Instrument panel...finally completed. 50 hrs

It seemed to take forever, I swear that I am never going to climb upside down back under the dash for at least a month after the number of times I have folded my fat arse into that tiny space. Due to the fact that I am as non PC as possible, I have gone for a coal fired dash board. The new IEFIS screens are very pretty to look at, but I find that with the size of the panel on the Sonex, the size screen that will fit is bloody hard to actually use while flying. I fitted full size round guages with a MGL Extreme mini IEFIS to handle the engine instruments, it does also display the height and speed etc, but it's only a 4" screen. But it does add a bit of colour to the dash! I have pre wired it ready to fit an AHDS and Compass module, these are not needed but I will fit them under the seat once I've saved up a few more dollars. I changed my mind about 20 times in regard as to what radio package I was going to fit. In the end, the latest technology is also the cheapest which is a little weird, but I have gone for MGL everything and went for the latest V16 with a remote Vega control head. A note for the more mature readers of this, when programming the control head read the screen first and take your time as it's easy to get your right and left clicks ballsed up and turn it into navigational control head. It took me a couple of hours of frustration to work out how to put it back into communication mode........dumb old fart!!

The last photo shows the completed dash, all my wiring tidied up, my custom made hand brake stop which I am really please with and all the pretty lights working and talking to the RDAC in the engine bay and temp sensors working. It's now time to hook up the controls in the fuselage and wings and get ready for final assembly. I seem to spend even more time just looking at it dreaming!