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RV-8 Access Behind Instrument Panel

Terry Lutz

Well Known Member
Sponsor
I'm working on a panel upgrade, and looking for ideas to improve access behind the panel. Besides access from the baggage area, are there any innovative ideas out there for the cockpit side, such as hinging the panel at the bottom to provide temporary access?
 
Not sure what "upgrades" you are thinking about, but I have a Dynon 10in touch in my -8 and once removed, everything behind the panel is pretty accessible. If you are thinking about adding a large glass panel, then you will have a pretty nice access door right from the front! :)
 
Ditto.

Not sure what "upgrades" you are thinking about, but I have a Dynon 10in touch in my -8 and once removed, everything behind the panel is pretty accessible. If you are thinking about adding a large glass panel, then you will have a pretty nice access door right from the front! :)

We have found the same thing here, as we have a 10" G3X to the right of center in ours. With the Safe Air 1 connectors on the ADHAR and nice plugs for some of the wires, the panel come out with in five minutes. That along with the baggage opening in the bulked makes it easy to reach most anything and service it. Four screws on the basil of the G3X and your off and running.
Hope this helps the O.P. Yours, R.E.A. III # 80888
 
I know people love their access panels on the Baggage wall, but I have found when doing an upgrade on an RV8 with said access panel it can create problems.
Like others have said, a 10 inch EFIS screen creates a large opening that allows far better access while sitting in the seat as opposed to leaning in the baggage door! The access opening along with the doubler removes a lot of potential mounting spots for LRU's.

My 2 cents!
 
I'll come in with agreement to the notes above. teh panel in the Val has always been removable with about ten minutes of work,and a few disconnects. These days, the advent of huge EFIS screens makes that less important because you can just get at everything by taking out a few screws and popping off connectors.
 
Or, put two screens in there and pop 'em both out when you need access. By the time all is said and done it's almost like there's no panel in your way at all.

Mine also has a baggage compartment access door cut in, which I cut before I realized how much thru-the-panel access I'd have. Flexibility, I guess.

Ignore the wire mess. It's much worse right now. :)





 
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Thanks for the ideas and pictures. I like a traditional panel, and with the one I have now, I can remove the GRT EIS on the left side, and my Garmin 296 on the right side and get both arms in to work behind the panel. I will keep my traditional round dial g-meter, airspeed indicator, and altimeter, mainly for sport aerobatics. In the center will be a GRT Sport SX, which will eliminate the G296. The problem with removing the Sport SX will be the pitot-static lines, which will also serve the airspeed indicator and altimeter. If I remove the GRT EIS, I can get one arm in, but if I remove the Sport SX, it comes out with spaghetti attached. I'll have to see how easy it is to remove those lines, or if the Sport SX can be served remotely with those inputs, which would make it possible. Thanks again for your thoughts!
 
Or, put two screens in there and pop 'em both out when you need access. By the time all is said and done it's almost like there's no panel in your way at all.

Mine also has a baggage compartment access door cut in, which I cut before I realized how much thru-the-panel access I'd have. Flexibility, I guess.

Ignore the wire mess. It's much worse right now. :)






I hope you have put one of those big screens in the back for me too.
 
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