From: Sky2high@aol.com
Message-ID: <157.7b56936.2980538a@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 12:57:30 EST
Subject: Thoughts on LNC2/Legacy Panels
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The configuration of the panels and canopies in 360/320/235s and Legacies 
provide some interesting challenges.

Panel Color/Finish

I once performed an experiment in my Skymaster by removing the tan Royalite 
instrument panel cover, revealing a black background for the black-faced 
steam gauges.  I found this greatly decreased the quality of my instrument 
scan, taking more time to extract the data from a gauge merged into the 
background.  This result convinced me to utilize a contrasting color for my 
320 panel - a relatively dark gray (not charcoal).  I also avoided a light 
color to reduce reflective glare off the canopy, day or night.  A gloss 
finish was chosen since the glass gauge faces cover most of the panel real 
estate, hence no distracting visual change from panel matte to glass in the 
varying light conditions.  However, if one is considering an ultra modern 
panel using Sierra, Blue Mountain, Meggitt or similar graphic displays, 
determination of the color and finish could be very different.

Panel Construction's Affect on Switch/Indicator Labeling

There have been many good suggestions on how to accomplish this feat.  As 
some have pointed out, there WILL be panel modifications at a later time and 
your labeling choice should consider the impact of such changes.  My 320 
panel was constructed in 1996 from the original (circa 1989) fiberglass 
panel, allowing for additions but no deletions or instrument movement without 
ugly covers.  Those of you using aluminum partial panels have the greatest 
flexibility since cutting a new panel is not a big deal.  I have been 
fortunate that the many additions have been easily worked into the panel.  A 
further suggestion for labels would be to investigate those businesses that 
produce vinyl or multicolored graphics since there is a fantastic variety of 
3M materials.  I used such a place to design, print and cut single and strip 
labels of shiny white lettering on the underside of clear vinyl (placed over 
the panel gray) or white on black (for application to control knobs).  These 
labels cannot be smudged, letters can be different sizes, printed on a curve, 
graphics can be used and the labels can be cut in any shape including holes 
for the switch over which it is placed. The data can be saved so a new label 
with a change in it is easily produced.  They can also be produced with a 
matte finish.

The Important Role of the Dust Cover (Glare Shield) and Lighting

Besides constructing the dust cover (DC) to not slice your forehead open 
after a sudden stop and to address the issue of heat damage from the 
open-canopy's parabolic focus of an aft positioned sun's rays, it is more 
important that it provide a glare-free forward field of vision at night 
(daytime, too).  That the covering should be dark and non-reflective is 
self-evident.  The DC should project aft over the panel as far as possible to 
shade the canopy since this is directly related how high the forward canopy 
"see-through" band will be.  The beautiful bubble canopy provides a wonderful 
reflective surface for everything that's lit inside the cockpit at night.  I 
have installed a Koger pleated cloth Sunshade (Van's Aircraft Catalog) for 
those long sunny daytime trips and have found an additional nighttime benefit 
of deploying it to shield much of the annoying canopy top reflection.   

If your plane is under construction and the canopy is complete enough to put 
it on the plane, mock up a panel and use a piece of cardboard as a test DC.  
Turn out the lights in the hangar (or garage) and get a small amount of light 
on the panel.  Sit (or stand if stub wing not yet glued on) in the cockpit 
and look forward and up to get an idea of the reflections - or, better yet, 
get a Lancair flyer to take you for a night ride.  

Although I have many internally lit instruments, avionics and switches, some 
small additional light is necessary for unlit controls and plates.  It is 
also important to provide a secondary light source for use in the case of 
some sort of main bus electrical failure.  To address both, I have used a 
low-current dimmable cold light positioned under the DC that provides enough 
light for the panel and to also read plates.  The product is electric 
pin-striping from California Neon.  There is a new product available called 
Hott Wirez that is similar and more compact. 

Scott Krueger
N92EX

Note Grease - Next, I am going to put purple neon tubes in my wheel wells for 
that nighttime UFO look.
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