Anyone here install a panel mounted iPad in a Cessna 180? Looking for pictures of the layout, with the use of an AirGizmos or similar docking station. Thanks!

I installed an airgizmos iPad mini panel dock in my old 170. I'd like to do something similar with my 180 since I have enough panel space available.

For what it's worth, the new "Guardian" series of panel mounts seem quite nice, and have now received FAA approval (under the NORSEE policy) for installation in certified airplanes. Here's their press release: https://www.guardianavionics.com/Guardi ... t_b_6.html.

I wonder why AirGizmo hasn't gone through the same approval process?

This is a Samsung (android) tablet, not an ipad, and it's in a home-made velcro'd mount, not a dock.....
but here's a recent snap of the panel in my 180.

hotrod180, sure like the direction of your panel. Replace that fun-meter with a fuel flow, and you can wire it to the same GPS 232 output as the G5. In your successful battle with the FAA on non-TSO installations, d'you think the Flight Data Systems FC-10 would pass now?
What's on the Samsung, ADS-B in, Foreflight?

My G5 is a stand-alone installation, with only power & ground connections plus a remote GPS antenna.
Not sure what the "232 output" is, whether it's off the G5 or off something else to feed it.
There is a serial port on the back, as the G5 was made to interface with Garmin's GX3 flight display system in order to drive an autopilot.
The fact that it can function as a stand-alone electronic horizon is just a happy coincidence, I guess.

I don't have any experience with the Flight Data Systems FC-10, although I googled it up and it looks like a nice enough unit.
My old-fangled "fuel totalizer" isn't in the snapshot of my panel--
it's a piece of blue painter's tape with the tach time and fuel quantity at my latest refueling written on it.

I run the free Avare moving map / sectional / GPS app on my tablet.
It probably doesn't have as many features as Foreflight, etc, but the price is sure right.

As far as non-TSO'd equipment goes, my Garmin G5 was installed as a minor alteration with a logbook entry only.
It's 100% in accordance with FAA policy statement # PS-ACE-28-03, dated 9/14/15.
http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guida ... -23-08.pdf

I did have to include the backup battery which I didn't really feel was necessary, but paying an extra $150 for the battery was a cheap price to pay in order to keep it all legal. BTW if anyone's looking to install one of these, the STC'd version of the G5 lists for $2150 vs the $1400 I have into mine.

Thanks for the replies. Made a high-tech template (to scale), that should work well for what I want. Not much room in these old 180's.

Slight thread drift, apologies...

hotrod180. You have a Garmin 296 on the panel. Run a wire from the NMEA output on its power/data harness (violet wire, page 134 of the manual) to the NMEA input wire of the G5, Pin 4 on the connector. Then all the nav information on the 296 will display on the G5.

Now if you then go for the FC-10 fuel flow, connect the same NMEA output from the 296 to the NMEA (serial) input on the FC-10, and it will then reference to your waypoint in the 296: fuel to get there, fuel remaining after you get there, how many nm per gallon you are burning.

Here's some visuals:

My current Panel Layout, iPad Mini with the RAM Mount. Works great.




Currently working on something like this.

Something to think about... (using Foreflight) If you have room to mount the iPad horizontally then you get to select 2 more data fields on the bottom of the screen, 8 instead of 6. Not a huge deal but one of the reasons I mounted mine horizontally. More info displayed is always nice.

Karmutzen wrote:....hotrod180. You have a Garmin 296 on the panel. Run a wire from the NMEA output on its power/data harness (violet wire, page 134 of the manual) to the NMEA input wire of the G5, I think it is green. Then all the nav information on the 296 will display on the G5. Now if you then go for the FC-10 fuel flow, connect the same NMEA output from the 296 to the NMEA (serial) input on the FC-10, and it will then reference to your waypoint in the 296: fuel to get there, fuel remaining after you get there, how many nm per gallon you are burning.

Thanks for the tip.

Here's a picture of an ipad mini 4 mount I just installed in a 182. I used an airgizmo mount and angled it towards the pilots a bit. It looks and works great. Never took a picture after the holes were filled.

JP256 wrote:For what it's worth, the new "Guardian" series of panel mounts seem quite nice, and have now received FAA approval (under the NORSEE policy) for installation in certified airplanes. Here's their press release: https://www.guardianavionics.com/Guardi ... t_b_6.html.

I wonder why AirGizmo hasn't gone through the same approval process?

I have not seen the guardian mount before - that looks pretty slick for those looking for a more integrated look.

Thank for the replies and photos. I am meeting with the machinist today to get started on the panel.

Can you find anyone with a water jet cutter in your vicinity? Much cheaper, and if you're not completely satisfied with the result, you just adjust the plan, press the button, and cut another one.

I'm at the same stage in my project. A local welding shop is doing my panel cutout. He doing the first cut from a sheet of thin plexi-glass. We'll test fit it, ensure that we like the fit, which is easy to see through the test sample, and then cut a final piece from 0.100" aluminium.

Thanks Pinecone,

I delivered the template today. A friend of a friend has access to a water jet and CAD system where they work, and have taken on the project. I test fit the template in the plane today, after a few adjustments it seems to be about right. I'll look forward to the real piece being done. In the process I'll be loosing a couple instruments which are outdated, and replace with the Garmin G5.

Just a quick note regarding the guardian mount.

I have laid out a new panel for my little PA-11 with a center iPad mount.
I purchased the Gaurdian iPad mini panel mount without the optional power supply that they sell that mounts to the back.

In a 180 or probably most aircraft larger than a cub this may not be an issue, but the guardian mount is long - meaning the springs and spring arrangement are designed to probably be on the right side, or maybe the bottom if mounted vertically, and it adds lots of extra length in my opinion. It will force you to have unusable panel space over that area, and in a cub it's enough so I couldn't mount it horizontal as I wanted. Just too wide.
So, I am going to mount it vertically, but I have also modified the mount heavily to pare down the overall length. (Cut down, expoxied together and mounted upside down with rearranged spring mounts) (And partly because I'm very particular about how I want it)

I can post photos of the CAD (cardboard art designed) layout and modified mount if you want, but again, it may be more of a cub thing.

What I didn't find when I was looking, and personally surprised no one makes one since now I have a better idea of what's needed, is a short panel "dock mount".
I didn't buy the airgizmo partly because of the the side mounted external hold-down clip/tab, as the guardian is a very clean finished look. But in reality the side lock is functionally a better design. It allows for a smaller behind panel mount.
But neither of these two companies use a hard mounted docking plug? On the guardian its designed to "hold" the plug so you can manually plug in before sliding the iPad into place. On my modified unit I expoxied the plug in place so when I slide the iPad into the mount it "docks" and is automatically powered. I would create better physical mount if I did it again, but I had to work with what I had on this one.

So long story, but take a good look at overall dimensions, orientation desired in panel, finished install look, and how it will be powered/connected before purchasing.

Pb

Pinecone
FWIW, I recently had my new C-180 panel carved out by Lasermann Cuts in Red Deer.
They prepared everything on a CAD program, did a template for test fitting, finished product cut into aircraft grade aluminum which I provided ... Very reasonable cost. I highly recommend ...

Here is another mount, just got mine, looks well built, have not mounted it yet.
http://www.mygoflight.com/ultrathin-ipad-panel-mount/

I had a blank instrument cutout that was covered with a piece of aluminium. I bought a RAM circle mount with a pivot ball (4 small bolts through the aluminium) and bought the matching RAM iPad mount and it sits just under the dash pad in the centre of the panel