New to me Super Cub

[phdigger123]

I no more had a signed purchase agreement on my Stinson V-77 and a guy across the field called and said, “I have a deal for you.”

Yup, I bought it. Sold a perfectly good airplane and bought a project. It is a 1969 PA-18-150. It has a new Dakota Cub wide body fuselage, Dakota Cub brake masters, new tail feathers, wings rebuilt with Dakota Cub ribs, spars, and the Wipaire 2000 lb gross weight kit. It came with a 3” extended gear, 35” Bushwheels, and a Baby Bush wheel for the tail.

It also came with a 0 SMOH O-320 with 160 hp pistons and a zero thrust line STC.

So, what should I do for the panel? Glass or old fashioned round gages? In the Javron I completed last fall I used steam gages pushed to each side and a full size I-Pad in the middle with Fore Flight. I used a Trig Radio and Transponder with a Trig GPS source for ADSB out.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Mike

 

[Farmer Hank]

I no more had a signed purchase agreement on my Stinson V-77 and a guy across the field called and said, “I have a deal for you.”

Yup, I bought it. Sold a perfectly good airplane and bought a project. It is a 1969 PA-18-150. It has a new Dakota Cub wide body fuselage, Dakota Cub brake masters, new tail feathers, wings rebuilt with Dakota Cub ribs, spars, and the Wipaire 2000 lb gross weight kit. It came with a 3” extended gear, 35” Bushwheels, and a Baby Bush wheel for the tail.

It also came with a 0 SMOH O-320 with 160 hp pistons and a zero thrust line STC.

So, what should I do for the panel? Glass or old fashioned round gages? In the Javron I completed last fall I used steam gages pushed to each side and a full size I-Pad in the middle with Fore Flight. I used a Trig Radio and Transponder with a Trig GPS source for ADSB out.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Mike

Your Javron panel sounds like exactly what I am trying to do now with my EAB Cub. Could you post a photo please?

 

[1934A]

Keep it simple. I like the looks of the early 50's cub panels. Small, lightweight, and with some of the new round instruments and gauges, you can have a ton of info in a 3" round hole. If you need a iPad, mount it remotely in a Ram mount. At the rate electronics become outdated, I would hate to mount it permanently. That's my $.02, take it for what it's worth.

 

[AK737]

iPad Mini- Ram mounted off the V brace. Foreflight. Trig radio. Stratus.

 

[phdigger123]

Your Javron panel sounds like exactly what I am trying to do now with my EAB Cub. Could you post a photo please?

A photo of my Javron panel as requested. I just used Velcro to mount the I-Pad. It works great and keeps the I-Pad at the same focal length as the rest of the panel. Old eyes, you know.

 

[rv6ator]

If you go the EFIS route, a 10" PFD is all you really need for a vfr ship. I installed an Advanced Flight Systems quick panel and it has all I need, com, gps waas, EIS, ADS-B in/out, CO detector. All the charts you will need are in the database.
I spent $22k on this panel, pre-wired, pretty much plug and play.

 

[bcone1381]

What you have in Post 1 sounds about perfect. Consider a CGR-30P engine monitor. Limit your navigation choices to portables. I like a round dial air speed. The Winter-6422 airspeed indicator has a 510 degree needle sweep that allows expanded accuracy around approach speed. use Auto Fuses and install them under due to limited panel real estate. Place Stuff you seldom touch (like transponder) put on the right side and stuff you often touch (like the Com Radio) on the left so you hand stays on the stick. I like my G5.

 

[mvivion]

I guess I’ll be the odd one out: I’m not a fan of the iPad’s “brilliance”, meaning visibility in sunlight. I’d stick to a Garmin GPS, either 660 or 760, depending on how big a display you want. Then, I’d put a round airspeed indicator on one side, with Altimeter below, on the right, a uAvionix AV-30C with a EI CGR 30P below.
Trig comm and xponder below the gps.

