421: Cockpit, cockpit

A few days ago I received an email from Michael Basler who told me that he was scratching his head about the placement of the Generic PFD because, “You know, I have that X-Top panel with the sixpack where it belongs plus three additional FIPS at the right hand side…I just can’t map this onto my fixed X-Top panel.”

Just in case there are others who have similar bewilderment, here’s my suggestion to him that he could replace the Attitude Indicator with the new PFD as shown below.   Therefore the new “glass-cockpit” instrument could situate in the center of attraction with other needle gauges around supplementing it.   

Furthermore, we could also configure the gauge line-up accordingly so that the Attitude Indicator could be toggled back to the cockpit layout whenever needed.

This replacement strategy is actually recommended in real life as seen from an article regarding Garmin G5 published by AOPA last year.

(Edit: Here’s another article I found on Air Facts involving the use of G5 as well.)

The G5 style HSI under the PFD as shown in the article should come soon.

Regarding cockpit, a new friend Cor Rademaker from the Netherlands has submitted some photos of his home cockpit yesterday.   You could see them in the Cockpits section here.

In addition, an old friend Mario Cote from Canada also sent in some photo updates about his newly DIY Park Brake and GPS components.   They are posted in the Cockpit section as well.

(Edit:
Many friends have shown interests in Cor’s cockpit panel and wonder where he got it.   Here’s the reply: “I have developed the panel myself, I am a metal worker so had the tools to manufacture it, the panel itself was lasered cutting. For the top I used flexible plywood and have covered it with foam and imitation leather.”)