I have been thinking about how best to make a permanent mount for an iPad in the DA40. I don't like drilling or disassembling anything unnecessarily. This simple solution dawned on me. It uses the existing dashboard mounting screws.
I worked out the dimensions on a drafting program. Despite the dashboard being mounted with 4-40 SAE bolts, the basic dimensions are metric. The end holes are 119 mm apart. Top and bottom holes are 36 mm apart. Laying this out I calculated that the Ram mount holes should be 43.6 mm from one of the end holes on each of the bars.
The bar stock is 1/4" by 1/2" 6061-T6 aluminum. I did not lay it up very precisely, just by eye. Instead of a no. 30 hole for the 4-40 bolts, I used a no. 29 bit to give a little extra play room. The bars are tapped to receive the 10-32 mounting bolts for the Ram ball bracket.
To mount it, simply remove the existing 1/2" 4-40 bolts and substitute 3/4" or 7/8" 4-40 bolts. Use two 3/8" 10-32 bolts to mount the bracket (Canadians will recognize the Robertson head in the photos ) Leave it all a bit loose until you have got everything aligned, then tighten up.
I have a 4" Ram extension bar, but a 6" would be better - it would get the iPad off my knee, and where it is at right now it just interferes at the extreme range of motion of the stick. I will order one before I try this in flight.
(Sorry about the picture orientation - not sure how to fix it.)
Simple iPad mounting solution
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- PIERRELFAI
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Re: Simple iPad mounting solution
is this a RAM mount? model#
I've had problem finding a mount for a full size IPAD
I've had problem finding a mount for a full size IPAD
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Re: Simple iPad mounting solution
No I don't think it's RAM. It's a generic Chinese model. I wanted the same solution for the DA40 I fly. I managed to track it down on the UK E-bay site from a German seller. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/362383211394. I imagine you could eventually track one down from an seller dealing with the generic stuff.
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