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Headset Jack Location for Side by Side RV's - Survey

Where Did You Install or Plan on Putting Headset Jacks

  • Inst panel lower outboard L & R bottom corner

    Votes: 60 47.6%
  • Under & Fwd of Inst panel Outb'd L&R sub-panel

    Votes: 16 12.7%
  • Under & 9" Fwd of Inst Outb'd L&R bulkhead (shin area)

    Votes: 9 7.1%
  • Aft end of Arm Rest

    Votes: 16 12.7%
  • Seat Pan or center console between seats.

    Votes: 4 3.2%
  • Seat Back upper cross member, center between seats

    Votes: 7 5.6%
  • Seat Back vertical member, center between seats

    Votes: 3 2.4%
  • Seat Pan, Outb'd & Aft between seat and fuselage side

    Votes: 8 6.3%
  • Baggage compartment floor level, behind and between seats

    Votes: 1 0.8%
  • Baggage compartment floor level, behind and L & R outboard of seats

    Votes: 2 1.6%

  • Total voters
    126

gmcjetpilot

Well Known Member
There are already some old threads and good advice, but like to see if I can get a survey for RV6/7/10/12/14. Reading dustyold threads (Ref two below), I picked this list. Please fill put survey and comment if you please, why you like or don't like your decision or plane on a location. List below going from Front to Back

#1 Inst panel lower outboard L & R bottom corner
#2 Under & Fwd of Inst panel Outb'd L&R sub-panel
#3 Under & 9" Fwd of Inst Outb'd L&R bulkhead (shin area)

#4 Aft end of Arm Rest

#5 Seat Pan or center console between seats.
#6 Seat Back upper cross member, center between seats
#7 Seat Back vertical member, center between seats

#8 Seat Pan, Outb'd & Aft between seat and fuselage side

#9 Baggage compartment floor level, behind and between seats
#10 Baggage compartment floor level, behind and L & R outboard of seats

There are Pros & Cons with these #1 thru #3 easy wiring. Anything in the center or high, #5, #6, #7 and #9, more wiring, access, may be in the way. Anything aft of seats #9 and #10 more wiring, harder to access in flight, may affect cargo loading. I am planning on #2 or #3. A headset hook can hold headsets to side under panel. Wrangling the headset cord will be a minor chore, I think.


Ref Threads
https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=50439&highlight=place+headset+jacks

https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=3169&highlight=place+headset+jacks
 
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#5

Top of the flap motor cover, move headset mic to right side and cord lays in center channel out of the way. No impact on getting in or out (put headset on dashboard).
Biggest concern is the side load on the cable into the jacks but so far does not appear an issue after 670+ hours (Bose A20s)
Figs
 
Seat Pan, Outb'd & Aft between seat and fuselage side is a great place if you are not swapping out headsets regularly. They are a bit of a pain to plug in if you are.
 
#2

I chose #2 because the easy wiring. Anything else would require going through the center tunnel and front spar, which was already full. besides the longer runs also may have noise pickup problems.

In the seats, they are easy to find. From outside, reaching in, they are a little stretch. but I plan to always have two headsets plugged in so don't expect to be un hooking often.
 
As a sidebar, I accidentally bought an A20 with coiled cord and found that I absolutely love it. Especially for seat area or aft headset locations. The coil cord is very robust and I never have issues with cords since it kind of takes care of the slack itself. With a nod towards LEMO connector. I now totally get it why most of the helicopter guys go with coil cords.
 

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Changed from #4 to #1

Had #4 but on the vertical, pilot passengers often complained because they couldn’t see the jacks when seated. Headset leads could also get crunched on the cross member after seat backs were tilted fwd. Changed to #1 and calm has been restored.
 
The poll doesn't work if you've used multiple solutions.

My RV-6 has jacks in the armrests. Those are perfect, IMO. The cords are never in the way and it works well for me.

My RV-10 has jacks in the lower outside corners of the panel. That keeps the cords out of the way of the controls. Unfortunately, if you're careless with the cords, they can find their way into the seat rails/locking mechanism, which serves as a nice guillotine. Been there, done that. Now I use a clip to secure the cords to the "A Pillar" so they don't have enough slack to reach the guillotine. For what it is worth, I velcro the control box for the headsets on top of the middle (?) stringer that runs fore and aft in the footwell. That works well for me.

