Avionics Upgrade

GMascelli

GMascelli

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GaryM
I made a quick stop at the airport to get 08Romeo plugged in for some pre-heated weekend flying.I forgot my keys and had to ask the Avionics shop to lend me my spares I keep locked up with them. It saved me a trip back and forth to the house and got 08Romeo taken care of.
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One of the drawbacks to walking in the avionics shop is the urge to window shop. I had been on the fence about updating my nav/com 2 from the Collins 351/251 and my Collins TDR950 transponder. I really want the added standby frequencies and flip flop capability on com 2, along with maintaining the second glide slope with nav 2. My Collins TDR 950 transponder has a problem with my Zaon traffic unit presenting bogus targets following me at 200 feet high or low, it's annoying. I priced out a few different units and was offered a unit from Garmin, the GTX 327 for just one AMU, it's a great deal.

KX155 w/KI209

Garmin GTX 327

Soooooo......for the heck of it I asked for a quote and approximate schedule to install. The price breakdown follows:

KX155 Nav/Com Excellent Condition - 1500
GTX327 Transponder Excellent Condition- 1000
KI209 Glide Slope - 750
Labor @32 hours- 2300
Misc Parts - 100
Totals out at $5650

The resale value of the Collins 251/351 Nav/Com is around $350 for each and the TDR 950 is going for $600. I figure with resale I should recover $1000-$1300. $5650 initial cost minus the resale of current equipment $1200 leaves a balance of $4500.00.

I placed my name on the schedule......God help me.
 
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That's actually a good deal, we priced out a new KX165 with nav head, and the estimate was 5500.
 
DutchessFlier said:
Gary: Why not go for a GTX330 and get the TIS?
Click to expand...

I gave that some thought, but I'm satisfied with the Zaon/Garmin 496 hook up and display. The 327 was in excellent condition and I thought the price would be pretty hard to beat.

I am still thinking about going with a Garmin 430.......I have some time since I'm well down on the list for service. For now they are holding the equipment I noted and thats a great start.
 
430/was. With the new Garmins hitting the market, the price on used should be dropping... sometime soon. Or maybe a 530 since we're not as young as we used to be.
TIS is good but not always there. Mine tells me when TIS isn't available but not when it is; usually about 200' AGL on final. That is annoying (and probably a user setup option).
 
Avionics upgrades are always fun... until you have to pay the bill. :)

We have those old Collins units in the 310 also, with a 530. I figure that when they go out we'll change out the transponder with a 327 or 330, and when the Nav/Com goes out we'll probably add a 430. I'd rather have the 530/430 combo - spending a couple thousand dollars to just get flip/flop capability I don't think is worth it. But an extra GPS Nav/Com will provide a lot more functionality, as well as also give you more resale value.

Just some thoughts. :)

By the way, how do you like your Zaon? That's one of the units we've been considering...
 
Ted. Co-owner has one of the portable Zaon things.

In terminal areas it babbles incessantly. The traffic is probably there somewhere. Rarely see it. Highly distracting.

But that happens with FF also, so...

It seems to work better out away from high density traffic areas and does seem to call traffic in higher density areas but it's generally talking so much that it's more annoying than useful, IMHO. ;)
 
bartmc said:
Find an SL30 instead of the KX155. it's ALMOST 2 NAV and 2 Comms
Click to expand...

While I like my sl30 it is about twice the price. It's a bit of overkill for nav/com 2 as long as the audio panel is fairly modern. I really don't need to monitor three frequencies...
 
Gary why do you need a new OBS head ? And doesn't the 251 support the GS on the current OBS head? Or is the GS just TU period?
 
AdamZ said:
Gary why do you need a new OBS head ? And doesn't the 251 support the GS on the current OBS head? Or is the GS just TU period?
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Yes, the nav 2 - collins 351 drives the GS on the OBS/CDI. It works fine, I want to keep that GS ability on Nav 2 but upgrade the radios and transponder.
 
If you wanted it to look really cool, you could add a Garmin 340 Audio Panel... I'm a big fan of them. :)
 
I've got the panel off the Yukon seeing if I feel like routing power and coax through this box to mount the 2-way radio gear.

aefda1b7-ed94-144c.jpg


Does that count as an avionics upgrade? I'm checking to see if the EFJ radio is too tall/deep before I go after the center tray with the Dremel.

