Approach FastStack avionics feedback

[murphey]

Anyone have opinions/feedback on this product?

http://approachfaststack.com

It's definitely one of those "why didn't I think of it?" ideas - sort of a plug & play for avionics stack. I've got a fair bit of avionics work to be done (remove a radio, install another one which requires a completely different harness, fix the wiring on the indicator, etc). When I total up the estimated hourly cost vs. this and a few hours of labor, this looks more and more interesting.

 

[PilotAlan]

That's the direction I'm going when I update my panel. Simple avionics upgrades are cost prohibitive when you have to create a new wiring harness. This promises to make incremental or single changes affordable.

There's a reason every component in a car or PC isn't custom wired into place.

 

[nyoung]

No personal experience with the system, but I've thought for some time that it is a great idea. Especially in light of the ridiculous mess of wires behind the panels of older GA planes.

 

[PilotAlan]

No personal experience with the system, but I've thought for some time that it is a great idea. Especially in light of the ridiculous mess of wires behind the panels of older GA planes.

Yep. At the first opportunity, everything behind the panel is coming out and getting replaced with all new FastStack wiring and new electrical wiring (there won't be much after the avionics wiring is bundled).

 

[SCCutler]

Assuming it works (and I do), it's a no-brainer.

 

[RotorAndWing]

I did use this when I installed my avionics in my Cessna 337. I HIGHLY recommend this.

I removed all the old radios and old wiring and used their system. All I had to do was hook up power, ground, lights and antenna. They will even build a pigtail for autopilot outputs and any other special request.

 

[weilke]

Haven't used the system. I HAVE dealt with the avionics shop that produces the system as a customer otherwise. They allways did what they said they would do and charged what they estimated it would cost.

 

[gismo]

Haven't used the system. I HAVE dealt with the avionics shop that produces the system as a customer otherwise. They allways did what they said they would do and charged what they estimated it would cost.

I looked into this for the last major avionics upgrade on my Baron but it looked like there was too much their standard products didn't cover. E.G. Radar, GPSS/alerter, Airdata computer, DVOR, etc.

 

[murphey]

OK, so the concensus is for a simple-ish setup, FastStack is the way to go. Now it's decision time based on what I need to have done:

1) remove old narco-compatible TKM MX12 & antique wiring
2) install SL30 and connect to the PMA 6000 audio panel, power and antennas (COM & NAV)

As much as I really hate the clutter behind the panel, I'm wondering if this is even economically practical. To go the FastStack route will take about $1K in equipment plus the labor costs to unplug most of the existing avionics, remove what wiring is practical and set up the FastStack cables. Because the grounds, power and instrument lighting wires are not part of the harness - they stick out separately and must be connected individually - there really is a fair amount of labor involved.

On the other hand, this is up=front costs. Down the road if/when I install either another VOR indicator or a GPS, the installation effort will be trivial.