I know there is no thing as 'light IFR' but I do want to have that capability once I gain experience with it.I don't have a ton of comments, but I do have a few questions...
1) Do you plan on using the airplane IFR (I'm guessing so since you have a 430 and a few backups)? I would review choices based on the answer to that question.
Yes, I have a checked-out KT-76A. Perhaps it doesn't look like I'm on a budget, but I'd rather put $1000 into something else.2) Do you already have a King Txpdr? If not, then buy a Garmin. If so, that's ok.
I already have the EXP Bus with the rocker switches, and it is too tall in the current configuration to fit on the lower panel. I see only about an inch of real estate there when the panel is screwed in. I've not opted for a larger panel. I think I'll slide them over to be more centrally located.3) Do you already have the EXP Bus? If so - ok, but if not then forget about it and go with either switches/breakers or switches/fuses...there are a lot of reasons - too many to decipher here. If you do have the EXP bus already-still do some careful consideration about what your plane needs for total current load and what the EXP can handle.
It is my first plane and I plan to keep it to fly, not as an investment for someone else. Still, I do want the best ergonomics and options I can afford. Certainly there will be swap-outs over time!4) Is this a plane you're going to keep or possibly sell? Again, makes a huge difference in what I might comment on. Equipment choices can cause huge and drastic valuation differences in the plane.
I wasn't planning to fly from the right seat, but would want a co-pilot option as a reliever.5) Will you be flying it from the right seat? If so, then the EFIS location should be re-considered...and if you're going to fly it from the left seat then the switch location should perhaps be reconsidered.
Good suggestion. I'll put trim switches on the stick and use the EFIS indicators.6) I'm guessing no trim switches on the stick? How about using the trim indications in the MGL?
I guess I'll throw it way over to the right.7) Why put the ELT remote in the valuable panel space in front of the pilot?
Others' suggestions about putting the jacks on the tunnel make sense. I know in the Warrior I fly now, the headset wires are always getting in the way of entry/exit.8) Think carefully about putting the Jacks there. Again that's valuable real estate for engine controls, heat cables, parking brake, alternate air/carb heat, flap switch, etc..
Will move to center, if I keep it.9) Back to flying from the right or left seat...and the Garmin GPS. If you don't use an angle adapter, it'll be pretty hard to see the GPS on the right side from the pilots seat. Perhaps locating it closer to the center of the panel (in the stack) might locate it in a more centralized location?
Old-fashioned switches maybe, but the Bus needs more vertical space.10) Is there a reason for not locating the EXP bus (if you go that way) up in the main panel instead of on the lower panel? The main panel is pretty valuable space, and the lower "switch strip" works pretty well to put switches/breakers and such.
Thanks so much for everyone's comments. I'll go move some things around and re-post!My 2 cents as usual.
Cheers,
Stein
Doug.