Why not a hinged panel?

As many of you may recall, we had the Skycraft landing lights installed
in our 235 last month. During our first night flight with them last
week we popped the 5 amp circuit breaker for the left side panel
lights.

This had no effect on the landing lights, which continued to work
perfectly (and, wow, are they terrific!), but after re-setting the
breaker once -- and smelling hot wiring -- we decided to have it
checked by the shop who installed the landing lights.

Sure enough, there is a transistor on the side of the box holding the
"bank" of switches in the panel that was intermittently touching a
screw head, causing it to short out. This was evidently caused by a
slight shifting of the assembly during installation of the Skycraft
switch, and was easily fixed by moving the assembly 1/4 inch and
re-tightening the screw a few more turns. They also put a dab of
silicone on the end of the screw -- just in case.

It's amazing. No matter what I have done in the panel, or which shop I
use, this kind of "collateral damage" always seems to happen. And,
after working under the panel for a few hours myself, it's hard to
really blame anyone -- there is just NO room to maneuver behind that
panel!

Wouldn't it be awesome if someone came up with an STC'd Cherokee panel
that had a piano hinge at the bottom, so that we could simply flip the
panel down, and get at the back of the radios, instruments and
switches?

Is there some reason this hasn't been attempted?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Yep.... it's called the FAA. Sorry Jay... no common sense fix for a
repetative problem outside the original certification is allowed. All 30 and
40 year old planes were designed perfectly, no changed required or approved!


Actually, if you have any good contacts at your local FSDO, you may inquire
about a field approval. Especially if you could find an STC or field
approval where it has previously been done.

Jim

You should take a look at the Trinadad and Tobago aircraft made by
(senior moment... what's the name of that French company???).
They have this feature for accessing the instruments.

Jay Honeck wrote:
Wouldn't it be awesome if someone came up with an STC'd Cherokee panel
that had a piano hinge at the bottom, so that we could simply flip the
panel down, and get at the back of the radios, instruments and
switches?
Is there some reason this hasn't been attempted?

As many of you may recall, we had the Skycraft landing lights installed
in our 235 last month. During our first night flight with them last
week we popped the 5 amp circuit breaker for the left side panel
lights.

This had no effect on the landing lights, which continued to work
perfectly (and, wow, are they terrific!), but after re-setting the
breaker once -- and smelling hot wiring -- we decided to have it
checked by the shop who installed the landing lights.

Sure enough, there is a transistor on the side of the box holding the
"bank" of switches in the panel that was intermittently touching a
screw head, causing it to short out. This was evidently caused by a
slight shifting of the assembly during installation of the Skycraft
switch, and was easily fixed by moving the assembly 1/4 inch and
re-tightening the screw a few more turns. They also put a dab of
silicone on the end of the screw -- just in case.

It's amazing. No matter what I have done in the panel, or which shop I
use, this kind of "collateral damage" always seems to happen. And,
after working under the panel for a few hours myself, it's hard to
really blame anyone -- there is just NO room to maneuver behind that
panel!

Wouldn't it be awesome if someone came up with an STC'd Cherokee panel
that had a piano hinge at the bottom, so that we could simply flip the
panel down, and get at the back of the radios, instruments and
switches?

Is there some reason this hasn't been attempted?
--

Deep instruments in the top of the panel will hit the glareshield.

Billy wrote:

Is there some reason this hasn't been attempted?
--

Deep instruments in the top of the panel will hit the glareshield.

Not to mention that you'll have to have a few feet of extra wire/hose
going to every radio/instrument. It could get kinda crowded back
there.

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

wrote:
Billy wrote:

Is there some reason this hasn't been attempted?
--

Deep instruments in the top of the panel will hit the glareshield.


Not to mention that you'll have to have a few feet of extra wire/hose
going to every radio/instrument. It could get kinda crowded back
there.

True, but I have seen a few homebuilts that had their panels designed to
slide out and/or tilt out. It isn't that big a deal to put a transverse
loop of wire harness and vacuum line to allow a couple of feet of movement.


Matt

Billy wrote:

Is there some reason this hasn't been attempted?
--

Deep instruments in the top of the panel will hit the glareshield.

Design the glareshield to flip up like a toilet seat.

Next?

--
Peter













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Jay Honeck wrote:
: Wouldn't it be awesome if someone came up with an STC'd Cherokee panel
: that had a piano hinge at the bottom, so that we could simply flip the
: panel down, and get at the back of the radios, instruments and
: switches?

: Is there some reason this hasn't been attempted?

It would probably take more doing than you think. That panel is a structural
component to the fuselage. You might be able to pull it off, but you'd have to add some
pretty significant bracing on the hinges to do it.

Just as an aside... our PA-28 hasn't had the interior in it for awhile. When I
installed all the avionics in it, I had enough room to fit my shoulders between the center
floor console and the side of the fuselage. When I tried working on my mechanic's plane's
avionics, he didn't have the interior removed. That extra inch was enough to not let my
shoulders through and was *a lot* harder to work with.

Don't get me wrong, it's still a PITA to work on... but it can often be made easier.

-Cory

--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************

On 4 Mar 2005 13:54:51 -0800, "Jay Honeck" wrote:

snip

Wouldn't it be awesome if someone came up with an STC'd Cherokee panel
that had a piano hinge at the bottom, so that we could simply flip the
panel down, and get at the back of the radios, instruments and
switches?

Is there some reason this hasn't been attempted?

There are a bunch of 'planes out there with hinged panels. They are
the cat's ass when they are brand spanking new. After a few years and
a few mods, you find that most of them don't swing anymore. And most
people aren't willing to spend the money to restore them to a
"swingable" condition.

As others have mentioned, it would be a tuff mod to accomplish on a
PA28.

Heh, you can swing the engine on a Super Cub, as long as some dumbass
hasn't re-wired it to make it non-swingable (see above).

TC

Is there some reason this hasn't been attempted?

There are a bunch of 'planes out there with hinged panels. They are
the cat's ass when they are brand spanking new. After a few years and
a few mods, you find that most of them don't swing anymore. And most
people aren't willing to spend the money to restore them to a
"swingable" condition.

Man, as an owner, I'd kill the avionics tech that made it "non-swingable"
(or whatever). Just think of the billions of hours of billable tech time
wasted because they have to take the seats out, etc., in order to get at the
backside of things...

Oh, wait... Ah. I get it now.

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"