Jabiru J450 Constructors Manual
Post-Paint>Fuselage>Assemble instrument panel
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
209 of 343
Fit analogue instrumentation
Analogue instrumentation (ASI, ALT, VSI, ETC, engine instruments) will require each
individual wire to be connected to the back of each instrument. There are 3 methods of fitting
analogue instruments: screws though the panel and into the instrument (flight
instrumentation), or retaining brackets or retaining screw rings (engine instrumentation).
The photo above shows the analogue instrumentation for a Standard panel. Note the
Garmin
GPS bracket above the circuit breakers. The angle of the bracket faces the GPS unit towards
the pilot: in the photo above the bracket has been bent to face the GPS slightly upwards too.
When fitting the flight instruments the gold anodized captive nuts are first inserted into the
rear of the screw holes in the instrument and then held in place with a finger while the screw
is fitted from the front, through the panel and the instrument, and tightened.
There is not a lot of room around the instruments so the order of fitting is important.
Generally the approach is to start from the centre of the panel with the engine instruments:
CHT, Oil pressure and temperature and Voltmeter, and then move to the Tacho and then the
VSI and ETC.
At this time the 2 points at the bottom of the panel should be placed on a known level surface
and the balance ball (circled above) should be checked to see if it is in the centre.
If it is not, remove the instrument and enlarge the mounting holes slightly (to about 3/16”)
then refit the instrument and rotate it until the balance ball sits correctly when the panel is
held level then tighten the screws.
Now the Altimeter and ASI can be fitted along with the wing tank fuel level digital gauges.