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Instrument Panel Center Stack Height

avatty

Well Known Member
As we are almost into the holiday season, I am writing my letter to Santa Claus and eagerly arranging paper cutouts in the F-01467 instrument panel frame.

My question is how much height is available in the center stack area of the panel? I want to retain the forward canopy release but don't know how much room this requires at the top.

Can someone who has been there before provide a measurement for this? I understand that depth can be an issue, too, but perhaps more for outboard-mounted items. But would welcome comments on this, too.

Thanks!
 
I will try to remember to measure tonight. The subpanel cutout provides a limiting factor because deeper items like a GTN 650 tray will have to fit into that area. My arrangement was to put the ELT panel and annunciators to the left of the canopy release, the GTN 650 below that (as high as it can go in light of the subpanel cutout), my GMC 507 autopilot control panel beneath the GTN, and a few switches below that.
 
I came up with roughly 10.5” at the panel. I didn’t get around to measuring at the sub panel. I hope that helps.
 
I maximized space by putting the audio panel on top and the Garmin AP controller on the bottom. These units are shorter and don't go back as far as the sub panel.
In the very centre I have a GTN 650 & GNC 355 WAAS GPS/COMM. With these two in the middle I had to trim the bottom of the sub panel about a 3/16" to fit the tray of the GNC 355 in. There is about a 3/8" clearance on the top of the sub panel above the 650. Plenty of room for antennas and plugs. It should be noted that there is additional room to cut more from the top and bottom of the sub panel if required.
 

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Some more food for thought on the center panel layout. Canopy open the face is 11.75” high however closing the canopy removes approximately 1/2” from the top. Also the panel frame on the bottom goes up approximately 1/2”-5/8”. That frame can be cut and drilled thru at your comfort level. I chose to put some small switches/buttons there so small amounts of trimming required. Also behind the panel at a certain height is structure that I would NOT personally cut thru so that means deep avionics such as gtn’s cant go too high. Here’s a few pics of my choice.

P.s. why do all my pics go sideways when I post here?
 

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