New Mooney M20G Owner

[IgorD]

Hello,

 

Introducing new to me 1968 M20G.  After one flight in a Mooney I had decided that I need to have one of my own.  Sold my share of a Cherokee 140 and could not be happier with my new toy.  Exterior and interior is great shape but it does need some help with the panel.  What could you recommend to make it more pleasing to the eye.  Everything works great but I think this plane needs little more attention on the panel it deserves.   

[DCarlton]

It depends on how much you want to spend.  You can get new panel overlays from plane plastics but it takes a lot of creative trimming and shaping to get them to fit the instruments well.  I have a '67; your panel actually looks pretty good relatively speaking.  I probably wouldn't do much unless you plan to go all in on a new panel.  

[Bolter]

As already said, you need to define your budget.  Function-wise, you have similar content to my J, so I consider your panel to be modernized, except for the shotgun layout.

If you were doing a lot of IFR, I would suggest a digital HSI (like a G5) as a modest upgrade that provides safety and function in IFR that I now consider to be essential.  

[Jim Peace]

Nice airplane....my panel looked the same as yours before I "fixed" it....

give me your plane and an open checkbook and I will make it right.

You will not be disappointed.

[IgorD]

Jim Peace Do you mind showing a picture of your completed panel?  I am looking for Ideas.  

[Prior owner]

Just my .02, but I’d say it needs nothing- beautiful plane...

[jrwilson]

For cheap (Like $35) you could get some new labels printed for the panel, that would clean it up a little bit and would be a quick interim solution.

Then maybe an Ipad mount to go over the pilot's yoke would nicer.

Overall, not a bad panel.

Edited June 3, 2021 by jrwilson

[carusoam]

Welcome aboard Igore!

Congrats on your new acquisition...

You are about to embark on an amazing mystery tour.

Start planning everything...

The more you plan, the more successful you will be...

Best regards,

-a-

[Jim Peace]

2 hours ago, IgorD said:

Jim Peace Do you mind showing a picture of your completed panel?  I am looking for Ideas.  

Keep in mind this was 3 plus years ago and I would do things differently today.  Such as a Garmin 3gx etc, what I have is considered old and was being outdated even during the install.  Avionics are changing even quicker now so its hard to be on the cutting edge.  If you are its only for a few months.....even though Garmin causes a bunch of heartache it is what people want in the panel for resale so we are stuck with that.  

I think if a pilot is going to be using the iPad you should really leave the right side empty so as not to block other radios etc....I only use the iPad in flight for the moving sectional and some of todays stuff has that built in so it may not be a factor.  

 

[IgorD]

Wow nice clean looking panel. Jim Peace  All I want for my panel is for it to not look like an unfinished project.  Definitely a decision not to take lightly.           

[SSimpson77]

I don’t know, looks pretty clean to me. Depends on how much you want to spend like everyone else says, but I would opt for some nice headrests. All that power coming from a 140 could give you whiplash!! 
congrats though, as always, fly safe!!!

[icurnmedic]

No way I would change anything at the moment. Assuming everything works as it should,I would fly that baby and save some $$ Did not notice an AP.If it doesn’t have one , then I would definitely consider installing one. Nice Plane!

[Urs_Wildermuth]

Lovely airplane.

 

I can see what you mean with the panel looking like a project. Personally, I think primarily the left hand side could profit from a proper re-arrangement into the basic T form plus the possible addition of an Aspen or a couple of G5's or their successors. One way to do that is to move the Stec-30 to the hole of the DG, get rid of the DG, move the horizon to the right a bit and fit an Aspen into the space vaccated. I guess that would be the least invasive way to upgrade. Obviously you can do something similar with G5's. An Aspen also will provide GPSS from the GNS430 for you, which is really nice to have cross country.

My "C" looked like this when I got it

We added an Aspen plus an AP to it (which you already have by the looks of it, to make it look like this:

Quite pleased with the outcome. The beauty of it was that we did not have to change any existing holes other than for the remote AP display and the switches.

[IgorD]

On 6/10/2021 at 4:23 AM, Urs_Wildermuth said:

Lovely airplane.

 

I can see what you mean with the panel looking like a project. Personally, I think primarily the left hand side could profit from a proper re-arrangement into the basic T form plus the possible addition of an Aspen or a couple of G5's or their successors. One way to do that is to move the Stec-30 to the hole of the DG, get rid of the DG, move the horizon to the right a bit and fit an Aspen into the space vaccated. I guess that would be the least invasive way to upgrade. Obviously you can do something similar with G5's. An Aspen also will provide GPSS from the GNS430 for you, which is really nice to have cross country.

My "C" looked like this when I got it

We added an Aspen plus an AP to it (which you already have by the looks of it, to make it look like this:

Quite pleased with the outcome. The beauty of it was that we did not have to change any existing holes other than for the remote AP display and the switches.

I was thinking the same for installing Aspen or G5’s but want to go to a conventional 6-pack to have everything aligned. My autopilot is just a S-tec 20 so no altitude hold.  To upgrade to a 30 it costs almost as much is a new Garmin GFC500. 
 

Is there a kit that one can buy to change configuration of gauges on left side?

[carusoam]

10 hours ago, IgorD said:

 

Is there a kit that one can buy to change configuration of gauges on left side?

There are several routes people take on this... including designing and cutting their own...

 

There is also a resource to just buy the modern standard layout cut and ready to finish...

Find Lasar... and be ready with your details and your question...

Another resource that made some nice panels around here...    hmmmmm...   Hendricks Manufacturing?

Best regards,

-a-

[IgorD]

Thanks I’ll give them a try.