can I move my transponder to the center stack?

[rbridges]

I went ahead and doubled down on my aspen setup.  Got the 3rd screen to have a dedicated ADSB.  My panel is a work in progress with little bites at a time.  On my flight back from the avionics shop, I realized that I don't like the panels shifted so far to the left.  I originally was going to put a 930 to the immediate right, but I think I"m going to go with the 930 on the copilot side.  I sat in Bob B's plane, and it looked pretty good to me.

 

Anyway, will my transponder fit above the audio panel?  The shop thought there may not be enough depth for the tray.  Worst case, I can put the 930 and transponder on the far right, but I thought it would look cleaner with the transponder in the center stack.  This would allow me to move the Aspen panels to a more centered position on the pilot side with the storm scope/Stec on either side of them.  The stec turn coordinator could be hidden if necessary.  Obviously, the DME will get pulled.

Edited July 14, 2020 by rbridges

[Dream to fly]

When I did my panel I ended up with the audio panel or the transponder in the center stack. There was a support bar that gets in the way. I put the transponder and the EDM 900 on the copilot side and left room for the Garmin 500 when it comes out to fit in that area too. As long as you have a sign off from an IA it can go anywhere

 

Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

[Warren]

Best way to confirm is to remove the panel above the audio panel and check for space.  The audio panel has a shorter tray and has a chamfered top so will likely fit the best by moving it up and putting the transponder between it and the GPS. 

[Marauder]

22 minutes ago, rbridges said:

I went ahead and doubled down on my aspen setup.  Got the 3rd screen to have a dedicated ADSB.  My panel is a work in progress with little bites at a time.  On my flight back from the avionics shop, I realized that I don't like the panels shifted so far to the left.  I originally was going to put a 930 to the immediate right, but I think I"m going to go with the 930 on the copilot side.  I sat in Bob B's plane, and it looked pretty good to me.

 

Anyway, will my transponder fit above the audio panel?  The shop thought there may not be enough depth for the tray.  Worst case, I can put the 930 and transponder on the far right, but I thought it would look cleaner with the transponder in the center stack.  This would allow me to move the Aspen panels to a more centered position on the pilot side with the storm scope/Stec on either side of them.  The stec turn coordinator could be hidden if necessary.

Have you considered removing the AI? If the Aspens are Max units and the MFD has the extended  battery, you can lose the AI. Also, you may want to consider upgrading the StormScope to a WX-500. The WX-500 output will overlay on all of your Aspens and there won't be a need for a separate display. I find the StormScope output being on the Aspens really helps when you see your magenta line going straight through a line of T-Storms. 

[rbridges]

20 minutes ago, Marauder said:

Have you considered removing the AI? If the Aspens are Max units and the MFD has the extended  battery, you can lose the AI. Also, you may want to consider upgrading the StormScope to a WX-500. The WX-500 output will overlay on all of your Aspens and there won't be a need for a separate display. I find the StormScope output being on the Aspens really helps when you see your magenta line going straight through a line of T-Storms. 

The AI is just a hole filler for right now.    That will leave me with the Stec head unit, the turn coordinator and stormscope.  I looked into the 500, but it's a lot of $$ when I already have a 1000.  Of course, the integration would be nice.  

[rbridges]

30 minutes ago, Warren said:

Best way to confirm is to remove the panel above the audio panel and check for space.  The audio panel has a shorter tray and has a chamfered top so will likely fit the best by moving it up and putting the transponder between it and the GPS. 

you're right.  It's almost a 3 inch difference.  Thanks

[carusoam]

Keep in mind...  in the planning part... the center tube turns into an inverted Y...

Makes it an extra challenge for both large and small boxes that are deep...

Audi panels traditionally aren’t very deep...
 

Bob liked his 930 because it was large and clear enough to see across the panel... the RAD remote light for alarms gets mounted front and center of the pilot...
 

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic...

Best regards,

-a-

[Aerodon]

Here's a panel that I made recently that worked out really well.  (customers choice to reuse old labels).

It is really nice to have the fight instruments in line with the control column, and we even managed to move the annunciators onto the mail panel too.  Leaves more room on the centre radio rack and RHS radio rack has an older 496 or 696.

I'm a big fan of 'less is more' so anything you can do to remote mount devices the better.  Remote transponder, remote audio panel, WX500, remote DME etc,

My next Mooney panel is going to even 'cleaner' - dual G5's, EDM900, GTN750, SL30, KR87, KFC autopilot.

Remote stormscope, transponder, audio panel, DME (KN63), XM in (GDL69A)

 

Aerodon

 

 

 

[rbridges]

51 minutes ago, Aerodon said:

Here's a panel that I made recently that worked out really well.  (customers choice to reuse old labels).

