Panel Maintenance Access Items

[ampzapper]

I'm working on finalizing my panel layout and want to get an idea on how much access I should try to design into the panel for service, inspection and repair. I want to give myself enough room or removable pieces so it's not a massive hassle but also don't want to add too much additional weight to keep it structurally sound. What are items that are the most likely to need access to behind the panel?

[Bryan Cotton]

Every panel is different. As much access as possible is good though. If I have to add another wire to a breaker I think I'll just build another airplane.

[Skippydiesel]

Yeah! This is an often overlooked consideration, that will definitely "bite you" at some time in the future.

My behind panel access is awful. Fortunately I have a built in iPad docking station, that is held in place by only 4 screws. Removing it allows for some access but its not great.

My last aircraft had a non structural split panel. Each side had 4 rubber mounted studs/dome nuts. Soooo quick & easy to remove, with enough wire etc to allow the panel to come right out for repairs.

[Scott Todd]

It doesn't look like the Space Shuttle but here is mine. People always comment how simple it is but then I ask the to tell me whats missing. It has full EFIS with AHRS, remote compass, full engine monitor, ADSB-in and out, transponder, two Navs (GPS in EFIS and Fore Flight on iphone not shown), two axis autopilot, USB Accessory plug. The circuit breaking switches and the fuses behind the panel really clean it up.

Undo two screws and it folds down. I have a little crutch I cleco on for maintenance but the safety strings are for quick access. This is a Onex but my next Sonex (or any other airplane) will get the same treatment.

[Skippydiesel]

Hi Scott,

"Go to the top of the class". A great example of the KISS philosophy at work.

[bvolcko38]

Where did you get your mixture cable? Who makes it? What model?

[Scott Todd]

The person that started this airplane wanted to make the panel removable for maintenance so he added all those screws and nutplates. They were a pain and I wanted to significantly change the direction he was headed with the panel layout so I changed it. It seems like we are always getting back there for something so I wanted it as easy as possible. I'm getting WAY too old to lay on my back under panels and yet still find my self doing it too often. I wanted to retain the strength of the original design so I left all the screws. I thought about replacing the carpet stuff and riveting under it for aesthetics but decided to just keep it as it was.

The modern electronics want 1-3 amp circuit protection so it was easy to just use a simple fuse block for them. None of that stuff is critical so I don't need to worry about it in flight. Everyone always wants backups to backups. My philosophy for a backup is Look Outside! Someone once asked what if something exploded up front and I lost everything and the windshield got covered with oil and I couldn't see out. Well, I would look out the side like Lindberg did and carry on. What if I couldn't see out the side? Just in case Hell did freeze over and all that happened, well it just isn't my day, or is my day depending on how you look at it. Then I would unplug my iphone from ship power, select Synthetic Vision in Foreflight, and land at an airport. I could also text/call someone thru my bluetooth headset once I got below 1500 feet or so if I thought it was needed.

The mixture cable came from Aircraft Spruce.

[Bryan Cotton]

Interesting choice to put the engine controls on the right side.

[Scott Todd]

I've done some write-ups about it before and got some negative feedback, mostly because its not how 'Fighter Pilots' fly. Its about the only reason people give for the throttle to be on the left side. I'm right handed. Flying the airplane is the easy part. Fine tuning the mixture, adjusting the radio in turbulence, playing with the Nav aids, playing with ALL the buttons is best done with the dominate hand. My left hand never leaves the stick. I don't have to do the switch-grip marathon. Its how I've driven a car for 50 years and learned to fly in Cessna's and Cherokee's :) I also have 1000 hours in the left seat of my Kitfox. It just makes sense to me. I don't have any problem when I jump in a Champ or a Cub, but then again there is not buttons or stuff to fiddle with in those.

[MichaelFarley56]

I love your panel Scott! I had no complaints with my MGL XTreme EFIS and may very well install the same thing in the next project. I don't mean for you to repeat yourself if you've already discussed this in a different post, but how do you like the autopilot? I assume you have the MGL servos and the XTreme driving them?