the panel face to measure its angle. Delta between the two is the panel tilt.

He hit a deer, didn’t crash, didn’t hurt the motorcycle much? I’m sorry, this doesn’t add up. Was he going 5mph? If you hit a deer at highway speed on a motorcycle, and connect well (IE Square on), it’s a closed casket and the bike is trashed. This is a 200lb animal being hit by a 300lb bike and a 200lb rider with an approach speed of 55mph. That’s a tremendous amount of energy transfer in human biology terms.

Yeah. We are good. We weighed the plane last month and W&B is in, just barely, but in. I’m running with only 25gal. Actually the CG isn’t that far forward strangely. My empty CG is back a little.

Update: I went to the optometrist yesterday and was offered multi focal contact lenses. Another pilot fiend of mine has them and swears by them. I guess you sacrifice a tiny bit of distance clarity for short range. Dr put them in and then I had perfect up close and still had 20-20 long. So it seemed perfect....except...I wasn’t able to take them out. I failed the contact lens training. I will try again Monday at another appointment but I’m not sure if I can wear contacts. Felt like dirt in my eyes, my eyes went bloodshot and became itchy fast, and rubbing your eyes is a good way to lose the lenses. Passing on this idea. I seriously could see just as well around me and my phone in my hand was in focus at the office, no need for messing with glasses in the cockpit. It’s about $500 a year to wear them each day.

Last week I removed the PC button to get the system out of the way while I train landings and such. Seems to fly just fine straight and level, though it always needs a lot of nose up trim. takeoff trim is extremely close to trim needed for cruise and landing. Of course there is 500lbs in the two front seats. Strangely, when reviewing my videos I think I’m seeing a yaw oscillation. Something I didn’t notice while flying but its in the video clips. I’ve not decided yet if it’s a real thing, just maybe a new clue. I’m not so worried about it because it clearly damped and dies down. But it looks like when the controls are disturbed the nose oscillates left to right 5-6 times before dying down. I think what’s going on here is I’m driving a vintage sports car with wings and things aren’t going to be perfect. I owned and drove a 1971 MG Midget in high school. It had some driving quirks like this as well. Lol

Yes, I’ve purchased something from Alan and I’m notified anytime someone posits on the aviation classified on Facebook and i monitor it on MS as well. I’m not sure that I’ve seen a 550 anywhere near the budget I’m trying to set. Seems if it works it’s gotta be at least $16k with no harness or tray just for than one part. It’s a shame because it’s a nice unit. 540 is a little cheaper...still too much though I think.

That’s an awesome unit but it’s $21k new. Do you see many used ones out there.

Very interesting, you may have discovered another selling point for the 355.

My understanding is the 209A works with GPS because it has a switchable internal controller, But the 209 does not.

So it turns out I have a KI-209. This doesn't work with GPS does it? If I understand correctly the Converter is in the way. If it was the 209A it's capable of getting out of the way.

Thanks for the continued feedback. Here's the deal with me... I'm someone that wants to know more about what needs to be done than the person I'm about to ask to do the work so I know if they know what they are talking about. And so I research and research, and read all the manuals and watch all the install videos and ask a bunch of questions... next thing you know, all I need is my toolbox and I might as well do it myself...especially when these shops seem to take months to get something done after you wait months to get on a schedule. I don't think I have the patience for that. The list of things that other people have fixed or worked-on for me in my lifetime is very short. lol I have a pretty good relationship with my A&P/IA/Avionics folks. They know what I can do now after installing my engine monitor, completely overhauling my panel, and doing the majority of the work on the nose gear and engine R&R. I believe I'll be able to do most of the labor with their oversight/guidance. I'd have my A&P license if it didn't require regular employment in the role. So consider the large majority of my budget as parts. (I'm going to get quotes for the install, but I'm pretty sure the labor sticker shock, and time down, will persuade me to add Avionics wiring to my skillset). Now, with that said, I think this is a limitation when discussing new Garmin stuff. It's my understanding they are pretty picky about dealer installs. I don't have any brand loyalties yet. I'd probably be fine with Aspen stuff as well. There are just too many options out there. I'm also not looking for the latest and greatest, I just want to safely punch through clouds with an approach capable functional GPS (WAAS i think is a requirement for me). I think the big challenge here is the new stuff coming out isn't much more than the used 430/530 WAAS units in surplus at the moment.

