Instrument Panel - Proposed Layout

[dothedr3w]

Planning on an edge performance ep912sti (basically a Rotax). I've got the 2 lanes titled as 'ECU', and the fuel pumps are just called 'FUEL'. It's my understanding that the Edge Performance doesn't require a 'start power' switch, I should get away with a normal starter switch running thru the Vertical Power PPS.

The generally consensus seems to be that avionics switch is obsolete, and I totally understand that sentiment; I went like 20 design iterations without one, but it somehow found its way back lol. I kind of like the idea of being able to power cycle the avionics without killing the master. For example, in flight and something is acting up, I can do the ol' turn it off and back on...if I'm out to lunch with this one I'm all ears!

[Eric Page]

I kind of like the idea of being able to power cycle the avionics without killing the master. For example, in flight and something is acting up, I can do the ol' turn it off and back on...if I'm out to lunch with this one I'm all ears!

That's why each item has its own power switch, or in the case of the EFIS, a key sequence to force a reboot. With modern electronics the Avionics Master switch is unnecessary and is nothing more than a single point of failure for every item powered through it.

The worst problem you might see is an EFIS reboot during engine cranking. That's easily addressed with a small backup battery like the TCW Technologies IBBS or the EarthX ETX104. Dynon has their own EFIS backup battery; perhaps Garmin has one too.

If you haven't done so, I'd recommend reading Bob Nuckolls' book, The Aeroelectric Connection. Bob's current state-of-the-art design for an E-AB aircraft with an electrically dependent engine is his Z-101B. Review the diagram, read the notes, and feel free to ask questions, either here or on the AeroElectric-List forum.