Aspen RSM mount

[Cruiser]

Trying to decide on the best location for the RSM mount on the fuselage. 

Those of you that have Aspen PFDs installed can you share the mounting location and method used to attach the RSM unit to the plane?

I have several choices and would like to guide the installer on this issue. He says the backing plate is huge and needs 14 rivets to attach to the plane! Everywhere he thinks it should be will require major modifications to existing internal stiffeners/ ribs and other "stuff"

All input is welcome.

thanks,

 

[ArtVandelay]

It only weighs 0.2lbs. I think thats less than the strobe power supplies....aren't they just mounted using 4 screws to an inspection plate?

[Marauder]

Trying to decide on the best location for the RSM mount on the fuselage. 
Those of you that have Aspen PFDs installed can you share the mounting location and method used to attach the RSM unit to the plane?
I have several choices and would like to guide the installer on this issue. He says the backing plate is huge and needs 14 rivets to attach to the plane! Everywhere he thinks it should be will require major modifications to existing internal stiffeners/ ribs and other "stuff"
All input is welcome.
thanks,
 

Tom -- every Mooney I have seen with them had them in the area behind the baggage door and near the tail. I will see if I can find a picture of mine.

I can't speak to how they are attached.



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[Cruiser]

Chris, I am still working on a location for the RSM module. In fact the installer now says I cannot put the MFD RSM inside the wing and be legal for IFR. Something about the temperature sensor is used for the airspeed and needs to be mounted externally. ????

I marked the picture, it is the best location in the preferred area but it is still within the 18" limit for that big COM antenna 

Forward of the COM antenna is the baggage hat rack, not supposed to put it there. 

Any other suggestions?

[co2bruce]

That

18 hours ago, Cruiser said:

Chris, I am still working on a location for the RSM module. In fact the installer now says I cannot put the MFD RSM inside the wing and be legal for IFR. Something about the temperature sensor is used for the airspeed and needs to be mounted externally. ????

I marked the picture, it is the best location in the preferred area but it is still within the 18" limit for that big COM antenna 

Forward of the COM antenna is the baggage hat rack, not supposed to put it there. 

Any other suggestions?

That's where ours is. It is closer to the antenna than it's supposed to be but we checked for any interference and it was ok on our bird. YMMV

[Marauder]

22 hours ago, Cruiser said:

Chris, I am still working on a location for the RSM module. In fact the installer now says I cannot put the MFD RSM inside the wing and be legal for IFR. Something about the temperature sensor is used for the airspeed and needs to be mounted externally. ????

I marked the picture, it is the best location in the preferred area but it is still within the 18" limit for that big COM antenna 

Forward of the COM antenna is the baggage hat rack, not supposed to put it there. 

Any other suggestions?

Tom -- sorry about the delay in responding.

 

[Marauder]

Tom -- The RSMs can't be too far back because the vertical fin extension will block the RSM view of the sky. The RSMs contain the GPS antenna, the temperature sensor and the flux compass sensor. The MFD 1000's RSM may or may not contain a second GPS antenna. I don't think they can be mounted under the skin. 

You will be facing the same problem I had. The rear com antenna on my plane needed to be relocated to a belly mounted one. Fortunately, I haven't had my plane painted yet, but you can see where it was mounted. The big antenna forward is for the L-3 9000+'s active traffic.

[Guest]

8 hours ago, Marauder said:

Tom -- The RSMs can't be too far back because the vertical fin extension will block the RSM view of the sky. The RSMs contain the GPS antenna, the temperature sensor and the flux compass sensor. The MFD 1000's RSM may or may not contain a second GPS antenna. I don't think they can be mounted under the skin. 

You will be facing the same problem I had. The rear com antenna on my plane needed to be relocated to a belly mounted one. Fortunately, I haven't had my plane painted yet, but you can see where it was mounted. The big antenna forward is for the L-3 9000+'s active traffic.

Chris,

Is your Lynx WAAS antenna forward of the baggage door?  I have to find a location for a third WAAS antenna for my next upgrade.

Clarence

[Marauder]

4 minutes ago, M20Doc said:

Chris,

Is your Lynx WAAS antenna forward of the baggage door?  I have to find a location for a third WAAS antenna for my next upgrade.

Clarence

Hi Clarence -- shop told me last week they are using a splitter on the existing Garmin antenna. I asked them if this was an approved method from L-3 and they said it was. Let me know if you think otherwise. The shop is a good one and is pretty knowledgeable on these installations. I do like the way they installed the 9000+'s traffic antenna. They used doublers and supported the area where it is mounted.

My Garmin antenna is in front of the baggage door.

[Guest]

Just now, Marauder said:

Hi Clarence -- shop told me last week they are using a splitter on the existing Garmin antenna. I asked them if this was an approved method from L-3 and they said it was. Let me know if you think otherwise. The shop is a good one and is pretty knowledgeable on these installations. I do like the way they installed the 9000+'s traffic antenna. They used doublers and supported the area where it is mounted.