MTV

 

[a.crane]

Did this ‘54 a couple years ago for a customer. Dakota Cub boot cowl battery mod and move the electrical from the wing root. Garmin 660 and GTR200 trig xpndr. He already had the G5 and wanted to keep it.

 

[Paul Heinrich]

A-crane: I think that is an attractive panel.

Keeping up with all the latest technology, some panels provide an overwhelming amount of information. With so many buttons to push and knobs to turn just finding the information you need or want makes it easier to lose focus on what flying low and slow is all about. Your panel appears simple, yet informative. Good job.

 

[Farmer Hank]

A photo of my Javron panel as requested. I just used Velcro to mount the I-Pad. It works great and keeps the I-Pad at the same focal length as the rest of the panel. Old eyes, you know.

Thank you. That’s very helpful. I have my compass mounted in the center, but it is about 180 degrees out. Of course, nobody looks at a compass any more, and nobody cares if the correction card is anywhere near correct. If I leave it out, nobody will notice. Almost forty years ago I left it rolling around on top of the panel, and if I needed it I would hold it up right in front of my face! With all my mods underway, my DAR said to just make a log book entry and maybe log some test time. Anybody got a good location for a mag compass? I’ll post a pic of my tentative panel tomorrow.

 

[narrow deck]

…..

 

[DENNY]

With the usual high tech GPS Equipment most say a Compass is not needed. However!! I have my GPS fail enough times at hells gate or trying to get into Deadhorse in the scud that a Sirs compass is worth its weight in gold. It it will actually will show correct direction if calibrated correctly. It did take a hour of swinging the plane to find the best placement but well worth it when the electrons fail to work!!
DENNY

 

[Farmboy]

Didn’t we just discuss all this on a different thread? lol. It’s similar to the definition of insanity - continuing to do something the same thing and expecting a different result. Hahahaha

There are some really good photo threads on panel ideas in the last year or so.

I’m a fan of the 10” pfd and as little else as possible, OR 1-3 GI-275’s. As mentioned in the other threads 1 GI-275 is VFR legal. 2 GI-275’s is IFR legal. A third could be full EIS. Nice light and clean panel.

 

[KJC]

I think you panel in the Javeron Cub is quite nice. Solid and very functional. I did mine very similar except a different iPad mount for a mini. I had the gauges but if I didn’t I would have gone with a CGR30P instead of the electronic tach and CHT gauges. The electric turn coordinator is for my own paranoia that the iPad is inop and I’m suddenly stuck in he clouds. At least I could fly partial panel and possibly save my bacon. Unlikely I know, but everyone has their thing. I also installed NuLites fiber optic light# around the four bigger gauges. I hardly ever do any night flying but they help older eyes and the dim down nicely. I didn’t do a transponder but left an open spot for it below the Becker Comm.

 

[KJC]

A couple more things. The way I laid out the mixture, carb heat, cabin heat and windshield heat is the most logical and ergonomic way for me. The carb heat up high on the left side so you left hand goes up to push it in on the go around. Vernier mixture down low on the left so you never confuse it with the carb heat. Windshield and cabin heat on the right because they are less used.

I know nobody cares about a working compass anymore but but it drives me nuts if they aren’t working properly. Down on the left side was most accurate in my plane and it doesn’t touch my leg.

You also want some charge ports so put one in the center of the panel hidden below for the ipad and one over on the right in the map pocket to charge your phone.

There are lots of good panel ideas here if you search them out. Finally, remember nobody has to like it but you!!

 

[Farmer Hank]

This is my third try at a new panel. Engine instrument cluster is from a Robinson helicopter. Trig radio and transponder. Electric fuel gauges, electric prime, electric trim. There is a tube across the bottom of the instrument panel, so the panel cannot be as deep as a standard Super Cub. Comments welcome.

