Cherokee 180 G3X Touch Installation - Has anyone done it?

[AvNavCom]

Hi everyone,

I searched the forum and didn't see anything pertinent, so I thought I would ask directly. I have a 1966 Piper Cherokee 180C on which I am about to do an avionics upgrade. Has anyone installed a G3X Touch into a 180C or other Cherokee 180? I'm asking because it looks like there's a decent amount of room above the yoke for the 10.6" landscape G3X Touch, but the installer has never done one in a Cherokee and isn't sure if there would be room. I have certainly seen them in Mooneys, Grummans, and Cherokee Sixes, but figured it was worth seeing if anyone had put one into the humble Cherokee 180.

I nearly pulled the trigger on a set of GI 275s, including an EIS one (just getting an engine back from a comprehensive overhaul) but the price differential really isn't that high for a G3X install. This aircraft isn't going to draw a single eye on the ramp, but she has low hours, flies great, meets 99% of my usual flight mission requirements, and I plan on keeping her long enough that her fixed gear might just become an asset when the insurance company eyeballs my increasing number of grey hairs. The avionics will be worth more than the aircraft, but as I'm not planning to sell, that's not really a factor.

Appreciate any insight you guys might have. Thanks!

 

[Jesse Saint]

I have done many Dynon installs in PA-28’s. Have you priced out a Dynon system? The Dynon isn’t quite a big in panel space requirement as the G3X, but the G3X should fit.

 

[MooneyDriver78]

Are you talking depth or panel area? Garmin has a pdf that when printed will give you exact dimensions of their boxes, then you can tape them to your panel to check if they fit.

 

[Pinecone]

My avionics shop has a Cherokee 180 that they use to demo. It has 10" G3X

 

[AvNavCom]

I have done many Dynon installs in PA-28’s. Have you priced out a Dynon system? The Dynon isn’t quite a big in panel space requirement as the G3X, but the G3X should fit.

Appreciate that! I certainly considered Dynon as it looks like awesome hardware at a good price, but I fly with Garmin Pilot and there's a lot of engine and flight data auto-logging that can be done with a connected iPad. As I'll likely have a full Garmin nav/radio stack, it seems like there's probably some merit in making sure everything plays really well together.

Are you talking depth or panel area? Garmin has a pdf that when printed will give you exact dimensions of their boxes, then you can tape them to your panel to check if they fit.

I'm not sure which exactly was his concern. Possibly the depth, although I suspect there's probably just as much of a space requirement for the GI-275 depths. I checked the AML and the PA-28-180 is on there, so presumably there wouldnt' be an issue. Thanks for letting me know about the PDF though. That's useful to know.

My avionics shop has a Cherokee 180 that they use to demo. It has 10" G3X

Perfect. Sounds like I shouldn't have a problem. Thanks!