Avionics & Panel Setup Research

I will say, this has been the most worrying part of this whole project in my mind. They don’t tell you much about how all of these systems interconnect when you are taking classes for your private pilot and your instrument rating and I’ve never looked under a panel to see how it’s all done. So not having a frame of reference makes this a little scary. I work in IT so I don’t believe I’m going to have problems figuring all of this out.

I did a quick Google search for RV-10 avionics and panel setups and it brought up this really awesome video that Good Plane Living did covering how he setup his panel.

I love how this whole thing is organized. He has his emergency related buttons in a small section on the left side of the PFD, flight related buttons are underneath the PFD, some accessories and what not underneath the MFD, and then he has all of his lighting on the ceiling of the cockpit next to the map lights and vents. Very well organized panel. I really like the center console controls as well. It’s a very natural position for anyone to have their right hand and is very much like a modern car.

He had some interesting lighting that I had never thought of doing before. He has foot well lighting. It is in red so that it won’t ruin your night vision. He also has the normal map lights for both front and back. He also has a dimming switch in the front for the rear lights. That will allow you to disable the rear lights even if they turn them on if you don’t want to ruin your night vision.

He has this all installed in an Aerosport Products RV-10 310 Panel system. It appears that if you don’t want the carbon fiber look, you do have the option of painting it over? They show a few different installed versions that are colored to match the interior, which is more the way I’m wanting to go.

I mentioned the center console throttle, prop, and mixture location earlier, and this product is also provided by Aerosport Products. It is their RV-10 Quad Arm Rest that appears to come in a version you can paint or the carbon fiber. It does not come with the fuel selector location that Good Plane Living has in his video it appears, so might be something to take a look at. I like the position for the fuel selector as it has always been in the floor board or against the left kick panel in previous planes I’ve flown and they’ve been a pain to reach.

Here are the rest of the avionics he has installed:

• Garmin G3X Touch x 3
• Garmin GTN 650Xi
• Garmin GMA 245 Audio Panel
• Garmin GMC 307 Auto Pilot
• Garmin GTR 20 Remote Radio
  • He doesn’t remember in the video, but this is the one that I found on Garmin’s website that can be used with the G3X

There are other components that are more than likely behind the panel, such as his transponder, AHRS, ADC, and other components. But I’m hoping as we get much further down the road that I will get a chance to talk with an avionics shop to see how best to setup the panel to fit my needs. I love this panel setup and the information it provides him, the only part that he didn’t mention that I love having in my current plane is the FlightStream 210 which interacts with my iPad. I might be able to get rid of a third screen in that panel and just use my iPad, or I could keep it. Decisions that will be made much later on!