I've started thinking about my instrument panel. That's why we build homebuilts, right? So we can put all those expensive doodads in them? Well, they're really expensive! So I decided I don't need all that. I'm going to have just an iPod (for those long flights) and three warning lights. A green one that says "All is well", a yellow one that says "You're screwing up," and red light that says "You're about to die."

The way I see it, those three warning lights tell me all I need to know. As long as it's green, I'm doing well. On an instrument approach to minimums, I'll keep moving the nose around in a spiral scan. When the light goes green, I know I'm aiming for the runway. If it goes yellow, I'm heading for the mountains. If the red one goes on, I take the missed approach. That saves me from having to buy an ILS receiver. If none of the lights are lit, that means I have an electrical problem. That just saved me the price of a voltmeter and ammeter.

If I want to know where I am, I'll look out the window. That saves the price of a GPS receiver. If ATC wants to know where I am, they can look out their window. That saves me the price of a transponder and encoder. If ATC wants to talk to me, they can send me a podcast. That saves me the price of a comm radio. With the money I just saved, I'll buy a lot of gas and practice a lot, which will save me from having to buy an autopilot.

On a more serious note, I decided I didn't like the stock fresh air vents, or the little brackets that the drawings call for. The vents are cheesy plastic and don't seal well, requiring a lot of RTV magic to avoid drafts. You can buy aluminum vents (for $122 each!) but the cheesy plastic adapter is still visible behind it. So I decided to build a subpanel for each vent, to hide the cheesy plastic adapter and perhaps hold a switch, knob etc. As always when I deviate from the plans, it slows progress down dramatically, but it's very satisfying.

Eventually, I'll break down and buy the expensive aluminum vents. I'm hoping the advertising is true and that they plug into the same bolt pattern as the cheesy plastic vents. For now, I think of them as drilling templates and hose length templates.

So, after all that hard work, I get to enjoy a few quiet minutes of cockpit time. At least the iPod works! I can wiggle the rudder and elevator, stare at my warning lights and cheesy vent, and listen to Mozart.