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Comments on this panel layout?

P

pmnewlon

Well Known Member
I have been working on the layout of my RV4 panel for a while now. Here are the fruits of my labors thus far. I would appreciate any comments!

This is just the panel, the right pilot's armrest has starter, mags, lights, ELT. The flap switch is located just above the throttle quadrant on the left side.

- the space in the lower middle is 'reserved' for a PMA5000EX or equiv. I want to replace the Icom A200 with an SL30 at some point and will run the Xcom and Garmin through the PMA5000EX

- the six annunciator LED lights sit between the PFD and EIS. Left three are red, right three are yellow. lights are on only due to a fault.

- lower right are breakers, there are 4 spares

- primary comms will be via Xcom, the A200 will be pilot-only accessible backup

- the lmag and rmag info are LCD displays with emagair ignition information displayed

- the PFD can sit pretty close to the top of the panel because the cutout is offset lower as seen in the secondary rectangle inside the outside (bezel) line

RV4_panel_layout-002.JPG
 
How do you fly a RV4? If with the right hand does it make more sense to have the radio to the left of your EFIS?

I would think that the airspeed should be closer to the center than the altimeter.
 
Ron Lee said:
How do you fly a RV4? If with the right hand does it make more sense to have the radio to the left of your EFIS?

I would think that the airspeed should be closer to the center than the altimeter.
Click to expand...

Yes, I fly right handed. I think you are right about the airspeed!

Not sure how I'd move the radio unless I move the compass and T/B indicator too. I wanted all the backup mechanical instruments together. I could move it lower and left near the A2oo but I don't like looking down to tune a radio.
 
Move the mag info boxes to the left. Round radio to left on top and A200 below it. Just a thought.
 
A little old school...

Top row, left to right: Airspeed/Primary Display/Altimeter
Next row down, Turn&Bank, Engine Display
Radios to the left, low
Mag Info on the right
Compass on top of the panel.

My point is to keep a little of the "6 pack" flow in the panel and the primary instruments on the top row.

John Clark ATP, CFI
FAA FAAST Team Member
EAA Flight Advisor
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA
 
#1...Your compass is not going to work that close to a gyro.
#2... If you have a magnetic direction indicator within your main display, you don't need a separate compass.
 
Exactly. Since the PMA5000EX appears to be an audio panel, I would think it makes sense to move it under the A200 (comm radio?).

Then have the Mag info boxes under the engine info (similar info units).
 
Be careful about placing anything within 3/4" of the upper arc. When you shut the canopy, the forward canopy bow blocks 3/4". I left some open real estate in the lower middle of my RV4 panel also. I planned on putting an IPAQ there with AnywhereMap on it. The screen washed out too bad with the sun coming in the canopy. Test any non-analog instruments for readability in bright sunlight.

Cameron Smith
RV4 serial #68
 
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I would move some of those warning lights from a direct view, at least the landing light. I would think the light indicator for landing light will be quite annoying, considering that every thing else will be dimmed out, unless you can dim this warning light as well.
 
Mel said:
If you have a magnetic direction indicator within your main display, you don't need a separate compass.
Click to expand...

Unless you're in Canada, apparently. Here, the magnetic direction indicator must be operable *independent of the aircraft electrical system*. I'm still trying to get someone with some authority to read the regs and confirm that a battery-backed EFIS meets that requirement.
 
Bavafa said:
I would think the light indicator for landing light will be quite annoying, considering that every thing else will be dimmed out, unless you can dim this warning light as well.
Click to expand...

- Ah, good point. Bright yellow light right in your face at night while landing would be a bad thing. Dimmable, but still annoying.

- I have the compass, airspeed, T/B, and altimeter in case of EFIS failure. Think the compass would be OK above the EFIS, directly centered in the panel to get it away from the gyro? (haven't tried the layout to see how it would look)
 
Making progress I think! Thanks for all the input. Here is the latest iteration.

This leaves me the 3/4" around the edges, plus I have to leave an inch or so
in the lower left corner where the radios are. The T/B gyro is far from the
compass, which will be top center. My plan, in answer to the 'why a compass'
is to have direction, altitude, airspeed, turn/bank in case of a lost EFIS.

I may have to move the circuit breakers in a little from the right edge too -
I am going to put the panel in, close the canopy and put a line on it with a
sharpie where all the blocked out areas are.

RV4_panel_layout-004.JPG
 
This is fun but it is your panel. I fly steam gauges.

Just another thought. I would assume that the odds of every using any of the backup instruments is rare. I lost my pitot tube once and lost airspeed. I just used reported winds, GPS ground speed and superior seat of pants flying to land with no concern.

Thus I might move the compass below the airspeed. Move the EFIS back up.

Engine monitor moves up and you can place the Mag info boxes side by side below the engine monitor.

ICOM radio, A200 and audio boxes could move up as well. ICOM may have to move left as well

What is your plan for backup navigation? I have one or two handheld GPS units on long cross countries. Some (Garmin x96 ?) seem to have a screen that displays flight instruments of some sort.
 
N941WR said:
Why not simply install an EICommander?
Click to expand...

Bill - I am running P-Mags. I can build the two displays for about $100 total and a little of my time.
If I want to change anything I can do so on the ground with a laptop.

Thus I might move the compass below the airspeed. Move the EFIS back up.
Engine monitor moves up and you can place the Mag info boxes side by side below the engine monitor.
ICOM radio, A200 and audio boxes could move up as well. ICOM may have to move left as well.
What is your plan for backup navigation? I have one or two handheld GPS units on long cross countries. Some (Garmin x96 ?) seem to have a screen that displays flight instruments of some sort.
Click to expand...

Ron -I put the compass on top in the hopes it will actually function 'pretty well' there.
(See a comment earlier in the thread about the T/B gyro affecting the compass.)

My plan for backup navigation is my iPad. I also have a handheld GPS but haven't tried it in the airplane yet.
 
pmnewlon said:
Bill - I am running P-Mags. I can build the two displays for about $100 total and a little of my time.
If I want to change anything I can do so on the ground with a laptop.
Click to expand...
While that is true, having those two separate units installed won't be able to give you a timing divergence alarm or a number of other options the EIC allows for.
Preflight_-_green_TDA_b.jpg

The left bar graph and “2.0” display the real time difference in timing between the two ignitions.
The boxes with the chevrons and 29.0 display the current timing advance for both the left and right ignitions.
The blue and white bar graphs on the right indicate the health of the ignition harnesses. (Available on 114 series ignitions only.)
 
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