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<<       What  is the solution?
              1.      don't put the panel in until the top is on.
              2.      put nut plates on the chicken plates

              #2 would be my first choice. >>

Speaking from the perspective of 25 years in avionics:  #1 is the ONLY choice.

If you dare (and I mean dare) to put your panel in before the lid goes on you fully and completely deserve to pay your poor avionics technician the extra 100+ hours it will take him to access the inaccessible wiring to add the next generation of autopilot, moving map, GPS, etc.  At ~$70 per hour, that's $7,000.

Think carefully about access, not only for maintenance but also for modification and even complete replacement.  These are AIRPLANES!  There is not a piston prop I have ever encountered that didn't turn over its entire panel once every 10 to 25 years.  Pick up an issue of Flying or AOPA from only 5 years ago and tell me that you would have anticipated SFS, the MX20, Garmin 530, ADS-B, Meggitt displays, etc. etc. etc.

The same thing will happen in the next 5 years.  And the next.  25 years ago I was and am now lucky enough to work for organizations that recognize this and answer the "too far gone to modify" problem with complete replacement of the panel.  Don't wire or hysol yourself into a corner.

Eric

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