What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

VERTICAL DUAL GRT SETUP QUESTIONS...

J

jcmcdowell

Well Known Member
I'm building a 9- so the tandem folks info would be most pertinent...

Any complaints from flying guys with having a dual GRT setup vertically?
Visibility, access, centering in front of stick, moving supports??

I'm about 6' and would prefer the standard panel as well.

I'm thinking left to right:
vertical card
airspeed/trutrak Pict Pilot
DUAL GRT SPORT w/GPS - CENTERED ON STICK
altimeter/VVI
PS 8000b/SL40/GTX327
passenger side- airspeed/altimeter


Feedback appreciated...
 
Last edited:
I think you'd need a custom panel for that.. don't think they'll fit like that on a standard Van's panel. But works just fine in this config.
 
Feedback on panel...

Looks good provided structure behind panel will allow it.
 
Must move panel support rib

In order to get the GRT properly centered in front of the pilot you must cut off the aft-most portion of the panel support rib, flush with the sub-panel and move it inboard a few inches, reinforcing as needed. Also, as others said, I don't think there is enough room vertically in the standard panel for this, but you only need a very slight increase in the vertical. Be sure, then, that your knees will be OK. I'm 6'0" and I'm OK, but my much taller friend has a tight squeeze with my standard panel.
 
New Panel is Required

If you're going with a dual GRT in a vertical arrangement, your'e going to need a new panel. Here's my panel with the Horizon 1 cutouts and you can see there isn't much room above or below the displays. I've had a new panel made and extended by only 1". At a minimum, this is what you need. Walt Tondu did the same with his vertical arrangement.

And yes, that left panel rib has to go.

P5270059.JPG
 
Last edited:
Options

Vertical has the advantage of putting everything in front of you.
Horizontal does not require a deeper panel and with the GRTs you can select the displays so as to fly from either side.
Pretty much a personal choice.
Here's some more feedback pics. The vertical panel picture IS an -8, but it may help with layout.
Pete.
whzcockpittq9.jpg

soaifrpanellu0.jpg
 
Save 1/4"

From everything I have read, you have to get the deeper panel top go vertical in a side-by-side (I'm an -8 guy), but you CAN save about 1/4" over the pictures here by not having a separator between top and bottom. I have one big opening, with angles running top to bottom on each side of the hole - nice and stiff.

And, it gives you a big hole to work through if you need to get behind the panel and don't want to pull the whole thing.... :)

Paul
 
Vertical GRT's vs Side by Side

I was leaning heavily towards Vertical GRT's for my 7A Slider for a long time, with the pilot side similar to the pic in the orginal post. After talking with Fabian at Affordable Panels, I've now pretty much settled on Side-by-Side GRT's with 4, Steam gauges under the GRT's.

I've haven't ordered my panel yet, so I'd like to hear comments on side-by-side vs vertical GRT's.
 
Vertical GRTs

I am not sure how tall the 9s panel is, but mine is a seven panel extended by 1 3/4". As shown in the picture my set up is for right side driving.
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/7030/picture004eo1.jpg
I have my audio panel positioned under the GRTs so that takes up a little room. You can get the two GRTs to fit vertically on a stock panel if you move them inward towards the center line of the panel. It would only take an inch or so. My setup is a slider canopy and I had do some modifications to the sub-panel to get my stack to fit depth wise, and I also cut the bottom of the three glareshield support ribs so that the GRTs and radio stack could be moved up towards the very top of the glareshield. You could also do a side by side setup which looks great in a friends 7A that I have seen.

Best of luck.

Keith
 
I was all for a top/bottom arrangement on my GRT - initially. Then Fabian and I got working on it and decided with what you mentioned - side by side with 4 steam gauges below. Now that I'm flying, I couldn't be happier with this setup. Flying with it 16 hrs so far has been a delight. I learn something new about the system each time out. I mention system because it really is one - everything seems to work together wonderfully.

And keep this in mind, all the Boeing jets have side by side displays.
 
And others

Not to forget the fabulous Douglas and Airbus glass cockpits.
B737-300 Vertical Screens.
Pete.
 
I have a -7A slider with dual vertical EFIS on an Affordable Panel from Fabian. I did not lose any support ribs and did not modify the subpanel except to make a cutout for the center mounted SL40 and GTX327. No flying yet, but I like my panel.

JC - do you have an internal GPS on the EFIS? Good for you if so, but even with, consider adding a handheld Garmin on your panel at the top of your radio stack using a Gizmo mount. Enter your flight plan on it the night before, then stuff it into the panel the next morning and dump it into the EFIS with a push of the button or two, and you are on your way. It also serves as a back up GPS of course, or can diplay a separate page from your EFIS moving map. Another plus is that it can be independent of your ships electrical system if you run it off the battery.
regards,

Erich Weaver

Erich Weaver
 
GRT Side / Side + 4x 3 1/8"- 7 Tipup

Hi,

It is possible with a stock standard panel and standard rib layout to get side by side GRT + 4 3 1/8" instruments.

But it is very tight and there is little 'meat' in the sections vertically between the components.

Switches / circuit breakers etc have to be mounted 'somewhere else'.

Web_Img_8378.jpg


Just another option....

Carl
(Power is on, smoke contained)
 
Three GRT, Two Stacked

I had to build a new panel, which follows the Van's contour exactly, but adds 2" to the bottom of the panel (before the bend). This picture shows the fiberglass "face plate" I made to give some contour to the panel, without adding too much weight.

To center the stacked GRT's, I did have to move the panel-to-subpanel ribs outboard. They fit well between the stacked GRT's and the AOA Pro hole. The right was no problem because I had plenty of real estate over there.

This gives plenty of room for knees, and works well with aftermarket interiors, like Classic Aero Designs.

I chose to fore-go any round instruments, given the dual and triple redundancy of my GRT electrical setup.



http://img102.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cimg3170fm0.jpg
 
Last edited:
latest and greatest based on feedback...

Roger Ping has a dual vert GRT setup in what looks to be a standard panel in a slider. The support only has to be notched, unlike the tip-up which has a pretty solid rib (F-745-L).

Here's my latest rendition:


My Cross Country Dream Panel:
Dual GRT Sport w/ moving map & GPS (upgradeable to Horizon I)
SL30
GTX-327
PS 8000B
Tru Trak ADI II (have to add GRT servo control)
Air Gizmo
Garmin 396 (b/c XM weather/music/backup GPS & not much more than the XM GRT add)
AOA- add if I have some extra cash
some basic right seat gauges (encourage the wife to fly)

Looks to be a $20k panel...

Airplane= 1/3; Panel= 1/3; Engine= 1/3
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top