Operational: POH and checklist behind-the-seat pocket.

My POH is extensive and contains a lot of information that can be useful during flight.  However, it can be really hard to reach back into the baggage area to grab it when I'm in the air.  So I wanted to put the POH, checklist and other avionics manuals behind the passenger seat.  This would let me more easily reach around and grab what I need without much undue effort.

Thus, I bought some polypropylene, Velcro binder pockets and attached one to the rear of the passenger seat.  Now it's as easy as reaching behind, flipping up the cover and grabbing what I need.  In the picture below, you can also see the

• Red polypropylene, Velcro binder pocket behind the seat with the POH, checklists and other manuals.
• Zipper binder pocket affixed to the side of the baggage area on the right holding the operating limitations.
• My low-profile wheel chocks Velcro'd to the C-01438 Canopy Latch Torque Tube (hey, it's a convenient and out-of-the-way place to store them!).

This photo is taken from the baggage area, pointed forward at the base of the passenger seat.

Avionics: Screenshot pushbutton function.

I was exploring some of the settings on my GRT HXr EFISs and found that the analog inputs can be set to function as a screenshot trigger.  It turns out that one of the momentary push-button switches I had on the center of my panel was not useful (I had it wired to the GTX-330 transponder for a function that I had misunderstood, so the button was useless).  Thus, I've now rewired that push-button to function as a simultaneous screenshot trigger for both EFISs and changed the label with my label maker (this post details what I used for labels).

Level flight, dialed back.  Engine temperatures on left inset and ADS-B scope on right inset.

Steep turn.  Engine temperatures on left inset and ADS-B scope on right inset.

Vy climb.  Engine temperatures on left inset and ADS-B scope on right inset.

Engine/Map screen with GRT's map display.

Engine/Map screen with Seattle Avionics' geo-referenced VFR chart.  

You can see I deviated from the GPS track to go around the restricted space.

Seattle Avionics' geo-referenced VFR chart with altimeter and speed tapes and PFD left inset.

Operational: Light gun signal cheat sheet placard.

I keep forgetting the light gun signals and find myself relearning them prior to my flight reviews.  I figured it was time to put a cheat sheet in the plane.  Here's what I came up with using PowerPoint.  The background of the placard matches the interior paint color, similar to my fuse block legend.

Here's where I put it.  When I fly at night, I wear a headlamp in case I lose power and need to see my panel's steam gauges.  That will also let me read the placard at night too.

Avionics: Installed CO Guardian carbon monoxide and pressure alarm.

Installed the CO Guardian 353P-201 carbon monoxide detector.  It connects to my GRT HXr EFIS via a serial connection.  This gives me visual and audio warnings when the CO level is too high or when the cabin pressure hits 10,000, 12,500 and 14,000 feet.  I'm not too interested in the pressure warnings, but it can't hurt to have the reminder.

The detector (it's the black box) is placed on the passenger side behind the main panel on the subpanel, below the (unused) map box cutout.

Here's the right EFIS showing the output from the CO Guardian.  It's not important to see the numbers in flight, since the EFIS will annunciate with a voice alert if there's an issue.

 

Using my free, public domain flight data analysis tool, you can see from a flight the typical data from the CO Guardian.

 

 

 

I decided to also add an indicator light only because the serial connection to the EFIS is through the right EFIS which is on my Avionics Bus 2.  So if that bus is switched off, the EFIS won't be able to warn me visually or aurally (though the Guardian does have a built in 85 dB audible alarm).  The LED indicator would anunciate high CO levels should either EFIS fail or be unavailable.

Here is the five-place circuit board for the new indicator lights (original four-place setup from 27-Oct-16 can be found here).  Update 6-Jun-25:  I never used that board, keeping my panel with 4 lights.  But I did update the board to make the lights flash.

Though I had the board fabricated, I haven't yet installed it as I'm thinking it isn't really necessary unless the EFIS fails, in which case, I'd probably be looking for a place to land anyway. 

Finally, since I didn't have an open fuse position on my fuse block, I decided that the CO Guardian would share power with the Aircraft Extras Fuel Guardian (bonus that they are both "guardians!).  Thus, my new fuse block legend is below.

Maintenance: Tension rod broke.

During an oil change, I noticed that my baffle's left Outboard Tension Rod, CB-00025 was gone.  I'm guessing it's in some farmer's field somewhere out on the plains.  It probably broke where it was threaded.

I replaced with a fully threaded 6-23 Du-Bro R/C plane rod DUB958.