Just throwing an idea out there...could it be that the 275 needs PWM dimming instead of voltage (rheostat) dimming controls? I have two Led post lights in my dash light circuit. Their response is very non linear and they flame out after a quarter turn Down.

Meaning an HSI that takes a NAV with Glideslope from the 155 and GPS signal? I suppose then i could drop the Narco HSI and the Vacuum DG. Opens up two holes. Any idea what fits this bill? Saves some weight. I like saving weight. I lost 67lbs usable when I weighed the plane a month ago.

Do I need to get the marker beacon working again to make the ILS/LOC/VOR useable? There is an antenna on the belly, a military looking box stuffed under the avionics access panel with on a PN on it that pulls up references to beacons on Google (receiver box maybe?). Don't know if its feasible to re-discover how to wire it properly again. If I get a newer audio panel does it have marker beacon receiver built it(Assuming I'll need it)?

One thing I've noticed now after flying the new panel layout... I can't see the TC (which I installed with the panel upgrad)... the left yoke handle is dead center in my vision over it so I can't see the ball without flexing to see around it. I honestly try to look at it quite a lot while training... There doesn't seem to be an ideal layout....everything has compromises it seems. Except some of these new all-in-one AI instruments. Maybe these others become backup if i get the GI-275

That was my original plan actually. I ended up with what I have for a couple of reasons... I couldn't get the DG to fit one slot to the left...I had a really tough time getting the instruments all to fit and while finally bolting it all up, after a couple of months of hard labor getting it that far....darn thing wouldn't fit. The yoke bushing mount is in the way (There is a way to re-orient it, but was out of motivation and guts to make any more modifications). But I found that if I swapped it with the VSI...it worked. And then the HSI...I didn't want to try and extend all the wires back there and it wouldn't reach to the middle of the panel to replace the DG, and I couldn't even move it up (too long, hits the bars, which is why its at the bottom turns out). I didn't have the Accutrak working yet, so didn't know if the HSI was driving it or the VOR OBS, so I opted to keep both for now. My thinking was I'd eventually put something like a G5 HSI in... and it probably would fit in the bottom middle position. Then I make that lower right hole a drink holder? lol

