I riveted the GTN attachment bracket, then riveted the GTN opening doubler:
Subpanel structure with doubler attached around hole
I then added grommet edging around the GTN/GNX hole (which took a long time because Spruce was backordered on the SL3, which is the right one for the panel+doubler's thickness):
Since I had moved the essential bus bar one hole lower, I added the new bottom hole and nutplate (keeping the top hole for the fuel pump relay):
Additional hole for essential bus bar
I also added nutplates for #8 screws to hold the main wiring harness through adel clamps, underneath the right side flange:
Panel with nutplates for holding the main wiring harness
Alternator regulators attached to panel ribs
Attaching FlyEFII ECUs to the panel ribs
FlyEFII ECUs and display turned on
FlyEFII ECUs attached to panel ribs
FlyEFII connectors attached to firewall
FlyEFII ECUs with connectors attached to firewall
For attaching the Bus manager, I used two of the same holes that attach the ECUs, plus another pair of holes for AN3s, and added nutplates (the plastic is pretty thick, and I used soft rivets for those) (I also had no L4 nutplates at hand, so had to order those):
Bus manager cover attached to mounting angles
Bus Manager cover with nutplates attached
Last but not least, I trimmed the side of the mounting angle to allow airflow out of the Bus Manager:
Bus manager mounting angle, trimmed for the fan opening
I finally obtained a CO Guardian 455, so I had to cut a hole for it on the bottom center insert - I laser-cut a template out of acrylic, then used that to cut the carbon fiber + metal insert:
Cutting the CO Guardian template from acrylic
CO Guardian template for cutting the bottom center panel insert
CO Guardian template over the bottom center panel insert
Bottom center panel insert, with opening for the CO Guardian
Bottom center panel insert with CO Guardian 455 installed
I had to slightly adjust the bottom center panel for that to fit:
Bottom center panel, trimmed to fit the CO Guardian
For mounting the GTR20 radio, I made a custom mount similar to the one Vans provides for the wingtip strobes, which lets me mount it in either direction, and attaches to the side of the tailcone:
I haven't been too good at keeping the posts here going - this one should've gone out in December, and there's a lot of other work we've done that I haven't posted yet.
I match-drilled the throttle quadrant to the tunnel cover and adjusted it to be flush against the center console:
Throttle quadrant attachment match-drilled into tunnel cover
Throttle quadrant adjusted to center console
I also attached the headphone cord clips to the center console:
Center console insert with cord clips installed
We then primed and riveted the subpanel and nutplates for attaching the avionics:
Subpanel parts primed
Subpanel riveted together
The only part remaining for this section is actually riveting the subpanel and skin to the fuselage, which I'll do after the firewall penetrations are ready.
I disassembled the subpanel structure and made a reinforcement doubler (just over 1" thick around the border) for the GTN/GNX subpanel openings - it will attach behind the subpanel, sharing a couple of holes with the subpanel angles that secure the center rib:
GTN/GNX subpanel cutout after finishing the edges
~1" doubler drawn out on sheet stock
Subpanel doubler cut out from stock
Subpanel doubler with pilot holes and bend to follow the subpanel contour
Subpanel doubler match-drilled in place
Opening up interior of the subpanel doubler by drilling out the corners
Finished subpanel doubler
With this, the subpanel is ready for primer, and I can start riveting the panel structure after that (though I'll leave the skin for later until I'm all done with the wiring harness).
I received my engraved Tosten sticks from Midwest, and they look great! (I had asked for a low-dome blue button for TOGA, but oh well, this is good enough)
Engraved Tosten stick, aft side
Engraved Tosten stick, forward side
I installed the knobs and switch on the overhead face plate that Stein made, which required a few tweaks - the heatsink on their provided dimmers didn't fit, so it had to be slightly bent:
Switch pod with knobs and switch installed
Inside the switch pod, heat sinks had to be slightly bent near the bottom
It was then time to attach the LRUs to the subpanel - starting with actually mounting the whole panel and getting the wire bundle in there (who knew, that wire bundle is quite heavy!):
Wire bundle installed in place (pilot side)
Wire bundle installed in place (copilot side)
GDL51R, fuse block, GAD29, and REL2 (left to right) attached to the subpanel
For the CO Guardian, the bracket it comes with seemed very flimsy to me, so I cut some aluminum angle to support it and attached it facing down (so dust doesn't get into the sensor as easily), and away from the G3X and panel-top cooling fans:
Custom aluminum-angle bracket for the CO Guardian
CO Guardian, IBBS backup battery, and GEA24 (right to left) attached to the subpanel
Last, I connected the GSU25 and G5 air pressure fittings and ran the tubes between them, then ran the static tubing down to the alt static switch, with a T to actually receive the pressure from the static ports:
Pitot and static hoses between GSU25 and G5
Static hose routing down from G5 to alt static switch, and a T for the actual intake
Static hose coming from from G5
There's still a chance I may need to change the static hose out of the G5 - I don't have the EFII display yet to know if it'll be a conflict, and I routed as far away from it as I could, but there's always the chance it wasn't enough.
Last but not least, I final-drilled for and installed the ELT antenna:
ELT antenna installed in place
Next I need to figure out the mounting of the VP-X (thinking of going with the hinge method on the pilot side), adding Adel clamps to hold the main wire bundle, and then the actual modifications to the bundles (like running the wires that Stein doesn't, and a few other minor changes).
I mounted the panel on the plane, and realized the GTN rack didn't fit - so like many before me, I had to trim that center rib (though much less than I have seen others do):
Center panel in place (minus the GTN rack which doesn't fit)
GTN rack fits after trimming center rib
Complete center panel in place
Also, since the GTN and GNX were so close to the subpanel, I had to open it up for the connectors and fan to go through (a doubler will be added later):
Subpanel with holes for GTN/GNX connectors, and trimmed rib
GTN backing plate through the subpanel hole
The GNX holes were a bit too low and required adjustment, but the were fine on the second attempt:
GNX backing plate viewed through the subpanel hole
To keep the racks from vibrating, I also attached the back fo the GTN rack to the center rib (which also serves to reinforce the part of the rib that I removed):
Aluminum angle (top left) attaching the top of the GTN rack to the trimmed rib
I also measured and, to make it ever simpler, there's enough of a gap between the GTN itself and the inside of the rack (0.095"), that I don't need to dimple those holes upward and use countersunk rivets - the shop heads will fit just fine.
Finally, the wire bundle that Stein made was not long enough to go around the bottom as I had hoped :/ so I had to further enlarge that opening to let the wires through the original route:
Original SteinAir routing for the GTN/GNX/GMA
Enlarged opening for the GTN and GNX bundles to go through (black part is just temporary rubber edge protection so the wires can rest on the unfinished edge)
Next I'm going to attach all the LRUs (I'm making a separate post about the rest of the avionics install, and keeping the section41 tag only for the structural modifications), and then will come back to this section, make doublers, and rivet everything.
