The UnPanel

I saw that. Interesting to say the least.
 
That's not moving forward, that's moving backward, kinda like how icon dumbed down the A5 panel to make it look more like a car, also a ton a wasted dead space behind it, zero redundancy if that tablet craps the bed, the articulation will be super fun in chop or during a hard landing.


Nooooooope
 
Got a look at it,at the LSAExpo at Sebring,can’t say I was impressed no redundancy of course they are marketing it in a VFR flight rules aircraft.
 
It's an innovative way to get the panel out of the way and increase visibility. In that aspect, it is awesome. Time will tell whether or not it actually works.
 
bflynn said:
It's an innovative way to get the panel out of the way and increase visibility. In that aspect, it is awesome. Time will tell whether or not it actually works.
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Looks to me like it actually blocks the view more than if they just put simple VFR instruments into the normal dash, you can see here it actually sticks up sight line wise over the top of the dash.

IMG_1731.jpg
 
It's designed for VFR light sport homebuilt aircraft. one of the biggest time consumers, and challenges, is wiring and building a traditional control panel. This greatly simplifies the design, construction and complexity of a homebuilt aircraft.

The support is fully articulating and does not block the field of vision in a Zenith 701 or 750 for which this was designed.

It solves a lot of problems, and costs, for Zenith builders for which it was designed.

Those who live in the certificated world probably won't understand, but for many light sport homebuilders the concept is a great step forward. No, you're not flying IFR with this system but that's not what it was designed for.
 
Lndwarrior said:
It's designed for VFR light sport homebuilt aircraft. one of the biggest time consumers, and challenges, is wiring and building a traditional control panel. This greatly simplifies the design, construction and complexity of a homebuilt aircraft.

The support is fully articulating and does not block the field of vision in a Zenith 701 or 750 for which this was designed.

It solves a lot of problems, and costs, for Zenith builders for which it was designed.

Those who live in the certificated world probably won't understand, but for many light sport homebuilders the concept is a great step forward. No, you're not flying IFR with this system but that's not what it was designed for.
Click to expand...

But if you're just flying simple VFR, why have all that junk, just bare bones VFR, doesn't require much wiring at all, only electric thing would be a radio and transponder if required
 
James331 said:
But if you're just flying simple VFR, why have all that junk, just bare bones VFR, doesn't require much wiring at all, only electric thing would be a radio and transponder if required
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What "junk" are you referring to? Basic VFR instruments?

The unpanel gives you all that AND a ton of additional information with no complex panel to build. It may be hard to understand just how much time, effort and required learning goes into actually building even a vfr panel starting from a flat sheet of aluminum and some wire.

Most homebuilders do this one time. They are neither metal fabrication specialists and most have no idea how to wire a single circuit when they begin their build ( i certaintly didnt) . With few exceptions the most daunting task of the Zenith Aircraft is the wiring and panel.

This simple, easy to build solution saves a ton of time, and anxiety, for a Zenith homebuilder.

This solution is specific to the Zenith 701 and 750 series aircraft. It is not intended to work in other aircraft.
 
I looked at it at '17 Oshkosh pretty closely. Sat in it and played with the screen some. It seemed doomed to fail to me - much of the features weren't working yet and I seriously doubt there will be any support for the thing 5 years from now. Hopefully, for their sake, they prove me wrong.

I really liked the airframe. The screen thing..not so much.
 
Lndwarrior said:
What "junk" are you referring to? Basic VFR instruments?

The unpanel gives you all that AND a ton of additional information with no complex panel to build. It may be hard to understand just how much time, effort and required learning goes into actually building even a vfr panel starting from a flat sheet of aluminum and some wire.

Most homebuilders do this one time. They are neither metal fabrication specialists and most have no idea how to wire a single circuit when they begin their build ( i certaintly didnt) . With few exceptions the most daunting task of the Zenith Aircraft is the wiring and panel.

This simple, easy to build solution saves a ton of time, and anxiety, for a Zenith homebuilder.

This solution is specific to the Zenith 701 and 750 series aircraft. It is not intended to work in other aircraft.
Click to expand...

I'm inclined to agree with you.
On first blush seems a sort of "affordable" G3X.
For simple amateur built it probably takes some of the build time and maybe the "intimidation factor" out of the instrumentation portion of the project, as you say.

What would be really nice is a hardened, heat resistant box that could be mounted in the engine compartment, with a single cable or fibre optic running through the firewall to bring all the engine data, instead of all the separate wires from every measurement having to come through.
 
Lndwarrior said:
What "junk" are you referring to? Basic VFR instruments?

The unpanel gives you all that AND a ton of additional information with no complex panel to build. It may be hard to understand just how much time, effort and required learning goes into actually building even a vfr panel starting from a flat sheet of aluminum and some wire.

Most homebuilders do this one time. They are neither metal fabrication specialists and most have no idea how to wire a single circuit when they begin their build ( i certaintly didnt) . With few exceptions the most daunting task of the Zenith Aircraft is the wiring and panel.

This simple, easy to build solution saves a ton of time, and anxiety, for a Zenith homebuilder.

This solution is specific to the Zenith 701 and 750 series aircraft. It is not intended to work in other aircraft.
Click to expand...

What junk? That would be the "ton of additional information" lol



Here's a VFR panel for a basic small plane, it's everything you need.

FSX_Cub_Panel.jpg
 
James331 said:
What junk? That would be the "ton of additional information" lol



Here's a VFR panel for a basic small plane, it's everything you need.

FSX_Cub_Panel.jpg
Click to expand...
But, but, but...

That does not fill the need for the pilot that wants every techno-gadget known to man.
 
Lndwarrior said:
What "junk" are you referring to? Basic VFR instruments?

The unpanel gives you all that AND a ton of additional information with no complex panel to build. It may be hard to understand just how much time, effort and required learning goes into actually building even a vfr panel starting from a flat sheet of aluminum and some wire.

Most homebuilders do this one time. They are neither metal fabrication specialists and most have no idea how to wire a single circuit when they begin their build ( i certaintly didnt) . With few exceptions the most daunting task of the Zenith Aircraft is the wiring and panel.

This simple, easy to build solution saves a ton of time, and anxiety, for a Zenith homebuilder.

This solution is specific to the Zenith 701 and 750 series aircraft. It is not intended to work in other aircraft.
Click to expand...

I totally disagree with you on that. the biggest part of wiring the panel airframe wise is the engine instruments, you will still need to wire all the engine sensors with that ugly a.. thing. with all the efis systems out there now, wiring is not that complicated any more.

I can do a simple efis in a couple of days. its not that tough.

bob
 
Did anybody else notice the single center stick with a split handle point right & left? I'm right handed and would need to operate the panel and console controls with my left hand while flying with my right.
 
NordicDave said:
Did anybody else notice the single center stick with a split handle point right & left? I'm right handed and would need to operate the panel and console controls with my left hand while flying with my right.
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Don’t like it? Sit in the right seat - problem solved.
 
NordicDave said:
Did anybody else notice the single center stick with a split handle point right & left? I'm right handed and would need to operate the panel and console controls with my left hand while flying with my right.
Click to expand...

I’ve never flown one but I’ve looked at a few Zenith aircraft with that stick and I don’t think I’d like it either. But I’ll reserve final judgment until I get a chance to fly one. Other than that, they look like a decent aircraft. As to the panel, I’d prefer a more traditional one.
 
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