I am a new member to this forum, seeking suggestions.
Last summer, a freak "twister" windstorm flipped over and submerged my 54' 180 while moored on floats. I have owned and maintained this 180 for 38 years.
So, this winter is the major repair and refurb ...
The entire original instrument panel has been removed and all the wiring.
For layout and design, the "tee" column is a factor on the early models.
I am looking for basic VFR layout and have purchased all new instruments and radios.
For GPS I have purchased a Garmin 695 with Gizmo dock.
At this time, I am trying to decide on the best layout for the new panel and am seeking suggestions and photos of other early model 180's that have had upgrades ...
Thank you

Welcome to BCP- Sorry to hear of your misfortune with your bird of 38 years. I'm not sure many of us can fully appreciate how much that must have hurt. Good on ya for refurbishing her.

If you would consider replacing the T column with a U-style column, let me know. I have that mod on my '53 170B and love it. I also have a 695 in an Airgizmo dock, and it and my other VFR avionics are configured in a center-stack arrangement.

Another instrument I am very pleased with is my E.I. CGR-30P multifunction engine gauge. It makes for a really clean panel, and is a handy little unit. Consider adding a USB charging port to the panel while you're at it, for today's electronic accessories.

Good luck with your project,

-Denalipilot

I'd agree....with things torn apart as far as you have them, dump that T control column for the later U type. Yore at the stage where it's really easy, and you'll never regret doing it. You can either modify the T column or find a U column from salvage.

MTV

I don't think he needs to change to a U control column to have what functions as a center stack panel. He said he already has a 695 and Airgizmo mount which is less than 3 inches deep and will not interfere with the standard T column. He will just have to mount his choice of com above the T which at the worst will lower the 695 2 or 3 inches in the stack. If he uses a transponder, which he may or may not for where he operates, he just needs to place it in one of the lower panels, its not like you change the code every few minutes like tuning a radio. As for the flight instruments, the VSI is the one which will be effected by the T column in a "standard" six pack layout and those are fairly short and should not present a problem. Sometimes we change things because it "easy" or "now is the time while it is apart" but loose sight of the overall project goal. He has happily flown this airplane for 38 years without it being important to him to change to a different panel, I would not expect him to change his avionic needs to something that would require a U column for the next several years.

I am sorry for the damage to your old friend which has given you so many years of fun and service. Good for you to get it back flying.

Tim

Dash work has to be the hardest work there is on an airplane. Good or bad, you get to stare at it every time you fly.

I'd think long and hard about adding the 696 in a Gizmo mount. I've got a 696 and love it to tears, but it's old technology at this point, and it's going to be outdated much sooner than anything else in your panel. Considering how easy they are to mount in a RAM system, having a big hole in your otherwise lifetime panel, which may or may not accommodate the next thing to come along, doesn't make any sense to me.

Whenever the airplane gets sold a 696, or 696-sized hole in the dash is NOT going to be a selling point.

Advice worth twice what you paid for it...

That is an excellent point.
A mini ipad with Foreflight is more advanced and is portable and easily to upgraded.

I wouldn't bother with panel mounting a old style handheld GPS, just get a mini GA, maybe "install" it instead of your AI, since you're VFR anyways, frankly I'd trust it over most vac AIs, plus it's a full GPS.

Just mount it front and center where you would have had your old AI








http://www.grtavionics.com/mini-ga.html

I have been looking at that for a 185 but have a few questions.

It does list an engine monitor. But I see no mentions of probes. Do you have to tap into the existing probes if you have a JPI or other?

What about A/S and alt.? Can you legally tap into the pitot/static system?

T

Guys please read 54c180 original post again. He has already purchased his radios and instruments of choice and he knows that the T column can cause layout problems. He choose to make his first post here to ask for ideas and possibly photos of how to layout a panel using the choices he has made. He did that because he thinks that this forum is the best place to look for the information he is seeking. He is in all probability not looking to be told that he has made what you think are poor choices. Lets get focused on what he is looking for rather than telling him what he should have done differently.

Hammer, in my opinion if you are basing the purchase of an aircraft on the selling point of a $2000 portable GPS which is to be mounted in an Airgizmo standard radio rack width mount or a hole in the panel the size of a normal radio rack, you are looking at the wrong things when choosing an airplane.

Tim

FWIW here's a photo of my panel. I think it looks pretty good. I've shuffled some instruments / radios around from how it was when I bought the airplane, but otherwise I have to give credit to the former owner(s). I can ignore a funky interior behind me, but a good-looking panel is a must in my book-- as Hammer pointed out, you have to look at it all the time.

As you can see, the radio & txp are down below which I don't mind a bit.
Since this photo was taken, I've relocated the Garmin 196 to the far LH end of the panel and mounted an 8" tablet in the center-stack area.

There are / were a couple issues: the universal joint bolt & nut on the LH yoke shaft just almost touch the back of the DG when the yoke is full aft. If the six-pack had been laid out where the center instruments were slightly to one side or the other of the yoke, that wouldn't be a problem. Another issue was that the airspeed indicator interfered with the LH handhold on top of the panel. The RH end of the handhold was relieved to correct that problem. If the ASI & the turn coordinator had both been mounted a whisker lower, there would have been no interference. But both of these are pretty minor issues.

A u-column is nice but not always required. A friend of mine mounted a radio center-stack in his 54 model. The guy doing the work mocked up a clear plex panel before he laid out where everything went so he could see any points of conflict before he cut any aluminum. There was room for a com radio and a txp above the t-column, and maybe another unit but I can't recall for sure. It was a tight squeak but it fit above the t-column all right. Definitely a radio & txp with a surface mounted GPS or tablet below that should work.

hotrod180 ...
Thanks for sending me the pic.
The detailed description and constructive suggestions will certainly assist me in the building of my new panel. As sad as it was to have my 180 submerge at the floatplane mooring, the new panel and wiring was due to be tackled. All the old original wiring and ongoing mods was a rats nest behind that panel. Now step by step, the new panel and wiring will advance. There is absolutely nothing there right now, gutted, although as mentioned before, I have purchased the radios, instruments and GPS which I feel will meet my needs. I just need to make them fit in a functional manner.
bat443 ... Thank you

If I was doing a panel from scratch, I'd be tempted to go with LEMO plugs for the headsets. Never worry about batteries dying.

I took a couple of photos of my buddy's 56 180 yesterday. You will notice that he had to put the DG over the ADI. The DG was about 1/4 inch to long and hit on the back with the yoke full back. He said the the ADI is a RCA which I think he means is a RC Allen, the shortest on

Tim

well I am not sure how to add them to the post and don't have time to figure it out now, if you want to see them go to my photo album. thank's Tim

So sorry to hear about the 180 getting submerged. Good on you for electing to fix the ole girl back up!

Here are a couple of shots of my 182A panel. It has the older style T yoke but as you can see with a little planning you can still center mount some of the comm equipment, should you so desire.