From: Lancair Mailing List [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of marv@lancair.net
Sent: Friday, June 18, 2010 4:17 PM
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Subject: [LML] Re: Legacy Glass Panel Suggestions

Posted for rwolf99@aol.com:

 
 Stan -
 
 Your control panel looks beautiful!  I have just a few comments on minor
details:
 
 1)  The picture of the airplane above the wheel lights looks like it is
pointed at you, therefore the landing gear light on the right side of the
picture looks like the landing gear under the left wing.  I think it would be
better if the left light in the cockpit represented the left wheel.  Maybe
your picture should be of the *back* end of the airplane, or a top view.
 
 2)  Studies have shown that a long row of similar switches makes it more
difficult to identify the proper switch.  One must absolutely read the labels
rather than, say, activating the second switch in from the end.  Regardless,
the message is that long rows of identical switches is correlated with
flipping the wrong switch.  These studies recommend having no more than 5
identical switches in a row.  Perhaps you could introduce a gap so that your
ten white switches on the lower left are in two groups of five.
 
 3)  FAR Part 23 recommends having the flap handle and the gear handle located
as far as possible from each other.  Yours are one on top of the other.  Sure,
they are shaped differently, and I'm sure you have a "lift lock" gear switch
(must pull it out a little to raise or lower it) but you might consider moving
the gear switch to the other side of the left glass panel -- it looks like
there is room.  Besides, the front center of the panel is prime real estate,
and since you only actuate the gear switch twice per flight, you can probably
afford to put it over on the left edge.
 
 One thing I like is your use of engraved switches to minimize the number of
placards.  I have done the same.  You can get engraved master switches as
well.  As far as radio locations, my preference is for the audio panel to be
at the top of the stack, but that's only because it is what I'm used to.
 
 The panel is probably the place where we are most free to express our
individuality.  It's fun to see what each person comes up with.  Mine is
probably too "retro" for the 21st century, but it represents the era in which
I stared building.  All steam gauges and wood grain, with engraved brass
placards.  If I started it today I'd probably go for the glass.  I don't do
much IFR -- I punch through the California marine layer but not much else --
so the improved situational awareness of highway-in-the-sky, synthetic vision,
and the other cool modern stuff won't be missed.
 
 - Rob Wolf