Handheld GPS auto mount OK?

[Henry Kisor]

I've just bought myself a new Garmin handheld GPS. I noticed that the auto
dash mount is stuck to the dashboard with some kind of double-stick stuff.
Is it OK by the FAA to stick the mount onto my airplane's glare shield this
way, or do they consider it a permanent installation and require 337s and
stuff?

What about using strong Velcro? Will that pass muster with the FAA as a
temporary installation?

Henry

[Newps]

"Henry Kisor" > wrote in message
...
> I've just bought myself a new Garmin handheld GPS. I noticed that the auto
> dash mount is stuck to the dashboard with some kind of double-stick stuff.
> Is it OK by the FAA to stick the mount onto my airplane's glare shield
this
> way, or do they consider it a permanent installation and require 337s and
> stuff?
>
> What about using strong Velcro? Will that pass muster with the FAA as a
> temporary installation?

I've used velcro for my Garmin Pilot III for the last 5 years. I also
hardwired it into the aircraft. Couldn't possibly care less what the FAA
thinks.

[Dave S]

You have an experimental or certified, newps?

Newps wrote:

> "Henry Kisor" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>I've just bought myself a new Garmin handheld GPS. I noticed that the auto
>>dash mount is stuck to the dashboard with some kind of double-stick stuff.
>>Is it OK by the FAA to stick the mount onto my airplane's glare shield
>
> this
>
>>way, or do they consider it a permanent installation and require 337s and
>>stuff?
>>
>>What about using strong Velcro? Will that pass muster with the FAA as a
>>temporary installation?
>
>
> I've used velcro for my Garmin Pilot III for the last 5 years. I also
> hardwired it into the aircraft. Couldn't possibly care less what the FAA
> thinks.
>
>

[Kevin]

Dave S wrote:
> You have an experimental or certified, newps?
>
> Newps wrote:
>
>> "Henry Kisor" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>
>>> I've just bought myself a new Garmin handheld GPS. I noticed that the
>>> auto
>>> dash mount is stuck to the dashboard with some kind of double-stick
>>> stuff.
>>> Is it OK by the FAA to stick the mount onto my airplane's glare shield
>>
>>
>> this
>>
>>> way, or do they consider it a permanent installation and require 337s
>>> and
>>> stuff?
>>>
>>> What about using strong Velcro? Will that pass muster with the FAA as a
>>> temporary installation?
>>
>>
>>
>> I've used velcro for my Garmin Pilot III for the last 5 years. I also
>> hardwired it into the aircraft. Couldn't possibly care less what the FAA
>> thinks.
>>
>>
>
Amen !

[Stealth Pilot]

On Tue, 15 Jun 2004 19:39:19 -0500, "Henry Kisor"
> wrote:

>I've just bought myself a new Garmin handheld GPS. I noticed that the auto
>dash mount is stuck to the dashboard with some kind of double-stick stuff.
>Is it OK by the FAA to stick the mount onto my airplane's glare shield this
>way, or do they consider it a permanent installation and require 337s and
>stuff?
>
>What about using strong Velcro? Will that pass muster with the FAA as a
>temporary installation?
>
>Henry
>
>
I have what must be the world's simplest gps mount for the GPS2plus
GPS3 pilot series. works so well that the guy who borrowed my gps for
a ferry flight across australia made enough excuses that I gave it to
him and made another.
take a piece of 25thou 2024 aluminium sheet 5 1/4 inches by 3 1/2
inches. bend it into a squared "C" shape with 1 1/2 inch sides and 2
inch back. (you lose about an eighth in each bend)
then on the two edges make a quarter of an inch deep kink along the
edge.
ok? you end up with a 3 1/2 inch wide "C" shaped holder which slides
on from the back of the GPS and holds it with the screen vertical. The
antenae sits about an eighth clear of the mount.
I then epoxy on the base side one strip of hooks and one of loops.

epoxy on to the top of the dash a length of either hooks or loops in
the best position for use.

press the mount and gps in place and put a terry towelling hat over it
to keep it from overheating.

mine has been across australia 3 times without a problem. the spring
in the 2024 never seems to go slack and it holds the gps quite firmly.
the gps detatches and goes into my pocket when I'm away from the
aircraft.
Stealth Pilot
Australia

oh yeah I spray paint mine matte black.

[Henry Kisor]

Yeah, but what happens if you get ramped? That's my concern.

"Newps" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Henry Kisor" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I've just bought myself a new Garmin handheld GPS. I noticed that the
auto
> > dash mount is stuck to the dashboard with some kind of double-stick
stuff.
> > Is it OK by the FAA to stick the mount onto my airplane's glare shield
> this
> > way, or do they consider it a permanent installation and require 337s
and
> > stuff?
> >
> > What about using strong Velcro? Will that pass muster with the FAA as a
> > temporary installation?
>
> I've used velcro for my Garmin Pilot III for the last 5 years. I also
> hardwired it into the aircraft. Couldn't possibly care less what the FAA
> thinks.
>
>

[Robert M. Gary]

"Henry Kisor" > wrote in message >...
> I've just bought myself a new Garmin handheld GPS. I noticed that the auto
> dash mount is stuck to the dashboard with some kind of double-stick stuff.
> Is it OK by the FAA to stick the mount onto my airplane's glare shield this
> way, or do they consider it a permanent installation and require 337s and
> stuff?
>
> What about using strong Velcro? Will that pass muster with the FAA as a
> temporary installation?
>
> Henry

The FAA actually specifically says that items attached by Velcro do
not need a 337. Technically you need a 337 to attach a GPS via a yoke
mount.

