DR400 - or, fitting to a certified aircraft

[sky_high30]

We've decided in principal to go down the route of having FLARM and PilotAware fitted on a more permanant basis to our shared Robin DR400. Mounting the unit isn't an issue as there's space out of the way behind the panel, the issue we are coming up against is the positioning of the aerials.

I've seen a very smart solution which has all three aerials secured to the canopy via a metal plate - the issue with this for us is the canopy slides forwards, so needs a good extra meter of cable & is just going to get messy.

It's a certified aircraft so we can't go drilling holes ad infinitum and sticking stuff wherever convenient, which is a pain. Anything fitted needs to be "removable..."

We could put the whole lot in the rear of the aircraft on the parcel shelf...but no power there.

Any suggestions from those that have done it?

[Ian Melville]

Don't know if there is an easy answer to that. Can you make up some antenna mounts that can be velcroed to the coaming? you would need to use end fed diploes for both the PAW and Flarm. Something top hat shaped so the coax can be fed from below. I'll do a drawing if that is not clear. Downside is they may be in-your-face.

[Ian Melville]

Thinking a little outside the box, you could attach the antenna to the canopy once it is closed using suckers. I brought some small ones for not a lot of money and a couple of tie wraps. Not tried it in flight yet.