Potential Panel Redo

[aerobat95]

Hey I am looking at potentially redoing my panel and here is what I have come up with so far.  Is there anything else I should be thinking about?  Maybe something I am missing?

[carusoam]

Ray, I like your CAD program.  I think mine is the same one...

ELT and Carbonmonoxide sensor?

-a-

[OR75]

garmin 330 instead of the kt76c and be ads-b compliant. 

[aerobat95]

I currently have the KT76C that is why I was going with it......I'll have to check into possibly selling the 76C and getting a 330.

[PilotDerek]

Is all with exsisting equipment? If you don't already have the GNS430 maybe go with Avidyne's new unit? Either way it'll be a wicked setup. 

[aerobat95]

I have some of the equipment....I like the new Avidyne but that would break the budget. 

[jax88]

Only suggestion would be to think about which units you touch the most during flight and put them in the most convenient locations.  I did not think of this and wound up with some of my transponder buttons behind the copilot yoke and prop/mixture controls.  If I had it to do all over I would put something like my audio panel or autopilot switches down there and move my transponder up in the center stack.

[AmigOne]

What is the latest on mounting the 696 in the panel?  My radio shop will not do it because they did it once and got in trouble with the local FISDO.  If I recall correctly it was related to the integrity of the original panel requiring such a big cutout.  For now I have it on the yoke and I don't like it.

[aerobat95]

I was told by Top Gun Aviation that the panel in the Mooney is not structural and they did it to their F model.  I guess that would be something to find out before starting such the project.

http://www.topgunaviation.net/topgunaviation/id18.html

 

[scottfromiowa]

Hey Ray:  Your plane is newer and has better "starting point" than my M20E.  That said make sure you have no issues with clearance from yoke (regarding transponder below 696).  On my panel the yoke angle would NOT allow anything below the 696.  I mounted the Accu-Trak below the panel and have had no issues with legs coming in contact.  I like having the on/off for the auto-pilot close by.  Integrity of the panel (696 FSDO)...No issues on my panel.  This did NOT require field approval for panel re-do on my plane.

[aerobat95]

Scott, when you say the yoke angle and clearance issues I am guessing you are talking behind the panel??  Good to know about the integrity of panel with respect to the 696. 

[aerobat95]

Oh on a side note.....I talked to the folks up at Brittain Flight Control Systems and they said they are getting close to being able to start making new stuff again....so that is good news if you are looking for the altitude hold function they have.  Right now I am on the list and have been for about a year now.....

[scottfromiowa]

Quote: aerobat95

Scott, when you say the yoke angle and clearance issues I am guessing you are talking behind the panel??  Good to know about the integrity of panel with respect to the 696. 

[scottfromiowa]

Quote: aerobat95

Oh on a side note.....I talked to the folks up at Brittain Flight Control Systems and they said they are getting close to being able to start making new stuff again....so that is good news if you are looking for the altitude hold function they have.  Right now I am on the list and have been for about a year now.....

[1964-M20E]

Quote: aerobat95

I have some of the equipment....I like the new Avidyne but that would break the budget. 

[DaV8or]

Quote: AmigOne

What is the latest on mounting the 696 in the panel?  My radio shop will not do it because they did it once and got in trouble with the local FISDO.  If I recall correctly it was related to the integrity of the original panel requiring such a big cutout.  For now I have it on the yoke and I don't like it.

[DaV8or]

Scott-

Does your F have the 201 panel in it? I can't remember what year they went to that panel. If so, you're probably good to go with your layout, but if you have the smaller, vintage panel, I don't think the EDM-900 will fit there. Who are you going to have do the work?

[Steve Dawson]

Hi Raymond,

I've been wanting to put an altitude hold in my plane also, Did Britain give you a price on the unit with installation? I didn't want to pay the $7,500.00 for an Stec.

Steve

 

[rbridges]

Quote: AmigOne

What is the latest on mounting the 696 in the panel?  My radio shop will not do it because they did it once and got in trouble with the local FISDO.  If I recall correctly it was related to the integrity of the original panel requiring such a big cutout.  For now I have it on the yoke and I don't like it.