-Robert

[Drew Dalgleish]

On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 07:44:30 -0500, "Henry Kisor"
> wrote:

>Yeah, but what happens if you get ramped? That's my concern.
>
IF you get ramped and IF the inspector thinks the mount is permanent
grab it with both hands and rip it off. The 2 sided tape isn't that
strong that it can't be removed. I think they probably see an awful
lot of these mounts and won't be concerned about it. Better to have it
firmly attached than flying around the cockpit in turbulance.


>>
>> "Henry Kisor" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > I've just bought myself a new Garmin handheld GPS. I noticed that the
>auto
>> > dash mount is stuck to the dashboard with some kind of double-stick
>stuff.
>> > Is it OK by the FAA to stick the mount onto my airplane's glare shield
>> this
>> > way, or do they consider it a permanent installation and require 337s
>and
>> > stuff?
>> >

[Elwood Dowd]

Henry, are you telling us that for all these years you have been flying
around using VORs, NDBs, and those funny colors on the chart for
navigation!?!?

For what it's worth, Velcro itself is held on with sticky tape.

If you ever want to remove it, beware trying to get that sticky stuff
off of Royalite without damaging the surface underneath---a little WD40
may help.

[Frank Stutzman]

Drew Dalgleish > wrote:
> On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 07:44:30 -0500, "Henry Kisor"
> > wrote:

> >Yeah, but what happens if you get ramped? That's my concern.
> >
> IF you get ramped and IF the inspector thinks the mount is permanent
> grab it with both hands and rip it off. The 2 sided tape isn't that
> strong that it can't be removed. I think they probably see an awful
> lot of these mounts and won't be concerned about it. Better to have it
> firmly attached than flying around the cockpit in turbulance.


If you get ramp checked, what the heck is the inspector doing pawing
through your cockpit? Hand him the required paperwork and put the sun
screens into place. He has no business inspecting the inside of your
cockpit.

Frank Stutzman
Bonanza N494B "Hula Girl"
Hood River, OR

[Henry Kisor]

What's a VOR? What's a NDB? I fly IFR -- I Follow Roads.

Just kidding. I've used a Trimble Flightmate Pro with yoke mount for quite a
while.

Henry

"Elwood Dowd" > wrote in message
...
> Henry, are you telling us that for all these years you have been flying
> around using VORs, NDBs, and those funny colors on the chart for
> navigation!?!?
>
> For what it's worth, Velcro itself is held on with sticky tape.
>
> If you ever want to remove it, beware trying to get that sticky stuff
> off of Royalite without damaging the surface underneath---a little WD40
> may help.

[Newps]

"Dave S" > wrote in message
nk.net...
> You have an experimental or certified, newps?

I have a 182. You can't possibly be worried about velcro fer cryin' out
loud, can you? For the power I took the cig lighter plug and snipped off
the cig lighter end. Ran the two wires into the electrical bus and used a 1
amp fuse from Rat Shack. Had the mechanic sign off the power cord. My
setup is neat looking because I have an avionics access panel on the top of
the glareshield. The cord just disappears down there from behind the GPS,
you don't even see it from the pilots side.

[Newps]

"Henry Kisor" > wrote in message
...
> Yeah, but what happens if you get ramped? That's my concern.

I submitted myself for a ramp inspection a year ago May. FAA calls it the
PACE program. You bring your plane and your logbooks for them to inspect.
They look over everything and tell you what concerns they have, if any.
Then you go fly with them for an hour and they put you thru a private pilot
checkride, more or less. It seems to be tailored to your experience level
and how you normally fly. I have found FSDO to be remarkably nice. They
didn't find anything on my plane that was even a minor concern and I brought
a lot of things to their attention. Such as my leather interior. Since it
has to meet FAR 23.853 for fire I simply showed him the piece of cardboard
that the sample material was attached to that I copied. He thought that was
great. I carry three weight and balance figures at all times in the plane,
on one sheet of paper. Depending on what seats I have installed you have to
look at a certain section of that paper. He thought that was pretty cool.
They pretty much only care that you have an airworthiness cert, an annual, a
medical and a pilot cert. As long as your plane isn't grossly illegal
they're pretty cool.

[Newps]

"Elwood Dowd" > wrote in message
...
> Henry, are you telling us that for all these years you have been flying
> around using VORs, NDBs, and those funny colors on the chart for
> navigation!?!?
>
> For what it's worth, Velcro itself is held on with sticky tape.

You want to see something sticky look at those little 3M pads that hold
satellite radio mounts on. You can get them off but you ain't gonna just
grab a corner and pull. I have a sat radio mount on the windshield just
forward of the forward door post, copilots side. Between the panel and the
post. So I fly along with the little remote control changing channels.

