91.205 location of equipment

[Scott MacMoyle]

I have read 91.205 and I want to put the required equipment in the right side instrument panel and use the left side for things of a minor alteration nature. Are there any regs that deal with location of instruments ? obviously they have to be viewable but is there any other guidence ?

 

[Scott MacMoyle]

§ 29.1321 Arrangement and visibility.
(a) Each flight, navigation, and powerplant instrument for use by any pilot must be easily visible to him from his station with the minimum practicable deviation from his normal position and line of vision when he is looking forward along the flight path.

(b) Each instrument necessary for safe operation, including the airspeed indicator, gyroscopic direction indicator, gyroscopic bank-and-pitch indicator, slip-skid indicator, altimeter, rate-of-climb indicator, rotor tachometers, and the indicator most representative of engine power, must be grouped and centered as nearly as practicable about the vertical plane of the pilot's forward vision. In addition, for rotorcraft approved for IFR flight -

 

[Mongoose Aviator]

Make it look not strange?

Maybe post a good picture of your panel as it is now? Along with a picture of what you are thinking of a modification? Do you have a budget for the modifications? Is this just a rearrangement or are there upgrades and/or replacements also going on?

 

[Scott MacMoyle]

Its a Piper Colt. It will be VFR only and there is already enough holes in the right side panel to put in all the minimum required equipment. Then a Ipad or Garmin 760 or engine monitor could be on the left side

 

[Scott MacMoyle]

FAR part 29 is for transport catagory rotorcraft but so far its all google has found for me

 

[Scott MacMoyle]

here it is for part 23
Sec. 23.1321 — Arrangement and visibility.
(a) Each flight, navigation, and powerplant instrument for use by any required pilot during takeoff, initial climb, final approach, and landing must be located so that any pilot seated at the controls can monitor the airplane's flight path and these instruments with minimum head and eye movement. The powerplant instruments for these flight conditions are those needed to set power within powerplant limitations.

 

[Scott MacMoyle]

I say its ok to do it. Anyone disagree ?

 

[Magman]

Early Comanches were set up sorta “ Left Handed” .

Some issues you may encounter would relate to the gyros and oil temp.

Original ( AN) gyros are rather large which could dictate placement of other

instruments. Original OT has a bulb and tube that cannot be lengthened

to accommodate the repositioning.

Keep in mind that if you sell this may make the Colt less desirable.

 

[luvflyin]

here it is for part 23
Sec. 23.1321 — Arrangement and visibility.
(a) Each flight, navigation, and powerplant instrument for use by any required pilot during takeoff, initial climb, final approach, and landing must be located so that any pilot seated at the controls can monitor the airplane's flight path and these instruments with minimum head and eye movement. The powerplant instruments for these flight conditions are those needed to set power within powerplant limitations.

"...with minimum head and eye movement..." If you take that literally it kinda limits you. But I don't think you'd need to.

 

[Bell206]

Are there any regs that deal with location of instruments ?

The Colt is a CAR 3 aircraft so 23.1321 doesn't apply. You could use it but it makes use of the "basic T" layout (minimal head movement). Stick with CAR 3 and keep it simple and possibly as a minor alteration. See below. Keep in mind "easily visible" means you can not lean over to read them, but there are options to correct that as well. Just make sure none of your panel cutouts get into primary structure otherwise it becomes a major for that reason.

 

[Scott MacMoyle]

Many thanks for the replies. I think if power plant instruments can be over there then it meets the requirements of minimum head and eye movement since power plant and flight instruments have the same requirements.

The only things that would need to be over there are the AS indicator and the altimeter. The rest of the VFR minimum equipment is already over there.

then I would have a clean slate on the left panel. I’m a big fan of the Garmin 760. When it’s panel mounted and coupled to a GDL 50 it is a great little PFD at a fraction of the cost of a 7inch G3X. That and an engine monitor would make it a nice VFR panel.

I put a G3X in my Tiger because I think it would be attractive during resale. But I don’t think the Colt would benefit from that.