It is really nice to have the fight instruments in line with the control column, and we even managed to move the annunciators onto the mail panel too.  Leaves more room on the centre radio rack and RHS radio rack has an older 496 or 696.

I'm a big fan of 'less is more' so anything you can do to remote mount devices the better.  Remote transponder, remote audio panel, WX500, remote DME etc,

My next Mooney panel is going to even 'cleaner' - dual G5's, EDM900, GTN750, SL30, KR87, KFC autopilot.

Remote stormscope, transponder, audio panel, DME (KN63), XM in (GDL69A)

 

Aerodon

 

 

 

Thanks, that stack goes up pretty high.  What autopilot is that so I can look up its dimensions.  I guess without the johnson bar, the prop and mixture cables can be dropped lower.  

Nevermind, I realize it's a garmin 500.  Do you remember roughly how deep the GFC 500 controller is?  I can't find anything.

Edited July 14, 2020 by rbridges

[Aerodon]

The GFC500 autopilot controller is only about 2"-3" deep with connectors, so is ideal for the top of the stack. 

[rbridges]

5 minutes ago, Aerodon said:

The GFC500 autopilot controller is only about 2"-3" deep with connectors, so is ideal for the top of the stack. 

thanks.  The audio panel is 7", but that's 2" less than the transponder.  I'll just have to look under the glare shield and see what kind of space I have.

[OR75]

Have not researched it but was wondering if all those Aspen give you the option for installing a remote transponder .

that would be the most elegant option in my opinion 

[rbridges]

35 minutes ago, OR75 said:

Have not researched it but was wondering if all those Aspen give you the option for installing a remote transponder .

that would be the most elegant option in my opinion 

I'm not sure, but I just paid to have the gtx 345 installed. 

[OR75]

10 minutes ago, rbridges said:

I'm not sure, but I just paid to have the gtx 345 installed. 

i did not see that it was a GTX345

I believe you would have had the same In/Out capability with a  remote freeflight Rangr controlled with the Aspen 

I hear you about clutter and ergonomics but too much money to change again

[EricJ]

The issue is often that there's a steel tube from the cage going through that space that limits what you can put there.   You can probably take the glare shield off and see what may or may not be in the way.

 

[rbridges]

58 minutes ago, EricJ said:

The issue is often that there's a steel tube from the cage going through that space that limits what you can put there.   You can probably take the glare shield off and see what may or may not be in the way.

 

I see what everyone is saying.  I didn't realize the bar forks at the bottom to form a "Y".  It's going to be tight.  

[MIm20c]

9 hours ago, rbridges said:

The AI is just a hole filler for right now.    That will leave me with the Stec head unit, the turn coordinator and stormscope.  I looked into the 500, but it's a lot of $$ when I already have a 1000.  Of course, the integration would be nice.  

I’d consider a 900 unit instead of the 930. You can center the displays and still squeeze the 900 in before the stack I believe. I’d also blind mount the turn coordinator and put the STEC 50 head right below the jpi. 

13 minutes ago, rbridges said:

I see what everyone is saying.  I didn't realize the bar forks at the bottom to form a "Y".  It's going to be tight.  

Not only is the audio panel shorter it’s also angled on the top. 

[Hank]

@rbridges, All of my communication "stuff" is in the center. Then again, I fly a modern 1970 C . . . .   

Edited July 14, 2020 by Hank

[rbridges]

8 minutes ago, Hank said:

@rbridges, All of my communication "stuff" is in the center. Then again, I fly a modern 1970 C . . . .   

I think not having the johnson bar makes a difference.  I noticed in yours and @Aerodon's pics, the center stack starts lower.  Almost even with the bottoms of the yoke shafts.  It looks to be almost an inch difference.

[N201MKTurbo]

Why don’t you swap the KX155 with the transponder?

[Hank]

35 minutes ago, rbridges said:

I think not having the johnson bar makes a difference.  I noticed in yours and @Aerodon's pics, the center stack starts lower.  Almost even with the bottoms of the yoke shafts.  It looks to be almost an inch difference.

Yep, right about where your throttle, etc., are is radio stack for me.

[Jim Peace]

On 7/14/2020 at 2:19 PM, Aerodon said:

I'm a big fan of 'less is more' so anything you can do to remote mount devices the better.  Remote transponder, remote audio panel, WX500, remote DME etc,

It does give a much cleaner look and I was going to do the same but if the GTN shits the bed with remote transponder and audio panel etc, it makes it hard to limp home...lots of single points of failure in that design.....

[Jerry 5TJ]

1 minute ago, Jim Peace said:

if the GTN shits the bed with remote transponder and audio panel etc, it makes it hard to limp home...lots of single points of failure in that design.....

Just install two GTNs.  

[Bartman]

I pulled my 430W and slid in the Avidyne 440 with the matching AXP322 remote transponder. I have never had second of trouble from that setup.