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Mtns2Skies

Final Approach
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Jul 12, 2008
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Mtns2Skies
At this point 2.5 years into plane ownership my panel has been my biggest cost... I've gone through 4 iterations... what does your panel history look like?
At purchase:
IMG_20180203_161624.jpg
After getting her home to shed some weight and ditch some wires:
IMG_20180302_164750.jpg
Radio stack started to fail, so to complete my IR I went to a full Garmin stack, also turns out the autopilot was done very poorly so it got ditched:
IMG_20191028_190242.jpg
Next the vacuum system was garbage... no sense in replacing that:
IMG_20200922_191531.jpg

I like my panel being a highly capable VFR panel and a very minorly capable IFR panel... that suits the flying I do. The only thing left on my list is a GTX345 once Canada decides if us plebes will require 1090 diversity or not. I'd rather not drill an extra hole in the airframe for an antenna and pay the cost for diversity if I don't have to... so UAT for now until they decide.
 
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You have bravely gone where I'd like to go ..... soon.....
 
Your first picture of the radio stack matched my panel identically. I have made changes over the years and now I have a Garmin 340 audio panel, Garmin 430W nav/com, Garmin 225 radio, Stratus ESG transponder. On the other side a VAL 429 INS, dual Garmin G5s, added a digital clock with two USB charging ports and all the remaining steam instruments have been replaced.
 
Thanks to Ryan, now there's a picture of my Garmin 340 audio panel. :)
 
Timbeck2 said:
Your first picture of the radio stack matched my panel identically. I have made changes over the years and now I have a Garmin 340 audio panel, Garmin 430W nav/com, Garmin 225 radio, Stratus ESG transponder. On the other side a VAL 429 INS, dual Garmin G5s, added a digital clock with two USB charging ports and all the remaining steam instruments have been replaced.
Click to expand...

I just happen to have pictures of your panel progression :p

Changed audio panel to GMA340:

IMG_0054.jpeg

Dual G5, Stratus ESG, CiES fuel senders + Aerospace Logic gauge, breaker panel redo, vacuum delete, CO detector:

IMG_0291.jpeg

GNS430W & GTR225, MD93 USB clock:

IMG_0584.jpeg
 
And THIS folks is why I love my friend, A&P and avionics wizard, Ryan Klems. :)
 
What did the installation of the copilot checklist and chemtrails run?
 
MuseChaser said:
What did the installation of the copilot checklist and chemtrails run?
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Usually they pay you to install the chemtrail tank and controls. Of course mine was placed more discreetly which is what The Corporation prefers.
 
Oh lordy. My panel started with "disposable" Narco Nav-11 and Nav-12 units, a Narco Com-120 that was deprecated and replaced by a TKM-11, then a "state of the art" apollo 612 LORAN, an ADF that actually worked, then a Terra Nav/Com unit that is still working. Most of that stuff all came out and was replaced with Garmin stuff: GMA-340 audio panel, GNS-430W. Later an STEC-20 AP, then the AT-50A turned into an NGT-9000. Finally, the vacuum system went when dual G5s went in. That's a long road in 35 years, and several generations of technology. And some of my stuff is getting long in the tooth again...just like me.
 
Timbeck2 said:
And THIS folks is why I love my friend, A&P and avionics wizard, Ryan Klems. :)
Click to expand...

Well I am pleased to see the inside of your airplane looks as great as it does from the outside! The Cherokee all of us would kill to own. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
Mtns2Skies said:
Usually they pay you to install the chemtrail tank and controls. Of course mine was placed more discreetly which is what The Corporation prefers.
Click to expand...

That was pre-COVID. Now you need to apply for a Federal grant to get the money...something about economic support and infrastructure fund I think.
 
Mtns2Skies said:
...Radio stack started to fail, so to complete my IR I went to a full Garmin stack, also turns out the autopilot was done very poorly so it got ditched...

...Next the vacuum system was garbage... no sense in replacing that...
Click to expand...

I can't wait to hear when you scratched the paint and therefore needed to strip and re-do it completely. :D

Previous owners: The center panel in the Aztec was redone completely once about 10 years after leaving the factory - total King Silver Crown IFR remake + JPI engine monitor. Then a small upgrade circa 2000 to put in the Garmin GNS navigator. That old King stuff was tough, reliable gear - everything still works perfectly in that stack.

When I finally break down and start shelling out money it will be a complete new center stack, and I am toying with the idea of a dual GI 275 set up. I just cannot justify changing the autopilot, but looks like the 275 will drive the Piper Altimatic IIIC apparently.
 
