What is this indicator?

[r0ckst4r]

What is the long vertical indicator light strip there on the left of the JPI (MSG,HLD,WPT,APR)?

I've flown about 3 years and 300 hours VFR and IFR in this bird and I've never seen this light up once.  It looks like it should be coupled to the GPS to indicate messages and waypoints and such.  It's nowhere in the POH and it doesn't look like it was original equipment.  Anyone else have anything like this?  As far as I know the plane had at least 2 GPS units, the final upgrade is the current GTN-650 which was done before my ownership.  I ask because I am doing some upgrades and will probably just delete it.  

[A64Pilot]

My SWAG is Autopilot

[GeeBee]

You might check your STC documentation with your present GPS and A/P. If you are keeping those units, it may be the annunciator is part of the STC requirement and you need to keep it...and get it working. 

[r0ckst4r]

44 minutes ago, GeeBee said:

You might check your STC documentation with your present GPS and A/P. If you are keeping those units, it may be the annunciator is part of the STC requirement and you need to keep it...and get it working. 

It is nowhere to be found in any STC documentation and has gone through 3 annuals and an IFR checkride.  Hence the confusion.

[Rwsavory]

My guess is that it’s an annunciator for an old IFR GPS. 

[mhrivnak]

I agree that those look like GPS / RNAV annunciations. I'd check the logs for what previous navigators have been installed, and that'll hopefully lead you to an ID for this part.

[GeeBee]

1 hour ago, r0ckst4r said:

It is nowhere to be found in any STC documentation and has gone through 3 annuals and an IFR checkride.  Hence the confusion.

As long as you checked first. Strange things often happen. I got a jet 2 weeks out of heavy maintenance check. It has crossed the oceans 6 times. When I preflighted it, it had no airworthiness certificate. The certificate was later found at the shop in Singapore. Always check yourself despite others of the obvious.

[PT20J]

External IFR GPS mode indicator. Probably an older GPS that required this (it used to be common on IFR GPS STCs) was removed and this was left behind. 

[PeteMc]

Do you have the old W&B info?  Maybe you can find the old device that way?

 

[r0ckst4r]

6 hours ago, PeteMc said:

Do you have the old W&B info?  Maybe you can find the old device that way?

 

I have since scoured all the maintenance log books, W&B, POH  and STCs and every other record I have for any hint of this thing and have still come up with nothing.   Even Google searches for indicator lights of various GPS and autopilot units has not resulted in anything that looks like this.   I'm looking forward to seeing if the avionics shop can shed some light on this. 

[Aerodon]

Those are the annunciators required for an Apollo GX50/60 GPS.

[r0ckst4r]

8 hours ago, Aerodon said:

Those are the annunciators required for an Apollo GX50/60 GPS.

I believe that.  Although this aircraft never had that particular GPS I'm convinced that this is a relic from another older GPS system that was taken out while this got left behind.  It certainly is not required for the more modern GTN-650.   I think what is the most frustrating is that searching for al kinds of GPS annunciator lights or even specific GPS units like that Apollo unit does not yield any evidence that this particular light exists outside of my aircraft.  When I can get some numbers of the device itself I'll report back to try and solve this mystery.

Edited November 13, 2023 by r0ckst4r

[PeteMc]

17 hours ago, r0ckst4r said:

I'm looking forward to seeing if the avionics shop can shed some light on this. 

Bet the first thing they do is trace out the wires and find they basically go nowhere and are tied off someplace behind the panel.

[r0ckst4r]

So it's not out yet but I have a part number from off back

 

Status Indicator

810088-507

 

The only Google result I get is one eBay auction and the only info it has is that it came from a Mooney.  Looks like a pretty rare indicator to an obsolete navigation system.   I'll post more info if I can get it.

[LANCECASPER]

1 hour ago, r0ckst4r said:

So it's not out yet but I have a part number from off back

 

Status Indicator

810088-507

 

The only Google result I get is one eBay auction and the only info it has is that it came from a Mooney.  Looks like a pretty rare indicator to an obsolete navigation system.   I'll post more info if I can get it.

Look through all of the 337s for when avionics were installed since new and you'll probably find it. PM me your N number and I'll look if you want.

[r0ckst4r]

1 hour ago, LANCECASPER said:

Look through all of the 337s for when avionics were installed since new and you'll probably find it. PM me your N number and I'll look if you want.

Checked everything I got but no luck.   Sure, let me know what you find.

[Fly Boomer]

16 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

Look through all of the 337s for when avionics were installed since new and you'll probably find it. PM me your N number and I'll look if you want.

At one time I had the FAA URL for all the STCs and 337s (stuff we used to pay for), but can't find it now.  Can you share?

[LANCECASPER]

1 hour ago, Fly Boomer said:

At one time I had the FAA URL for all the STCs and 337s (stuff we used to pay for), but can't find it now.  Can you share?

https://cares.faa.gov/home