Heh heh. After that, the Icom and the Yaesu get remote mounted. Maybe.

Right now it's looking like a serious chore to get power and coax behind this box.
 
The 327 and 330 are great units. Given the little additional cost, the 330 and it's display on your 530 might be a good deal, and eliminate cables, wires. When available, TIS is pretty remarkable and points out traffic that can be close by and still not visible.
 
Well, I'm going with plan 'B' the WAAS upgrade.

Garmin GTX 327 $1000
Garmin WAAS Upgrade $2995
Labor 16 hr $1120
Misc items $85
Shipping $60

TOTAL $5260.00

I am still on the hunt for a 430, I would love to have that in place of the collins equipment and the added extra IFR GPS. Maybe an audio panel upgrade next year this time, looking at the PMA8000B.

It looks like I will have two Data cards for sale soon! Anyone know if I need to change my Jeppesen USB plug in??
 
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Gary:

If that is a firm quote for the work, that is a very good price. I paid Nearly at much for my WAAS upgrade, and that was when the box part was only $1500.00, plus no new xpdr.
 
SCCutler said:
Gary: If that is a firm quote for the work, that is a very good price. I paid Nearly at much for my WAAS upgrade, and that was when the box part was only $1500.00, plus no new xpdr.
Click to expand...

Have it on paper, will add my signature and drop off a deposit.

steingar said:
Of course Gary gets a good rate. He's a nice guy.
Click to expand...

I wish that got me a better rate....heck I know the good looks rate does not apply to me either. :rolleyes:
 
Did the quote include the waas antenna and cabling? If you're thinking about adding a 430waas in the future, you might consider having them install the second antenna and cabling at the same time to save the cost of ripping out your headliner a second time.

You will need a new card writer and new cards as well. A waas box will not crossfill into a legacy box if I recall. Still, the waas box works a lot better than a legacy.
 
AcroBoy said:
Did the quote include the waas antenna and cabling? If you're thinking about adding a 430waas in the future, you might consider having them install the second antenna and cabling at the same time to save the cost of ripping out your headliner a second time.

You will need a new card writer and new cards as well. A waas box will not crossfill into a legacy box if I recall. Still, the waas box works a lot better than a legacy.
Click to expand...

Yes, antenna and coax included. It looks like the Jeppesen blue G2 reader will work.
Features

  • Your Garmin GPS avionics unit will always be up-to-date with the latest Jeppesen NavData by using this USB drive to download updates and install them on your avionics unit
  • Compact and portable USB reader/writer
  • Compatible with Garmin 150/150XL, 155/155XL, 165, GNS 250/250XL, 255, GNC 300/300XL, GNS 400 & 500 series, and GNS 400&500 WAAS series
  • Windows 7.0, XP, Vista compatible, both 32-bit and 64-bit installations are supported
  • Works with JSUM (Jeppesen Service Update Manager) for NavData updates
  • USB 1.0, 1.1 and 2.0 compatible
 

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I just got a text from Mary she wants to know if the GTX 327 and WAAS will enable you to get the Shopping Channel on the 530 inflight.
 
GMascelli said:
I am still on the hunt for a 430, I would love to have that in place of the collins equipment and the added extra IFR GPS.
Click to expand...
If you have one 430W and one 430, they cannot use the same DB so you don't get to use the trick of putting the previous cycle on the backup GPS for free. You also can't crossfeed flight plans between those units.
 
For not a lot more you could add traffic with a GTX 330, and again, if you're considering a waas 430 sometime in the future, it might save some money in the long run to have the second waas antenna and cable installed at the same time.

At least my AP tracks the gps glide slope like it's on rails, much more stable than a ils. The next minor box for me is going to be roll steering.
 
AdamZ said:
I just got a text from Mary she wants to know if the GTX 327 and WAAS will enable you to get the Shopping Channel on the 530 inflight.
Click to expand...

She said as long as the David Yurman channel is on there she's happy. Ask Tam about David Yurman......then run.....fast!;)
 
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