Jeremy, Tony and all,
I have tried the pivot out panels in RVs and Europas and frankly the
system works, however the length of todays instruments always seem to
prevent the tilt out from being satisfactory. A slide out panel or
whole panel is much more convenient. I prefer to build the panel so
that when the outer support screws on the panel edge are unscrewed, the
entire panel shell is free to detach as a unit. Of course I have a
through the firewall access panel that I learned from Pete and Bob at
Flight Crafters and further refined the screw pattern, metal selection,
attachments, and sealing technique to assure a fire resistant and fully
sealed panel. I fully understand those who prefer not to put an access
hole in the panel for fear of fire/smoke incursion and the sealing that
is necessary to prevent such a problem. If you don't want to learn to
do it, I understand. .060 aluminum and .016 stainless, and some high
temp sealant is what is needed form material, and a good steady hand
with a diamond wheel on a dremel to cut the hole so the phenolic panel
has minimum gap. Rivet the stainless to the cut panel after fit and it
is a door ready to go.
The back of the panel is equipped with CPC screw type plugs and D subs
as appropriate. The cowl and access cover take longer to detach than
the instrument panel.
Typically the panel is ten screws, 4 D subs and three CPC circular
connectors, and the quick disconnect pitot and static. The whole panel
comes out and on to the bench for upgrades and testing. I have never
found a reason to open my panel and just look. If it's broke, you built
it so fix it. During an annual inspection, I routinely pull my panel
and check my busses, through panel mounts and wire bundles for any
upgrades I would like. It makes experimenting and maintenance of
components a breeze.
The trick is making sure the brakes, throttle etc. do not need to be
removed. The high top fuselage has just enough height that the panel
can be lifted over the brakes, throttle etc. in a trigear or mono. In a
low top, I can unscrew six screws and drop my throttle and brake handles
down to easily clear the panel. We have it down pat when removing, just
pull aft an inch to check you didn't accidently leave a plug attached,
then pull the panel back four inches, rotate the panel left side back
and down to clear the canopy bow and remove. Carry to the bench and
work. Make some extension plugs and put the panel on the bench next to
the plane and troubleshoot away.
Should one component fail such as the prop controller or autopilot, I
can see the desire to pull out the front and then reach around and try
to disconnect the D sub connector from the front, but in practice, I
just found it not worth the time. Pull the firewall access panel and
unplug and pull the whole thing out. Less of a chance of breaking wires
and more convenience for me. I also don' t have to deal with
excessively long and tediously folded service loops to work the panel.
In the RV series I have found that the pull out on drawer slides to be
quite nice as the bottom of the panel is open to allow you to work the
service loops. I still hate to crawl into the RV8 and lay upside down
to work on something. I am too stiff for that sort of thing, so I make
the whole panel to pull. I have done it in two RVs, a Zenith and all
the Europas I have built.
Regards,
Bud
----- Original Message -----
From: Jeremy Fisher<mailto:jffisher@gmail.com>
To: europa-list@matronics.com<mailto:europa-list@matronics.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2013 9:54 AM
Subject: Europa-List: Re: Europa-List: Re: Europa-List: Instrument
Panel Sub Panel Setup=85..Runners?
Graham,
Do you mean like this? Photo is of my instrument panel ready for
installations. Both sides are hinged, with 2 Camloc fasteners for each
side; both are hinged, with one shown closed and the other open.
Opening one takes 10 seconds.
Jerry Fisher
On Sep 17, 2013, at 5:00 AM, GRAHAM SINGLETON wrote:
Tony
excellent idea to think about this. I've been working on an old
Classic and several times wanted to check things
behind the panel. Accessibility on a standard plans built Europa is
a long way from being good. Factory was so
stressed at design time that they laft all that to we builders and
there were a few good ideas tried.
One I haven't seen is a hinge at the bootom of the panel.
Most important is to keep it light, early panel installations with a
lot of steam age stuff in them weighed anything
up to 40lbs!
Digital stuff has made it a lot easier and engine management systems
ease the workload of single crew VFR.
Graham
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
From: Tony Renshaw
<tonyrenshaw268@gmail.com<mailto:tonyrenshaw268@gmail.com>>
To: "europa-list@matronics.com<mailto:europa-list@matronics.com>"
<europa-list@matronics.com<mailto:europa-list@matronics.com>>
Sent: Tuesday, 17 September 2013, 1:23
Subject: Europa-List: Instrument Panel Sub Panel Setup=85..Runners?
<tonyrenshaw268@gmail.com<mailto:tonyrenshaw268@gmail.com>>
Gidday,
I am interested in advice on what might be considered the best setup
for the instrument panel, in terms of ease of maintenance, removal etc.
I am wondering if the main sub panel could be removable forward on
runners, like drawer sliders? Big aircraft have these, as was my
misfortune one day to realise when I grabbed the two foot rests D rings
either side of the panel and pulled to give my shoulders a stretch, but
little did I know that during maintenance the locking screws had not
been actuated, and the whole panel came forward up to the back of the
control column! I looked at the other guy with shock, and just gently
eased it back in place, hoping nothing had, or would disconnect in the
process. Yes, we were airborne! It left an indelible memory, but has
inspired me as to whether such a setup could work on the Europa. This
idea is borne out of imagining how unwieldy it might be with all the
weight aft of the sub panel, to remove it forward easily, especially
with plumbing a!
ttached. Runners would make it a lot easier.
If there is other options for these sub panels I'd appreciate
knowing, or whether my anxieties are unfounded. Thanks in anticipation.
Regards
Tony Renshaw
Sydney
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