[Newps]

"Frank Stutzman" > wrote in message
...
>
> If you get ramp checked, what the heck is the inspector doing pawing
> through your cockpit? Hand him the required paperwork and put the sun
> screens into place. He has no business inspecting the inside of your
> cockpit.

I've never been ramped where he comes walking up by suprise but if he wants
to look inside he certainly can.

[Jon Woellhaf]

"Newps" wrote, "... I have an avionics access panel on the top of the
glareshield."

Please tell me more. I have a 182Q. Did you create the access panel
yourself?

Regards,

Jon

[Aaron Coolidge]

Newps > wrote:
: amp fuse from Rat Shack. Had the mechanic sign off the power cord. My
: setup is neat looking because I have an avionics access panel on the top of
: the glareshield. The cord just disappears down there from behind the GPS,
: you don't even see it from the pilots side.

I also have an avionics access panel in the top right side of the glareshield
of my Cherokee. I ran my GPS power cord through this opening, as well. It
looks very neat, the cord stays out of the way if I don't want to use the
GPS, and you don't see the cord at all. I glued velcro to the top of the
glareshield to hold my GPS (295) because the extra weight on the yoke annoys
my autopilot. The whole setup is very nice, IMHO.
--
Aaron Coolidge (N9376J)

[Newps]

"Jon Woellhaf" > wrote in message
news:zv8Ac.62220$HG.3470@attbi_s53...
> "Newps" wrote, "... I have an avionics access panel on the top of the
> glareshield."
>
> Please tell me more. I have a 182Q. Did you create the access panel
> yourself?

No, I assumed it was standard for my year. I have a 67 182K. The panel is
about 12 inches wide and about 8 inches front to back. Held down with about
12 little sheet metal screws.

[C J Campbell]

"Henry Kisor" > wrote in message
...
> I've just bought myself a new Garmin handheld GPS. I noticed that the auto
> dash mount is stuck to the dashboard with some kind of double-stick stuff.
> Is it OK by the FAA to stick the mount onto my airplane's glare shield
this
> way, or do they consider it a permanent installation and require 337s and
> stuff?
>
> What about using strong Velcro? Will that pass muster with the FAA as a
> temporary installation?

Sure. As (contrary to the statement of some others) will a yoke mount. It
only becomes a 'permanent' installation if you wire it into the aircraft for
power or for an external antenna.

There are some things you might want to think about, though, such as whether
the GPS sitting on the dash will obstruct your vision and whether it will
affect the operation of the compass. Also, it can get kind of hard to reach
it if it is sitting up there -- the ergonomics are not good.

[David Johnson]

Not liking yoke mounts, I considered other possibilities. I found
that my GPS (Garmin 92) would fit nicely between the old AN-type
DG and Artificial Horizon in my panel. The problem was how to
mount it there.

Looking around, I found that Garmin sells marine GPSs in the same
cases as their aviation units - and deck mounts to match. Removing
the ball swivel base from one of these provided a mount made for
my GPS that would firmly attach it to a flat surface. To provide
a suitable surface I fabricated an "L" bracket out of about .100
aluminum of similar length and width to the GPS case. The "L" is
actually an acute angle to provide an upward tilt. I installed the
deck mount on the bracket, then clipped the assembly to the brow
of the glareshield. Mounted in this the GPS is exactly where I want
it - front and center (of me), but in the way of nothing. I use an
extra large spring clip - available in any office supply store.

David Johnson

[Henry Kisor]

Thanks to everybody who answered my messages. Today I came up with a cheap
way to solve the problem -- an old yoke chart clip from Sporty's. A piece of
Velcro on the clip tongue and a matching piece on the GPS (Garmin 60CS
hiker/geocacher/marine model) did the job. The angle of the unit wasn't
exactly right for me, so I inserted a wooden wedge between the teeth of the
clip. Worked fine.

However, I've ordered a dash mount to see if that will work better. If it
blocks the forward view too much, I'll just use the mount in my minivan. I
also ordered a set of sticky sheets intended to mount the unit temporarily
so that I can experiment with it.

Henry


"David Johnson" > wrote in message
om...
> Not liking yoke mounts, I considered other possibilities. I found
> that my GPS (Garmin 92) would fit nicely between the old AN-type
> DG and Artificial Horizon in my panel. The problem was how to
> mount it there.
>
> Looking around, I found that Garmin sells marine GPSs in the same
> cases as their aviation units - and deck mounts to match. Removing
> the ball swivel base from one of these provided a mount made for
> my GPS that would firmly attach it to a flat surface. To provide
> a suitable surface I fabricated an "L" bracket out of about .100
> aluminum of similar length and width to the GPS case. The "L" is
> actually an acute angle to provide an upward tilt. I installed the
> deck mount on the bracket, then clipped the assembly to the brow
> of the glareshield. Mounted in this the GPS is exactly where I want
> it - front and center (of me), but in the way of nothing. I use an
> extra large spring clip - available in any office supply store.
>
> David Johnson