Panel upgrade
Moderator: Paul Sehorne
Panel upgrade
Well I haven't got to fly any for about a week. Why? I decided to send out my dual engine/rotor tach and mp/ff gauge for overhaul and resilk screening the dials. They should be back tomorrow. But then I bought a new vertical speed indicator because I kinda like to know my vertical speed and have it sitting there ready to install. There was already a transponder, mode c, vor, and digital egt in there as well. For radios I had a Narco II (360 channel) and a Apollo loran. I figured I'd get a Narco 120 or TKM mx11 which slide right in the same tray and a Apollo Flybuddy or Gx55 gps also slide in units for the old Loran(have to change the antenna as well). But a minimum of wiring fuss involved with that. It also had a Loran cdi indicator wired separately. Didn't need that so I removed it and a bunch or wiring(harness bundle surprisingly big from the loran to the cdi). One thing led to another and then I had both the radio trays out. Called up a avionics shop I deal with and they offered me a smoking deal on an IFR Garmin GNC300XL GPS/com. I mean I HAD to buy it at the price they gave me. Won't be IFR of course in the Brantly but it is enroute AND approach capable! I'm dangerously close to having an instrument trainer here! Even though I was able to fix(compensate) my wet compass I just had to buy the Precision Aviation vertical card compass(the tso one in this case since it replaces a required instrument even for vfr) so that'll go in as well. All this takes time and here I am broke down again until all the stuff comes in and I get it all wired up. The newer panels(post 2000 Brantlys) sure look good in that white and my mixure is already on the left side like the newer ships. Also some new panel lights-Nulites(at $44 each from Aircraft Spruce) sure would be nice but that and the color change might not get done this time around. Everything else will though but I'm sure impatient to get this done. Because I want to fly it more than I want to work on it right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But it's real hard to stop when you start upgrading. Where do you find a stopping point?(I know when you run out of money!!)
Re: Panel upgrade
Cool! I did the post-lights at $32 a pop just because they taught us in flight school that only RED preserves your night vision.
I think I did 8 of them for $250 +/-.
I think I did 8 of them for $250 +/-.
YHO-3BR Pilots International
Re: Panel upgrade
Red does preserve your night vision. Trouble is you can hardly see anything with red light! Ever try to read a sectional with a red light? 
Talk about overpriced those post lights are ridiculously overpriced as well! My panel has some pretty decent eyebrow lights supplemented with the post lights. Probably stick with those for now since everything is supposed to be here tomorrow and I hope to have it flying at least by Saturday. The FF/MP and dual tach arrived today and they look great! Also have a new rotor tach cable with the proper lay(twist) ready to install. Then my twitching and unsynchronized needles should marry up and be steady! The panel mount Gamin gps/com is going to be sooo handy. Portable units are great these days but nothing is as handy as something permanently mounted in the panel.
Talk about overpriced those post lights are ridiculously overpriced as well! My panel has some pretty decent eyebrow lights supplemented with the post lights. Probably stick with those for now since everything is supposed to be here tomorrow and I hope to have it flying at least by Saturday. The FF/MP and dual tach arrived today and they look great! Also have a new rotor tach cable with the proper lay(twist) ready to install. Then my twitching and unsynchronized needles should marry up and be steady! The panel mount Gamin gps/com is going to be sooo handy. Portable units are great these days but nothing is as handy as something permanently mounted in the panel.