My Garmin antenna is in front of the baggage door.

Hi Chris,

That is an interesting development, it saves adding another antenna. I will ask tomorrow.

Clarence

[kevinw]

That
That's where ours is. It is closer to the antenna than it's supposed to be but we checked for any interference and it was ok on our bird. YMMV

Exactly where mine is. I thought it was an odd place but understand now.

[Marauder]

49 minutes ago, kevinw said:

Exactly where mine is. I thought it was an odd place but understand now.

I think some shops are able to make it work if the rear com antenna is for the secondary radio. There is an interference test that is supposed to be run by the shop to test for both GPS and flux compass interference when transmitting. If the rear antenna is for Com 2, you may never see an issue. I would try transmitting on it and watch your Aspen magnetic heading display. Should be rock solid during the transmission.

[pkellercfii]

Here's the antenna farm that supports dual GTNs, and Aspen 2000 system and an L-3 NGT-9000 on my Mooney. The two fuselage warts in the nearest foreground are the GTN antennae. The next two warts in the background are the Aspen RSMs. The far wart is the NGT-9000 antenna. The Aspen RSM, obviously, are over the hat rack. No problem with that--the shop simply had some interior disassembly & then reassembly to do. Yes, there are 14 rivets securing doublers under the RSMs,. Again, the #2 comm antenna was moved to the bottom, and, obviously, I have some paint touch up work to do. I only got this back from the avionics shop about six weeks ago.

Your proposed position for an RSM, next to the dorsal fin, is just about where I have a 406 Mhz ELT antenna. Perhaps something to think about...

--Paul Keller

 

[1964-M20E]

look likes your plane has some type of disease or infection.

[carusoam]

So the desire of a composite skin on the roof is starting to come to mind...  

Mounting all the warts under a composite skin would be more aerodynamic, and still maintain an (or several) eyes on the sky....

Having to spread them out seems to add to the challenge...

An antenna shelf above the radio rack would be required...

PP Thinking out loud,

-a-

Edited April 19, 2017 by carusoam

[PeytonM]

About 22 inches aft of #2 Comm antenna

[Ragsf15e]

Has anyone seen an rsm mounted in the approved “alternate” location just behind the top of the windscreen?  I have an unused and expendable gps antenna there and I’d like to switch it out with rsm if I go E5 vs 2xG5s.

[Marauder]

Has anyone seen an rsm mounted in the approved “alternate” location just behind the top of the windscreen?  I have an unused and expendable gps antenna there and I’d like to switch it out with rsm if I go E5 vs 2xG5s.

I have never seen one installed up front on a Mooney. Probably because of metallic interference with the RSM’s magnetometer. I would call Mike at Aspen’s technical support and ask. He has always given me accurate technical info.


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[tigers2007]

Pkellercfii’s old bird:



I want that L3 Skywatch antenna for my Lynx but can’t stomach the few grand for it.


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[ArtVandelay]

Pkellercfii’s old bird:

What’s the large bulge just aft of the cockpit for?


Tom

[kpaul]

8 hours ago, ArtVandelay said:

What’s the large bulge just aft of the cockpit for?


Tom

Its an antenna array.

[Niko182]

On 4/17/2017 at 8:08 PM, pkellercfii said:

Here's the antenna farm that supports dual GTNs, and Aspen 2000 system and an L-3 NGT-9000 on my Mooney. The two fuselage warts in the nearest foreground are the GTN antennae. The next two warts in the background are the Aspen RSMs. The far wart is the NGT-9000 antenna. The Aspen RSM, obviously, are over the hat rack. No problem with that--the shop simply had some interior disassembly & then reassembly to do. Yes, there are 14 rivets securing doublers under the RSMs,. Again, the #2 comm antenna was moved to the bottom, and, obviously, I have some paint touch up work to do. I only got this back from the avionics shop about six weeks ago.

Your proposed position for an RSM, next to the dorsal fin, is just about where I have a 406 Mhz ELT antenna. Perhaps something to think about...

--Paul Keller

 

This would drive me insane.

[rbridges]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned aerodynamics.  Surely if a dirty wing costs a knot or so, these antennae have to do the same. 

[carusoam]

Negative captain....

Wing drag has a multiplier/stronger effect...

See how speed brakes work for an example.

• Increased drag causes blocked airflow
• blocked flow causes loss of lift
• lost lift causes increase in AOA to make up for lost lift
• increased AOA cause more drag

Antennae on the roof doesn’t cause any loss of lift...  

Small speed brakes have very strong power...

PP thoughts only...

Best regards,

-a-

[Niko182]

15 hours ago, rbridges said:

I'm surprised no one has mentioned aerodynamics.  Surely if a dirty wing costs a knot or so, these antennae have to do the same. 

Aerodynamics arent as important further back in the frame. An example of that is how all the rivets are flush around the leading edge of the wing, but as you move back, the rivets stick out. I doubt they have much effect in cruise speed. Maybe a knot max difference.