So 34X is flying and my PPL training has resumed. The squawk list is getting shorter and shorter. Later this year I'll replace the main donuts, might rebuild the trim jack screw...all good stuff to keep the bird healthy. However, I plan on going IFR pretty fast after I get my VFR PPL. There is so much to learn about this topic and the avionics options. I'm not someone that just drops my plane off somewhere and just does what a shop recommends. I like to be an educated consumer, especially since this upgrade is going to cost as much as nice used car, and I'll probably be heavily involved with the procurement of the stuff and installation. I think I'm also going to have to help figure out what the Brittain system needs and my local avionics folks don't seem to know much about it. Hoping to pick the brains of some of the experts here to think through my options to help me arrive at the best plan so I can start daydreaming and preparing. When I purchased the plane it was previously being used for IFR, however, it is no longer capable for several reasons: the DME was stolen before I bought the plane and whoever installed the marker beacon equipment had no business wiring a go-cart...not to mention an airplane and I ended up taking out, and terminating, a lot of the wires that seemed to be connected to the marker beacon box behind the panel...trust me, it was a mess of "not safe" stuff. What I have now you can see in the picture and I'll list some more details here (remember I don't know much about IFR requirements and terms, so this is why I need help to prepare): Brittain Accutrak is working, but wonders a bit, haven't messed with it too much since fixing the servos. Altitude hold seems to be in-op. I'm not sure if I'll be able to fix it. Someday, long in the future I may move to something like TruTrac...but I doubt it. Narco Audio panel with marker beacon lights and button...old...old.. radio bits work, don't know if the beacon and approach parts work. Narco Com 1 KX-155 Com 2 VOR with Glide Slope. It's connected to the KX-155 ...strange its on the top I know. (Connected to Brittain Accutrack) HSI (Narco I think), not a very nice unit, not slaved for heading, electric at least so a decent backup, but old, big and heavy. (I think it is also connected to Brittain Accutrack) Stratus ESG 3i transponder with AHRS for backup Old vacuum Artificial horizon and DG New vertical card compass (not show in the picture), cabin needs demag to improve deviation card. My mission is to travel with family pretty long distance and my IFR need is to give us more safe flying days. I want to be able to punch through clouds on departure mainly. I'm not looking to fly in the soup for long or even run challenging IFR approaches unless its an emergency. Looking to do this for under $15k. What I "think" I should do: Pull the Narco radio and insert a GPS/COM unit. One big question here is which? I've left room for a large GPS in the center stack but I'm not sure if it's worth the additional money since I'm going to be a heavy Foreflight user. I just need the GPS to drive the autopilot and approaches...I think. 430 WAAS? Will it allow me to run all GPS approaches? Seems to be the cheapest options, what do I loose vs a 640 or newer Avidyne unit (IFD 540?)? Pull the vacuum AI and old HSI and insert a G5 or the new UAvionics unit. Not sure why one would be better than the other. Keep the vacuum DG... I need vacuum for accutrak anyway. I don't want to rely on vacuum AI...however, I do have the stratus AHRS unit for backup. Connect the GPS to the the Accutrak. This is important to me, I'm hoping that by some miracle I can use this system still to reduce workload at least during stable cruise and I'm hoping it will track GPS better than VOR and VOR headings are becoming too rare to be very useful for the autopilot. I think I can send the GPS signal to the VOR instrument so I can see my course and glideslope without looking at the GPS screen and it outputs what the Accutrak needs, but I'm not sure. Maybe the GPS can connect direct to the Accutrak. I don't think I need VOR approach and marker beacon capability. Again, my IFR knowledge is weak at this point. I'm gathering that GPS gets me pretty much anywhere these days. So I'm not sure that it's worth fixing any of the old IFR approach stuff. I have a decent setup for intercom and the audio panel works. I've not seen a good reason to upgrade it even though its probably older than me. lol So what do you think? Help me spend some money later this year!

Wow...there is more to this than I thought. I’m glad I asked. I have my third ever eye appt Thursday. I suspect they are going to give me blank stares when I tell them I need special glasses like described for flying. We shall see. Lol Maybe I’ll try the Benjamin Franklin style half height readers as that seems to be the cheapest and simplest option?

I was going to say that it might be cheaper to fly around with the gear down instead of converting but it looks like you found a lead on some parts! Miracles do happen. I have a J-Bar system...it's cool and all, but I feel like my arm is too short to lock the gear up. I need more practice maybe. Sure would be nice to just flip a switch. lol

They are lighted all the way around but a little brighter on one side. The post lights are white. Note that the HSI is brighter. It turns out it has internal lighting and I didn't notice until i was done. So it has both internal and Nulite lighting lol I need to figure out how to dim the EDM-730 as well. It's too bright at night.

I came across a guy in the for sale section on here selling a bag of them that he found behind his toolbox or something. I guess years ago he used to work at an MSC. I got lucky and what was in the bag was what I needed. Note...some of them had a date code of 1969!

Thanks! I did the work. I used Nulite ring lights for the round instruments. The Primary engine section is two low cost LED post lights. I found out this weekend during a night flight that these are too too bright. If I turn the dimness down they get a little lower...but then go out when I pull back on the power a little. I think I'll need to put a bit of a smoke or red film over them to make them a little less bright. The lower cost post light: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/panelpost13-15801.php?clickkey=68726 Its too bright and doesn't dim enough without flaming out. I don't recommend inserting into the circuit with other incandescent bulbs.

One thing nobody can change my mind on: Riding horses is more dangerous than GA.

Ok, let me just be honest with myself, I'm just afraid of heights!