An alternate location in the -10 is the tunnel. I strongly considered that, but eventually opted for the simpler (panel) solution.
 
I never want headphone wires crossing over my legs or arms.

For the RV-10 I used two of these, one on each side of tunnel just forward of the seats. Jacks on the top so the plugs are vertical.
https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pnpages/10-01595.php

For the rear seats the jacks are located on the far inboard side of the flap cover, just outboard of the tunnel on each side. Out of the way so they don’t get bumped.

Carl
 
I never want headphone wires crossing over my legs or arms.

Carl

Agree 100%. My airplanes (and probably most airplanes) are set up to avoid that problem. You do have to take into account "directional" headsets with the mic and cords fixed on one side. My Lightspeed Zulu's are like that, so I fly with them and the cord stays to my left. Based on jack location, they would also work for the right rear passenger in the -10 - the rear jacks are on the crossmember between the seats. I have 3 sets of Sierra's which have switchable mic's, and work in any seat in the aircraft.
 
Dittos on the wires over the legs and arms. I mounted the jacks in the little plate that gets riveted below the roll bar and along the longeron on a tip up. They are mounted aft of the roll bar. The long leads on the headsets allowed me to hang the headsets from hooks in the L&R footwells and keep headsets plugged in, if desired. Then, once seated, I could put a headset on and allow the headset leads to drop behind me in the cargo bay where they were a non-issue. I ran the leads to the jacks under the upholstered side panels. So, there is no option for me to vote on.
 
#2 or #1

My -12iS is E-LSA so #8 is the required location. I really do not like it. Difficult for passengers to plug/unplug their own headset and the jacks tend to loosen themselves and only way to get in there to tighten them is removing the wing and the inspection plate under the wing.

#1 or #2 is the way to go in my opinion!
 
Agree 100%. My airplanes (and probably most airplanes) are set up to avoid that problem. You do have to take into account "directional" headsets with the mic and cords fixed on one side. My Lightspeed Zulu's are like that, so I fly with them and the cord stays to my left. Based on jack location, they would also work for the right rear passenger in the -10 - the rear jacks are on the crossmember between the seats. I have 3 sets of Sierra's which have switchable mic's, and work in any seat in the aircraft.

Similar situation. As I already posted, my jacks are in the lower outside corner of the instrument panel. My Bose A20 headsets are configurable so the mic and cords are on the left and right respectively, so the cords don't cross over anything. For my rear seats, I placed the jacks on the tunnel basically between the front seat seatbacks with the seats in their most rearward position. For the rear headsets, since the jacks are in the center of the plane, the mics and cord positions are reversed from the front ones, so the left seat mic and cords are on the passenger's right, so they don't cross the pax's body and vice versa on the right.
 
I used #2 when I first built my 9A. I changed over to #1 when I upgraded my panel, moving the jacks about 2" higher and further from my size 12 feet.
 
I have a recessed pocket mounted into the wall of the the cabin down by my left knee and a matching location by the passenger's right knee. Nice and sturdy, and convenient.


..
 

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RV7A Jack Location

My jacks (unfortunately) are installed in the lateral overhead structural member in the baggage compartment of my tip up RV7A. This is a real PITA when loading baggage or anything else aft of the front seats. I don't want to be unplugging and re plugging the headsets all the time either due to wear and tear on the female plug inlets. I would run extension cables through the sidewalls to the front armrests except for the fact that the male plugs on the extension cables would still be in the way and in danger of getting broken. Right angle plug adapters are available for the audio jacks but no such thing exists for the mic jacks. So, I have to figure out how to modify the male mic jacks to right angle..

Not sure what all would be involved in just rewiring input jacks on the front panel and abandoning the rear overhead jacks.

