Headset jack location?

I'm getting ready to install Stein air vents in my RV7 slider. I know this is a possible location for the headset jacks as well. Any body have any advice as to whether this is a good spot, or where else I should put them? Any issues with the jacks being so close to the skin at that location? Any interference with future interior sidewalls?

Thanks

Hi Pete. I guess it depends on what size vents you are using, and how much panel space you have available. I used the large vents and placed them on a sub panel that mounts to a bracket riveted to the fuselage side skin, and also to the bottom flange on the instrument panel. I don't have any good photo's in my log, but will get some this afternoon. I made this panel large enough to enable the install of the vents, two jacks and one push-pull cable on each side (left side for park brake, right side for firewall heater valve). The panels were triangular so that there is no interference with your knees. I placed the jacks here as there will be a pocket underneath to take any ANR battery packs etc.
The downside about this approach is the you will need a few more rivets down the side of the fuselage where the standard bracket goes, and you will need to make sure any bracket matches the fuselage curvature well.
Tom.

This is one of probably 115 different opinions of where to put the jacks.

The jacks on my RV-6 are on the outside armrests, fairly close to the bulkhead that runs behind the seat. That helps keep the cords out of the way. The downside (if there is one) is that access to the jacks is more difficult than if they were panel mounted.

But... This ain't a rental airplane where you'll be plugging in your headsets every flight and removing them at the end of the flight. My headsets stay plugged in for months at a time...

Here's my location. The outboard two holes are for the jacks, and the inboard hole is for the parking brake cable. The vent mount (sized for the large Steinair vents) is attached to the sidewall bracket using three NAS1801 #8 screws into nutplates (the NAS1801 hex head is a favourite of mine if space is restricted and you have to get a socket on things). There is also one screw that attaches the bracket to a nutplate on the flange of the instrument panel. I hope this helps, and as the other posters have indicated, there are a multitude of options for this one, all with their positive and negative aspects.
Cheers,
Tom.

Excellent point. Like Mike Seager's RV-7, I fabricated a bracket to hang them on the F-902 bulkheads each side of the forward cockpit. Just be sure to enable enough clearance for the 2" scat tube. I didn't, thus I'll have to make some more that are a little lower so I can still attach them to the same nutplates I have already installed.
T.

My -6A jacks are on the seatback channel between the seats and I have never regretted this position. I'm not a big fan of cords in my lap. I can reach the jacks in flight (with the shoulder straps loosened) but have only needed to do so once. Both the Bose and Lightspeed controls end up between the seats (the cord length is just right for that). On the -10, I'm going with the jacks in the Aerosport center console and the rear jacks on the rear of that console. The best thing about center jacks is that I don't have to struggle with cords getting into the aircraft.

On my 6A, my seat backs are only 12 inches wide so I can operate my manual flaps with ease, but I can also reach back behind the seats. My jacks are located right behind the pilot seat in a small box on the floor held there with velcro. I can reach them if needed but it keeps the wires behind the seats, and the headsets stay there also till needed. I might make brackets to hang the headsets on the seatback. Wiring to that location is a bit of a pain, but I would do it again.

Mount them where you can easily reach them in flight. The first thing you need to do in a lost comm situation is to jiggle those plugs!

I like the stock Vans location. The headset wires just tuck neatly alongside the seat.

In past builds and panel upgrades I have mounted the jacks; at the rear of the arm rests, front of the arm rests, mid way below the arm rests, between the seats, the position I (& the owners) like best is below the air vents.
A couple points about the under vent mounting position is that I do not like the bracket to intrude into the leg space under the panel and I bend the inboard edge of the bracket so they won't gouge your leg if in an accident. I modify the stock center throttle bracket to dull its edges too.