...As I complete my panel
installation this winter, I will make sure that there are electrical connectors
allowing me to disconnect the panel for easy removal. Haven't figured out
how to disconnect the pitot-static and vacuum lines -- I'll probably just pull
them off somewhere and buy another pitot-static check when I put it back
together.
Due to the large number of instrument/etc
that use pitot and static sources on our IV-P panels, I made manifolds out of
Delrin and mounted them to the side of the radio stack frame. I then connected
all instruments with nylon fittings and nylaflow tubing. This method provides
only one pitot and one static line that needs to be disconnected to remove the
"complete" panel. I used a "standard" nylon compression fitting for
this.
Another approach you might consider is to use the high quality
nylon/stainless quick disconnect fittings used on oxygen systems. Mountain High,
among others uses and can provide them, but I don't know the original source.
BlueMountain Avionics (EFIS One) uses five of these to connect their computer to
the various air sources. They are quick and easy to attach/disconnect,
and have proven very sturdy and
leak resistant to date. One caution
with this approach--it would be very easy to reverse the connections upon
re-installation. I'd mark them carefully, and run a ground check just to be
sure...
I'm still working on my "removable" panel,
but we've finished Jim White's (N427JR) and it's flying. As Jim said yesterday
while we were re-calibrating some of his instruments, "It's removeable, as we
agreed to build it; but I certainly hope we don't have to ever really have
to do it...." Based on our experience, I'd recommend that you also consider
including some sub-panels that can be removed/pulled out for access to the
back side of the main panel. On the IV, access over the top or from the
bottom are just about impossible; I suspect this is the case for all
models?
Bob Pastusek
N437RP