Comments please
 
Agree 100%. My airplanes (and probably most airplanes) are set up to avoid that problem. You do have to take into account "directional" headsets with the mic and cords fixed on one side. My Lightspeed Zulu's are like that, so I fly with them and the cord stays to my left. Based on jack location, they would also work for the right rear passenger in the -10 - the rear jacks are on the crossmember between the seats. I have 3 sets of Sierra's which have switchable mic's, and work in any seat in the aircraft.

Thats strange- I've got two pairs of Zulus and on both of them the mic boom swings under the cup so you can wear it on either side. They are both approaching 15 years old though. Did Zulu skimp on a new model or something?
 
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#4 is lame

Mine are in the aft end of the armrests (#4) and it isn't ideal. Extremely hard to get at once you're in the plane.
 
Mine are in the aft end of the armrests (#4) and it isn't ideal. Extremely hard to get at once you're in the plane.

That’s how mine are in the Rv-6. That location works very well for me - I typically leave the headsets in the airplane, so it is a no-fuss situation.
 
My RV9 has a left and right side hanger for headsets on or close to centerline of fuselage about 9 inches fwd of and under instrument panel. Cords plug in at centerline fuselage in area of fuel valve. All out of the way on entrance and exit
 
Mine are in the aft end of the armrests (#4) and it isn't ideal. Extremely hard to get at once you're in the plane.

+1. Not ideal. But I’m not sure what would be better.

It does keep the cables out of the way and protects them from being kicked, etc. I just need to adjust my habits so that I check them before getting in.

A related issue is, where do you put your headsets while you’re getting in? I’ve been hanging them on the slider’s side rail, back where the cables are out of the way. Then I smash them with the canopy when I close it! People have hangers (not hangars) on the rollbars of tipups, which is pretty cool.
 
A related issue is, where do you put your headsets while you’re getting in? I’ve been hanging them on the slider’s side rail, back where the cables are out of the way. Then I smash them with the canopy when I close it! People have hangers (not hangars) on the rollbars of tipups, which is pretty cool.

I generally place the headsets on the wingwalk.
 
I am trying to determine on my new instrument panel where to install the plugs in relation to the air vent. The picture I attached is how it is currently setup up, i've seen most builders add a panel extension below the vent to add the jacks. I'm leaning towards having the jacks on the side of the vent. I'd love to hear some opinions on what you enjoy or dislike about your setup relative the vent/jack locations.
 

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Not listed in the poll...

This isn't a location in the poll.

I put the headset jacks at the top of the baggage compartment bulkhead (F-706A-L/R), on either side of the F-732A channel (RV-7 Tip Up).

I installed a headset hanger that spans the F-732A channel and extends outboard by about 2" on both sides.

This keeps the cords out of the way during ingress/egress/flight ops. The only hassle is moving the cords/headset out of the way when loading/unloading baggage.

Another option would have been to install the jacks into a closeout/cover for the F-732A channel.
 
Good question

I've got a spot on the left front of the panel that I can hang them on. Not perfect but it (mostly) keeps the wires out of the way of my feet.

+1. Not ideal. But I’m not sure what would be better.

It does keep the cables out of the way and protects them from being kicked, etc. I just need to adjust my habits so that I check them before getting in.

A related issue is, where do you put your headsets while you’re getting in? I’ve been hanging them on the slider’s side rail, back where the cables are out of the way. Then I smash them with the canopy when I close it! People have hangers (not hangars) on the rollbars of tipups, which is pretty cool.
 
My location isn't listed either, I'm surprised at that as I thought it would be common. I've got them on the far right and left of the instrument panel, but above the side rails -unlike option 1. It's wasted space that seems perfect for the jacks. In a tip up it's easy to access the forward side. The cables naturally route down beside the armrest. I have no complaints about the location.
 
I am trying to determine on my new instrument panel where to install the plugs in relation to the air vent. The picture I attached is how it is currently setup up, i've seen most builders add a panel extension below the vent to add the jacks. I'm leaning towards having the jacks on the side of the vent. I'd love to hear some opinions on what you enjoy or dislike about your setup relative the vent/jack locations.

Not a comment about the headset jacks, but I'd suggest the ELT remote panel be placed centrally in the panel. If you carry passengers, they should have access to it and be briefed on its use. Mine is on the right side, in front of the passenger, beside the passenger placard.
 
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