Put in the F-746 Engine Control Bracket While I'm Waiting for my SL40 VHF Comm Transceiver and Garmin GTX-327 Digital Transponder, I decided to drill the holes in the engine control bracket. Since I'm going with a fixed pitch prop, I decided to use all the hole distance measurements on the drawings and put my input for my MP3 player in the most right hole.
Here's the flip side I haven't tightened the screws yet, since I know this dude will probably need to come off for the cable installation.
Time to cut the panel for the Comm and Transponder I decided to use the same tactics as the EFIS panel cutout. The instructions say to leave a 0.040" gap between the units, to give them enough separation so that the locking tab on the bottom of each unit has room to slide in. So I cut some aluminum scraps and taped to the top of transponder "tube" to force the gap between it and the comm "tube". Here I've taped the units together and marked the exterior cutout on the back of the panel. Next comes the jigsaw with a metal cutting blade. After that, I'll smooth out the cut lines with a metal file and some sandpaper.
Here's a drawing showing the 0.040 gap
Here are the cutouts so far Spooookieeee stuff. Since I'm learning as I go.
Here's where I feel like Homer Simpson I got both the comm and transponder tubes mounted to the panel and try it on for size. NOT... I discovered 2 things. The comm unit hits the subpanel, AND the whole radio stack needed to go a little more to the right so it would be better centered between the vertical support ribs. I would like to add a GNS430 later. One of these issues is not a problem, I simply cut a hole into the sub panel. I can still add the GNS430 later, but It will be really close to the side of the center vertical riib, REALLY close and almost touching. What I have here will work, but I should have checked those supporting structures for inteference with the avionics. DAMN!
Here's what I have so far After I get the intercom, ELT switch and the Dynon EMS holes in, I should be able to start running wires. It just never occurred to me that I needed to consider the structure behind the panel when designing the layout. Yes, everything will look nice and evenly layed out like my drawing, but you can't always get what you want.