[aerobat95]

It was awhile ago that I talked price with them for the altitude hold but I want to say it was in the neighborhood of 2500 give or take a few.  Someone was saying the EDM-900 might not fit there??? 

[aerobat95]

Quote: carusoam

Ray, I like your CAD program.  I think mine is the same one...

ELT and Carbonmonoxide sensor?

-a-

[Piloto]

Quote: aerobat95

 I was thinking of something like this potentially......anyone have any experience with this??

 

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pspages/aero452.php

[aerobat95]

That is a good point.....I was just thinking about the cool factor....but there are a ton more things out there that would more benificial.  I am really hoping in the near future I get a call from Brittain saying they have the Alt Hold function avail.  That with what I am looking to do will in my opinion give me a modern and semi up to date panel with a whole lot of function. 

[johnggreen]

Jose',

With all due respect, my friend, I would encourage you and all Mooney Space members to read up on the dangers of CO poisoning.  it is the #1 cause of poisoning deaths in the U.S. and chronic exposure has long term implications.  The floor level for exposure is only 100ppm which is incredibly easy to reach.  Heater muffs in aircraft are an extremely potent threat for CO intrusion into the cockpit and the heater does not have to be on to create the draft necessary to pull CO into the cockpit.  If you have ever examined the "seal" of the heater valve in an airplane, you will see that it is not sealed at all; just a butterfly valve that closes against the metal frame and leaks like hell.  The lowering of barometric pressue at altitude only exacerbates the problem as the danger is the amount in parts of CO per million parts of oxygen.

There have been countless instances of persons being overcome while riding in a stationwagon with the rear window open and outside air flowing everywhere.  Also, every year we have unexplained instances of pilots aimlessly flying around until the airplane runs out of fuel and crashes.  There was a recent example over the Gulf of Mexico in a 421.  Heart attack?  CO poisoning?  We will never know for sure.  There was an almost unbelievable instance of a pilot being overcome in a Commanche a few years back, passing out and the airplane flying along on autopilot until it ran out of fuel.  The A/P held the airplane stable all the way to an uneventful landing in a plowed field where the pilot woke up and walked away unhurt.

I have, for years, carried a CO detector in the airplanes that I fly.  I have a very good one and a few years ago, after purchasing a Beech Musketeer to use for instrument instruction for my boys, used the sensor to "check" the integrity of the Musketeer's heater muff.  It was warm weather with all vents open and the heater closed.  I was shocked at how quickly the CO was picked up and even more shocked at how little wear there was on the heater muff that was causing the problem.  If you do not want to carry a detector on every flight, at least borrow one and check your airplane for CO leakage a couple of times a year.

Even when it doesn't kill you, the symptoms can be most uncomfortable and probably not recognized as what they are but thought to be the result of some other unrelated malady.

Many years ago, a tenant of ours in a rental unit made some minor, unauthorized adjustments to the blower unit on the gas furnace.  It was TOTALLY not our fault, but unfortunately, the tenant's wife died as a result.  We do a thorough inspection with a CO monitor on all gas furnaces in our rental units every year and not a year goes by that we don't find an issue that has to be corrected.  You might say that I am a little sensitive to CO poisoning and you would be correct.  I'm also quite careful about lightening and poisonous snakes as I have been both struck and bitten !!!

Please read and rethink any casual attitude toward CO and its dangers.  And forgive the lecture.

Jgreen

[Piloto]

There was a recent example over the Gulf of Mexico in a 421.  Heart attack?  CO poisoning? 

The Cessna 421 is a pressurized piston twin, which is much more prone for CO poisoning than a Mooney. Best way to assure of no CO poisoning is to check your engine muffler and hoses.  Aim upper ventilation at your face to keep the flow of fresh air and help you overcome the reduction of oxygen at altitude. I did a simple test with a finger oxymeter and found that having the air vent pointing at my face increased the oxygen concentration by 3% vs no air breeze. I suspected this from long flights experience of feeling more awake with air on my face.

José