 

[Scott A]

This is my third try at a new panel. Engine instrument cluster is from a Robinson helicopter. Trig radio and transponder. Electric fuel gauges, electric prime, electric trim. There is a tube across the bottom of the instrument panel, so the panel cannot be as deep as a standard Super Cub. Comments welcome.

Looks good. Maybe has already been discussed - whatever works for you is best - but for me (being right-handed) if I were to have my right hand flying it would be annoying crossing my left arm over to lean the mixture or mess with it on a go around (if needed). It seems 'most' have that and the carb heat over on the left.

 

[rv6ator]

Here is how I did it.

 

[Farmer Hank]

Looks good. Maybe has already been discussed - whatever works for you is best - but for me (being right-handed) if I were to have my right hand flying it would be annoying crossing my left arm over to lean the mixture or mess with it on a go around (if needed). It seems 'most' have that and the carb heat over on the left.

Very good input. Thank you. Still trying to find a better location for the compass.

 

[Farmer Hank]

Very good input. Thank you. Still trying to find a better location for the compass.

Six inches to the right seems to be much better, so iteration #4 is underway. And I’ll put mixture control on the left.

 

[kase]

I updated to a Garmin 3. Nice thing about your wide body project you'd have room to put one in your panel and not velcro it to the dash.

 

[Greg Harvey]

Sorry but why is the altimeter sideways and the oil pressure at 38 is that normal..?

 

[Greg Harvey]

I am 1 year into a nick smith wide body cub but here is what we are doing

 

[kase]

Sorry but why is the altimeter sideways and the oil pressure at 38 is that normal..?

Non sensitive altimeter. I suppose who ever installed it wanted the adjustment knob on the bottom instead of the left side.

Yes, perfect oil pressure.

 

[Scott A]

Ha.. that would drive me bat .... crazy having the altimeter on its side

 

[Steve Pierce]

I updated to a Garmin 3. Nice thing about your wide body project you'd have room to put one in your panel and not velcro it to the dash.
View attachment 106905

I ran the Pilot III in the middle in front of the Vee brace with that tilt mount. Perffect GPS till I started needing glasses.

 

[TRDunn]

In the right side of the attached photo is my most important piece of Nav equipment in our PA-18A. It is a soft sided durable open ended envelope riveted to the interior panel. It houses all charts of any proposed operating areas. Scales 1:500,000 and 1:250,000 and even 1:50,000 if required. 1:500 used when looking out the front and transfer to 1:250 when looking out the side. If doing detail survey work, pull out the 1:50. “Data” easily updated by sliding out the superseded chart and inserting the updated version, never a glitch.
I only bring this up as another option as typical responses all revolve around electrons. I have instructed since 1985 and have witnessed a serious decline in basic navigation skills which I blame on the plethora of available electronics. Yep, I’m a dinosaur, however, basic map/chart reading skills are as important as fire craft for survival.
Only reason for the old GPS III on the glareshield is for current location marks while doing wildlife research. Biologist was getting tired of me taking the time to pull off chart.
I will never find fault with those who desire glass or install the latest tech in their panel, their money, all I ask is they are able to find their way home without it. TR

 

[hotrod180]

I updated to a Garmin 3. Nice thing about your wide body project you'd have room to put one in your panel and not velcro it to the dash.

The Garmin Pilot 3 was my first GPS-- an awesome improvement over VOR's.
I ran it for several years, then bumped up to a 196, then to a tablet running Avare.
I'm curious if Garmin still supplies data updates for the 3?
I know, the airports are still in the same place (unless they've gone away),
but when FAA drastically revamps the airspace (like they did in the seattle area several years ago),
it's really nice to have that info to keep yourself out of trouble.

 

[AdamW]

I had this put in a new to me Cub over the winter. Dual garmin 275s, 355 gps/com 345 transponder audio panel, Bose plugs and usb plugs

I wanted something that was ifr capable if I ever found myself somewhere I shouldn’t be but also simple



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