METHODS OF MOUNTING INSTRUMENTS

The method of mounting instruments in their respective panels depends on the

design of the instrument case.Two methods commonly used for panel mounting
of instruments:

 Flanged Case Method

 In one design, the it is flanged in such a manner that the instrument
can be flush mounted in its cutout from the rear of the panel.
 Integral, self-locking nuts are provided at the rear faces of the flange
corners to receive mounting screws from the front of the panel.
 The flanged-type instrument can also be mounted to the front of the
panel. In this case, nut-plates are usually installed in the panel itself.
 Nonferrous screws are usually used to mount the instruments.
 Integrally fixed locking nuts provide for much quicker mounting of an
instrument.
 Clamp Method

 There are also instrument mounting systems where the instruments are
flangeless.
 A special clamp, shaped and dimensioned to fit the instrument case, is
permanently secured to the rear face of the panel.
 The instrument is slid into the panel from the front and into the clamp.
 The clamp’s tightening screw is accessible from the front side of the
panel.
 The clamp method is used for hermetically sealed instruments as
these are flangeless. The clamps are shaped to suit the type of case, i.e.
circular or square and they are fixed on the rear face of panel at the
location of each cut out.
 Regardless of how an instrument is mounted, it should not be touching
or be so close as to touch another instrument during the shock of
landing.
Methods of Illumination of Instruments And Instrument Panels
 Introduction

Instruments and instrument panels are illuminated during adverse conditions of visibility and
at night flying to observe their readings accurately. The color chosen for lighting systems has
normally been red as it has least effect on eyes. White light has less effect also, and this is
now being used in some current types of aircrafts.

 Pillar Type Lighting

 Called from the method of construction and attachment of the lamp, provides
illumination for individual instruments and controls on the various cockpit panels.
 It consists of a miniature centre contact filament lamp inside housing when push fit
into the body of assembly.
 The body is threaded externally for attachment to the panel and has a hole running
through its length to accommodate a cable which connects the positive supply to the
centre contact.
 Circuit to the lamp is completed by a ground tag to connect to the negative cable.
 Light is distributed through a red filter and aperture in lamp housing.
 The shape of aperture distributes a sector of light which extends downward over an
arc of approximately 900 to a depth of less than two inches from mounting point.

 Bridge Type lighting

 The bridge type of lighting is a multi- lamp development of individual pillar lamp, two or
four lamps are fitted to a bridge structure.
 Wiring arrangements provides for two separate supplies to the lamp thus ensure loss of
illumination cannot occur as a result of failure of one circuit.
 The bridge fitting is composed of two light-alloy pressings secured together by rivets and
spacers, and carrying the requisite number of center contact assemblies above which the lamp
housings are mounted.

a) Pillar Type
b) Bridge Type
 Wedge Type Lighting

 Drive its name from the shape of the two portions which together make up the instrument
cover glass. It relies for its operation upon physical law that the angle at which light leaves a
reflecting surface equal to the angle at which it strikes the surface.
 Two wedges are mounted opposite to each other with a narrow air space separating them.
 Light is introducing in the wedge (A) from two 6V lamps set into recess in its wide end.
 A certain amount of light passes directly through this wedge and onto the face of the dial
while the remainder is reflected back into the wedge by its polishes surfaces.
 The angle at which light rays strike the wedge surfaces govern the amount of light
reflected; lower angle, more light is reflected.
 Double wedge mechanically change the angle at which light rays strikes one of the
reflecting surfaces of each wedge, thus distributing the light evenly across the dial and also
limiting the amount of light given off the instrument.
 Absorption of light reflected into wide end of wedge (B) is ensured by painting its outer
part black.