44P Panel Redo Saga

[Jim Worley]

I couldn't stand it any more. The stack of parts I had been stockpiling to begin the redo of 44P's panel was teasing me from the corner today and the weather being bad pushed me over the edge and I started my panel redo. I'm hoping to have it flyable in a little over a month when I have a trip that I need to make.

I enjoyed reading Pat's blog about the work done on her plane so I thought I would do something similar here and keep a running commentary on the work and how it is progressing. Feel free to add comments or suggestions. I 'm always open to a new and better way of doing things. My plan is to do as much of the mechanical and electrical install as possible, under the watchful eye of my A&P, of course, and then drop it off with my avionics shop to complete the wiring for the new systems.

The center piece of the new panel is an Aspen. Initially only installing one display, but I am going to install a second cable to the back of the aircraft so that eventually when I install the second display, I won't have to take the interior out again. As much as I would like to have had a GNS 430, it wouldn't fit my budget, so I opted instead to replace my KLN-90A with a kln-90B which will give me terminal and non-precision GPS approach capes. Also to be installed is a Garmin/Apollo SL-15 audio panel. All this will be mounted on a R&J new panel. That's the plan, Since no plan survives first contact with the enemy, hopefully it will still turn out good! Here is couple pics to set the stage. I will try to attach pics with every update. I hope every one will enjoy following along.

Jim

[N3322G]

Jim,

Thanks for sharing. Hope you are in a nice warm hangar for this work. It looks fascinating but is gonna' take awhile.

[Ray B]

"It's gonna take a while"! Don't listen to her Jim! Think like an old home builder the new panel is in and you can see the new screens in your mind! It's 90 percent complete! Remember, the only real time consuming maintenance item we have is the time spent deciding to clean the belly.--------- PS looks great so far! Ray B

[Jim Worley]

Well, here is the next installment. I have spent about 3 more days (approx 20 hrs) working on it. I have all the wiring mostly sorted. I finally got the panel fit and drilled for the extra warning lights I am adding. I need to add a couple holes for A/P mounting on the piece that mounts under the radio stack. While the panel is being powder coated, I plan on getting all the wiring, vacuum tubing, new lighting sources and rheostat mounted and ready so that the panel will go back in quickly.

I was very frustrated as I was working behind the panel. Over 50 years of piecing things together back there had left things in terrible shape. There were wire bundles that were split around control cables and power and ground cables spliced together in a huge maze. It was a frustrating nightmare. Hopefully, with my A/Ps help, everything will be put back in a much more thoughtful and correct manner that follows good MX practices.

I am so excited to get it back togther and fly it that I can't hardly stand it!

I also added a couple pics I thought some of you might find interesting. I flew the air defense CAP over the Superbowl a couple weeks ago. We were pretty busy for a while. THere were a lot of folks out flying including a person doing acrobatic training inside the TFR. We spent a lot of time running back and forth monitoring targets of intrest with radar and checking their sqwaks then handing them off to CBP UH-60's. I imagine the acrobat was very surprised when a helo landed behind him and a CBP agent asked him for his ID. About kickoff time, weather moved in and everyone except the airlines going into DFW quit flying so it go quiet. Eventually after 4 refuelings and 4 hours on station, we were replaced by F-16s from Denver. We then had to climb to 450 on the way home to fly over a line of lightening storms that streched from ElDorado,AR all the way to Houston. .95M got us home in about 30 mins to an ILS to a 500 ceiling. All in all a normal day at the office.

[N3322G]

Jim,

Glad to hear about the progress. I'll pass along something that happened to the twin that has already been corrected but may or may not apply to your install. The center stack had stuff added to the bottom. All fit well with the controls in the neutral position, however when the controls were used in all positions, there was contact with a component in the stack. It was found a decade later during an annual. The control cable had sawed a corner of the component. Fortunately no damage to the cable at all. Hope this helps avoid a pitfall we found.

[Jim Worley]

Thanks Pat! I'll check first thing when I make it back to the hanger!

Jim

[Jim Worley]

Well, I've had it ready for the avionics shop for about 3 weeks. Unlucky for me they got a contract to upgrade several helicopters on site and were out of the shop for about 5 weeks. Dropped off the Aspen and audio pannel so they coulod start building the harness today.

Does anyone know where I could get the pin outs for the factory installed audio panel? It is shown in the parts manual, but it doesn't discuss the pin out. It isn't even discussed in the maintainance manual. Having those would save the avionics guys time (and hopefully me some money).

Thanks for the help

Jim

[Zach Grant L1011jock]

Factory installed audio panel??? No such animal existed. Whats in it now? From the pictures it looks like a PS engineering audio panel, and they should have no problem getting the pin outs for that from PS if they don't already have them in house. They are very common.

-Zach

[Jim Worley]

Zach,
Maybe bad terminology on my part. In the parts manual, it is called a "radio junction box" and is on pg 3B13. Best I can tell, since I don't know what comm equipment was originally installed, it is part number 30310-00

v/r
Jim

[Jim Worley]

Here is a pic of the panel I put together on the bench to test the fit of the wedge lights.

[9089P]

Hi Jim,

Nice panel so far, I like the color. Where did you get the placarding from?

Thanks, Don

[Jim Worley]

Don,
I bought some clear ployester stock from the same place discussed in the post below and printed them on my laser printer. They look very good. I'm not sure about the durability yet. I'll keep you posted.

N8378P - PA24-250 Panel Upgrade

Jim

[MULEFLY]

"...from the same place discussed in the post below ..."

I'm sorry, I don't understand.
Jim

[9089P]

Hi Jim,

If you go to Board Index, Maint-avionics and go down about 12 threads you will find it. The pics are worth it. Here's the link;

https://labels.storesecured.com/

Good luck, Don