who does the cleanest install for a new panel?

[pickles]

Looking at spending 75K+ on electronics, and I'd like the panel work to be equally as impressive. Some of the panels I see, no offense, don't warrant the amount that was just spend on the electronics upgrade. So, lets hear it, who do you recommend or not recommend? thanks!

 

[Jonathan Spoer]

It would be worth noting what you are planning on and what kind of aircraft. Going full glass, partial, all new round dial layout.... Creating a great custom panels is an art. Specifying equipment and installation of said equipment is not that complicated. I just got done with a full glass panel installation of my C182 and it is still getting polished so I have yet to post any photos of it. I spent a bit south of that number but your budget is good. Out of respect for the avionics shop or my wallet, I won’t specify my number. The cost for avionics equipment is pretty standard and installation will very based on the shops experience and knowledge of what they are doing. Plan on spending between $1.5k and $3k per side for a custom panel. The process is quite involved to size and space everything and so often multiple panels need to be cut. The cleanest custom panel engineering that I have seen done is by Envision Avionics Panels out of Newbury Park, Ca new Camarillo. Their website is EApanels.com. I have seen Aaron’s personal 182 and he did some nice work in it with custom lower switch / breaker panels and clean silk screened or engraved labeling. The shop that Aaron operates is very capable. They typically work with your avionics shop or A&P rather than sell direct to the customer unless it is for experimental. My takeaway recommendation is that’ll uu are doing a new panel, glass or round dial, have an experienced shop or third party design and cut the panel.

 

[pickles]

great point, sorry.

This is for a C182T with NAV II, so all steam.

What I plan to go with is:
- 2x 10" g3x
- GFC 500 to replace kap140
- 255 radio
- 750
- 345 audio panel
- g5 backup
already have the 345 xponder.

 

[Jonathan Spoer]

Thats quite the package. If you can find a shop that will do it for $75k and in a decent amount of time, you got a great deal. The shop I had do my install did a single 10” G3x and had a hard time with spacing between the yoke and dash. The panel was not cheap imho for the one side. I will be installing engine monitoring and possibly a second G3x in 6-18 months. I am scratching my head if a 10” will fit or just stick with a 7” due to the bend in the panel or perhaps nothing on the right side. Then again you mentioned you have a T model which is the rebooted model and has a flat panel all the way across. It must be a pre-G1000 if you’re going G3x. I believe there is an NXi upgrade available for the g1000 equipped models.

 

[Paul_Havelka]

@Jesse Saint does some great work and has a ton of happy customers

 

[MooneyDriver78]

@Jesse Saint does some great work and has a ton of happy customers

Is he a Garmin dealer?

 

[Geosync]

Not sure where you are located, but we just got our T182T upgraded with the G5s. GTN750 and xpnder installed last year at Midwest Aviation in Paducah KY. Then HSI started to fail so we went ahead and did the G5s at Aerial Avionics in Monterey/San Jose, CA. We’re impressed with both shops, but Aerial is just getting spooled up to cut their own panels. Midwest is already set up for that. It would be worth getting a quote from them for all that stuff.

 

[Paul_Havelka]

I'm not sure if Jesse is a Garmin dealer or not. You'd have to call and ask. www.saintaviation.com 352-427-0285

 

[Jdm]

Jonathan made a very good point about using a 3rd party or A&P. I recently completed the process myself. There’s a whole lot that goes into the design of a panel. Many shops are capable of creating an amazing panel but are limited because of having to deal directly with a customer who might lack insight. The result can occasionally be less than desirable as the customer ultimately gets what they think they want.
I’ve been an A&P for 30 years so I felt pretty comfortable managing and consulting the maintenance side of a panel upgrade without a 3rd party. What could go wrong right?
I flew for the airlines for about 15 years, have a few type ratings, and still keep up my CFI, MEI, and CFII.
So, I’d say I also have a pretty decent understanding of equipment capabilities needed to operate a solid little instrument airplane.
Ha, even with a strong mechanic/pilot background it was a huge process! Tons of decisions. Many of them involved me leaning on friends in the business that I’ve trusted for years. I had a number of conversations with a couple of my old coworkers who now work for the FSDO. Also leaned on a few of the best pilots I’ve ever worked with in making panel layout decisions. It became a little overwhelming at times but we ended up with a quality panel that looks as good as it can for our budget.
I’ve added some before, during, and after pics. Notice the soundproofing insulation. It’s about 1’ thick. We wrapped everything from the doorframes forward, including the firewall and underneath the glare shield with that stuff. We also found corrosion under the old stuff. Expect extra cost such as this.
I’m convinced that having a solid 3rd party to consult is well worth the cost.

 

[Ravioli]

It is important for @pickles to tell us where the plane is, and what, if any, geographic limits he has on where the work may be done.

And I'll bet dollars to doughnuts that @Jesse Saint is a Garmin dealer.

 

[clarkmueller]

When I did an entirely new panel, my avionics shop (which happened to be Aerial Avionics mentioned above) enlisted Envision Avionics Panels (https://www.eapanels.com) (also mentioned above), and I had an awesome experience with them. The avionics shop got the template and measurements going with Envision and took a pass at the first and second drafts of the panel layout. But after that I took over and designed exactly what I wanted. I recall that Envision has some neat web-based CAD software that you can use.

There were ultimately 17 revisions, and by the time it was done, most of my changes were "push this placard a quarter inch to the right" or "move that switch up by half an inch" or "make the text size on that placard 1 point smaller" or "line up those screw holes with the edge of this display." One thing is for sure—I will never be able to say I didn't get exactly what I asked for.

I will guess that in some cases though, those ugly panels are the result of owners getting exactly what they ask for. When you're custom designing something, it's your right to have it be ugly! For example, I would bet that a lot of people would disagree with my decision to have white labels on a beige panel, but I am really happy with that decision.

 

[SCCutler]

I can vouch for Flite Electronics at Addison, Texas (KADS). Been around forever. The only standard they know, is “excellence.”

 

[Stan Cooper]

Saint Aviation lists Garmin among the manufacturers whose products they install.

We install Dynon, Avidyne, TruTrak, Approach Fast Stack, Electronics International, JPI, Garmin, Appareo, UAvionix, Advanced Flight Systems, Aspen, Vertical Power, Trig, and more.

https://www.saintaviation.com/about.html