DG-300 instrument panel

Bill Daniels wrote:
I think your question was about panel layout and not the actual construction
of a panel, but the following may help even if it is a bit of a thread fork.

The 300 (along with all single seat DGs) uses a molded fiberglass panel
which is also the primary structural element of the instrument pod. It
might be possible to fold up an aluminum sheet replacement, but that
probably can't be done right with home shop tools. It is likely cheaper
and easier to buy a new blank panel from AMS.

Back to the original topic: there are two standard layouts that people
have used, both have three 80mm instruments across the top. The early
choice (from the days when most instruments were 80mm) was two 57mm
holes in the second row (one of which is missing on the OPs glider) with
an 80mm hole centered below. Later on, most people put four 57mm holes
in two rows in the lower part of the panel. You can put an additional
57mm+ instrument in the pedestal that supports the instrument pod, this
is where the radio usually goes, along with fuses, power switches, etc.

It is pretty difficult to come up with workable alternative arrangements
(although you can obviously omit holes), as there are various clearance
issues with the pod cover. You may also run into troubles with long
57mm instruments in the lower part of the panel, I couldn't get a B50 to
fit properly down there, and (while I haven't tried it) to get a 302 to
fit you may need to take the cover off the serial cable connector. I've
seen some ugly looking mods to the cover to allow for alternative
arrangements and deeper instruments, don't go there if you don't have
to. If I can find a picture of my 303 panel (latter arrangement above,
with compass in panel), I'll post a link...

Marc

I've sent the original poster photos of my panel before and after
changes I had done.

Within reason it is possible to fiberglass patch existing holes and
redrill them. I'd go this route instead of trying to fabricate a new
panel. I had this done to my DG-303. As Marc says the tapered sides of
the instument panel shroud are a problem. In my case this prevented the
normal Becker transponders or radios being mounted in the lower panel
cutouts. (the radio normally goes in it's own curout below the main
panel). In my case both 57mm bottom holes in the panel were filled and
a new hole cut in the center of this filled area to accoodate a Becker
radio, a Becker transponder was installed where the radio normlly goes.
Of course you lose an instument position.

It is also possible to cut the instument shroud and make fabricate on a
"bubble" to accomodate the longer instuments but I didn't want to do
this. Becker also makes remote mount radios and transponders but they
are more expensive and you have to find somewere to install the remote
unit.


Darryl