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I dumped north of 12 AMUs in my panel and am embarrassed to show how little it bought. It didn't help that my number one comm decided to crap out during the process.
 
steingar said:
I dumped north of 12 AMUs in my panel and am embarrassed to show how little it bought. It didn't help that my number one comm decided to crap out during the process.
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Looking at some of the panel pictures on this thread, my fear is 12 AMUs would barely cover the pre-job consultation fee. :(
 
Ugh how I lust after a 650... it's hard for me to justify an IFR GPS with how little IFR flying I really do. And even then, usually there's a VOR/LOC/ILS that will work for me.
 
Mtns2Skies said:
Ugh how I lust after a 650... it's hard for me to justify an IFR GPS with how little IFR flying I really do. And even then, usually there's a VOR/LOC/ILS that will work for me.
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It wasn't easy paying for one, then a few years later traded it for the 650Xi.

An older retired airline pilot had me work his 177B for years, he lamented the only thing he regretted about dumping his A36 partnership and owning a 177B outright was not installing newer radios when he got the airplane.
 
GRG55 said:
Well I am pleased to see the inside of your airplane looks as great as it does from the outside! The Cherokee all of us would kill to own. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Kind words sir, thank you. I'm still planning on about 15 AMU for other upgrades in the future. Powerflow exhaust because the stock system is a bad design and is getting old, Electronics Internation EGR 30P engine monitor to fill the blank under the INS to replace all the engine gauges and add fuel flow and an AeroCruze autopilot to fill the tach hole.

THEN I think I'll be done....maybe. ;)
 
Mtns2Skies said:
Ugh how I lust after a 650... it's hard for me to justify an IFR GPS with how little IFR flying I really do. And even then, usually there's a VOR/LOC/ILS that will work for me.
Click to expand...

I was going to say that you'll get sick of ATC clearing you direct and having to say "Sorry, unable, we're slant uniform" or whatever eventually. ;)

And that you already bought nice radios and a GPS 175 would do it for you.

But then I went back and looked at your last panel pictures, and I saw that you only have a single nav and nothing else for IFR navigation? Sell the 225, get a GNC 355, and be done with your lust!
 
flyingcheesehead said:
I was going to say that you'll get sick of ATC clearing you direct and having to say "Sorry, unable, we're slant uniform" or whatever eventually. ;)
Click to expand...
Yeah... I definitely deny the clearance... right... ;)
 
Mtns2Skies said:
At this point 2.5 years into plane ownership my panel has been my biggest cost... I've gone through 4 iterations... what does your panel history look like?
At purchase:
View attachment 90861
After getting her home to shed some weight and ditch some wires:
View attachment 90862
Radio stack started to fail, so to complete my IR I went to a full Garmin stack, also turns out the autopilot was done very poorly so it got ditched:
View attachment 90863
Next the vacuum system was garbage... no sense in replacing that:
View attachment 90864

I like my panel being a highly capable VFR panel and a very minorly capable IFR panel... that suits the flying I do. The only thing left on my list is a GTX345 once Canada decides if us plebes will require 1090 diversity or not. I'd rather not drill an extra hole in the airframe for an antenna and pay the cost for diversity if I don't have to... so UAT for now until they decide.
Click to expand...
Hey that's really cool! I appreciate that you kept the original gauge holes and modernized those!

Don't get me wrong, I love glass.. but something about an older classic plane retaining it's "stock" form as close to possible with subtle but well thought upgrades looks good. It's kind of funny to me when a 1960s airplane has all glass in it

But to each their own, thanks for sharing. Also, I'm ashamed to admit that for some reason I always thought the Century autopilots were a Piper thing. They work quite well!
 
Tantalum said:
But to each their own, thanks for sharing. Also, I'm ashamed to admit that for some reason I always thought the Century autopilots were a Piper thing. They work quite well!
Click to expand...
They are... I guess mine was illegally installed 30 years ago, and poorly so. Out it came! :eek:
 
flyingcheesehead said:
But then I went back and looked at your last panel pictures, and I saw that you only have a single nav and nothing else for IFR navigation? Sell the 225, get a GNC 355, and be done with your lust!
Click to expand...
It's not a Mooney, it's a Skywagon ;) I've got enough to get me where I need to go. IFR isn't the planes mission, it's just a nice to have every once in a while.
 
How much of this work do you do yourself? Need an AP to do all the work? A panel specialist?
How does one go about getting the new shell created?
 
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