Great Adds that have improved your airplane.

[FlyingScot]

Just a fun topic – I’m always looking to add additional capability or features to my ovation. Is there anything that you have added or modified that you are particularly happy with that you feel has added value to your airplane or enjoyment when you use it? These could be upgrades to existing systems or additions.

I wasn’t really thinking about things like the 310 hp STC or replacing all the lights with LED bulbs  - what I was really trying to capture with the question are the smaller or maybe non-required things that increase your delight with your airplane. 

An example might be a landing height system or  a Surefly, or some panel gadget that wasn’t much on the surface, but that in practice you get particular enjoyment from. 

This may be a dumb question, but I really love my ovation and the way it flies and I’m always looking for ways small and large to improve it. 
 

Cheers - 

[MatthiasArnold]

LHS, SVT (f you have glass), ..

[NickG]

LHS, AOA, Inogen G5

[exM20K]

A dedicated, fused 24V outlet on the baggage bulkhead to power the Be-Kool air conditioner.

-dan

[Rick Junkin]

Cup holders on velcro

[NickG]

36 minutes ago, Rick Junkin said:

Cup holders on velcro

Now I‘M jealous. Point me in the right direction to get these!

[Rick Junkin]

1 hour ago, NickG said:

Now I‘M jealous. Point me in the right direction to get these!

Search for "folding drink holder" on Amazon and a bunch of different ones will come up. If you want this exact one, the only place I could find it (easily) was on Temu.com. Search there for "cup holders for vehicles".

[Jeff Uphoff]

On 3/29/2025 at 3:12 PM, FlyingScot said:

An example might be a landing height system or  a Surefly, or some panel gadget that wasn’t much on the surface, but that in practice you get particular enjoyment from. 

Replacing my cigarette-lighter plug with a dual-USB (A & C) charging port so I no longer have to worry about battery levels in my ForeFlight iPad & Sentry Plus on long trips.

(Battery-range anxiety isn't just for EV owners!)

--Up.

[LANCECASPER]

19 minutes ago, Jeff Uphoff said:

Replacing my cigarette-lighter plug with a dual-USB (A & C) charging port so I no longer have to worry about battery levels in my ForeFlight iPad & Sentry Plus on long trips.

(Battery-range anxiety isn't just for EV owners!)

--Up.

Personally I wouldn't do that. If I was going to add a USB port I would add it somewhere on else the panel. Just as soon as you eliminate the cigarette lighter receptacle you will need it for something - like an Inogen Portable Oxygen generator or something else.

In the meantime, the Anker USB outlets that you plug into the cigarette lighter work just fine and you leave the option of unplugging it and using the lighter receptacle if needed. I carry a splitter in my bag incase I need both. By the time my airplane was built they also put a lighter receptacle in the rear seat armrest behind the pilot. 

[dkkim73]

1 hour ago, LANCECASPER said:

In the meantime, the Anker USB outlets that you plug into the cigarette lighter work just fine

They make some nice tiny lower profile ones also these days that minimize potential snagging and interference with the co pilot yoke. 

Come to think of it, that's one of my nominations for a nice inexpensive addition! 

That left rear one is great for a Sentry or a bigger cabled adapter. Pro tip: replace the fuses in the bigger car units with one matched to the 's 12V converter's rating. 

[Jeff Uphoff]

2 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

Personally I wouldn't do that. If I was going to add a USB port I would add it somewhere on else the panel. Just as soon as you eliminate the cigarette lighter receptacle you will need it for something - like an Inogen Portable Oxygen generator or something else.

In the meantime, the Anker USB outlets that you plug into the cigarette lighter work just fine and you leave the option of unplugging it and using the lighter receptacle if needed. I carry a splitter in my bag incase I need both. By the time my airplane was built they also put a lighter receptacle in the rear seat armrest behind the pilot. 

My cigarette-lighter plug circuit kept failing and so it didn't work anyway. Installing a panel dual-USB plug replaced that circuitry and gave me something useful.

--Up.

[aviatoreb]

3 hours ago, Jeff Uphoff said:

Replacing my cigarette-lighter plug with a dual-USB (A & C) charging port so I no longer have to worry about battery levels in my ForeFlight iPad & Sentry Plus on long trips.

(Battery-range anxiety isn't just for EV owners!)

--Up.

But if you do that - where will you put your cigar ashes???!!!

[Rick Junkin]

3 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

you will need it for something - like an Inogen Portable Oxygen generator or something else.

DOH!!!

Exactly. I eliminated the cigar lighter receptacle and added dual USB ports to both sides of the panel. And then I got an Inogen G5. Fortunately I have a cigar lighter receptacle on the back wall of the baggage compartment so I can plug in there.

[dkkim73]

2 hours ago, dkkim73 said:

They make some nice tiny lower profile ones also these days that minimize potential snagging and interference with the co pilot yoke. 

Come to think of it, that's one of my nominations for a nice inexpensive addition! 

That left rear one is great for a Sentry or a bigger cabled adapter. Pro tip: replace the fuses in the bigger car units with one matched to the 's 12V converter's rating. 

Circling back to post a link to a specific model that worked well for me in the Acclaim (where the socket is pretty close to the co-pilot yoke in the in-out axis): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLYX8SHZ

Note that the power rating is higher than the converter (24->12V) circuit so YMMV but I only plug in maybe an iPad mini that's already charged.

[dkkim73]

40 minutes ago, aviatoreb said:

But if you do that - where will you put your cigar ashes???!!!

I have to admit that someday it might be nice to fly and enjoy a cigar in the Mooney. I think I would really feel as if I have "arrived" at that point.

Probably asking for it right now, though, esp. flying usually with oxygen.

[Ragsf15e]

7 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

Personally I wouldn't do that. If I was going to add a USB port I would add it somewhere on else the panel. Just as soon as you eliminate the cigarette lighter receptacle you will need it for something - like an Inogen Portable Oxygen generator or something else.

In the meantime, the Anker USB outlets that you plug into the cigarette lighter work just fine and you leave the option of unplugging it and using the lighter receptacle if needed. I carry a splitter in my bag incase I need both. By the time my airplane was built they also put a lighter receptacle in the rear seat armrest behind the pilot. 

Depending on the cigar lighter wiring, it may not work for an inogen g5.  Apparently the ones in the back have a bigger circuit breaker, but my g5 paperwork showed something like ~10amps at 12v continuous operation.  I plugged it into my 5amp cigar lighter and the circuit breaker worked as advertised.  I’m sure you can wire an 18amp outlet like cars have these days, but it might take some work to get the wiring right.

[KSMooniac]

Alpha Systems Eagle AOA kit is a great addition

[Pinecone]

On 4/1/2025 at 7:56 AM, LANCECASPER said:

Personally I wouldn't do that. If I was going to add a USB port I would add it somewhere on else the panel. Just as soon as you eliminate the cigarette lighter receptacle you will need it for something - like an Inogen Portable Oxygen generator or something else.

In the meantime, the Anker USB outlets that you plug into the cigarette lighter work just fine and you leave the option of unplugging it and using the lighter receptacle if needed. I carry a splitter in my bag incase I need both. By the time my airplane was built they also put a lighter receptacle in the rear seat armrest behind the pilot. 

Agreed.   I put in a USB outlet on each side of the panel but kept the cigarette lighter on the right side.

I also added a cigarette outlet in the back seat on the left sidewall.  I use this for the Inogen.