Choosing upgrades/mods

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Apache123

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Hey, Steve!
Just wondering how you guys choose your upgrade priorities when it comes to powerplant vs airframe vs avionics vs paint vs simply selling what you have and trying to buy a new bird with the upgrade you were considering.

So many things that are shiny, but the budget says we must prioritize and choose.
 
Apache123 said:
Just wondering how you guys choose your upgrade priorities when it comes to powerplant vs airframe vs avionics vs paint vs simply selling what you have and trying to buy a new bird with the upgrade you were considering.

So many things that are shiny, but the budget says we must prioritize and choose.
Click to expand...

Rather than specific components of the airplane, how about functionality first? Of course if I total up all the improvements (very few were due to ADs) I have no doubt I could have bought another airplane. But there's no guarantee I could find one with all the features I wanted for the comparable expense. My rule of thumb is 1) Safety 2) Comfort 3) Cosmetics. It's unlikely I'll ever paint the airplane, just not economically practical.

I know most of the first couple years I concentrated on safety issues:
1. Shoulder harnesses
2. strobes
3. rebuilt seats that where the foam had completely disintegrated

Then I went for functionality because a local shop (no longer in business) pretty much trashed the entire pitot system, so most of the instruments were either rebuilt or new.

Next step was better functionality in the avionics. The airplane was VFR-day and I upgraded everything needed for IFR. Installed an engine monitor. A GPS is not economically feasible this year - I really need to replace the 30 yr old appliances in the house. I'd really like an Aspen, but again, not this year. Or probably next year, either. I can justify the GPS but I really want the Aspen. What can I say, I'm a geek!

In 2011 during the engine overhaul it was time for more comfort. All new interior, ran wiring for the 406 ELT (possibly this year's purchase, haven't decided yet), removed 10 pounds of 45 yr old wiring, etc.

Unless you have an STC for either turbo or different engine, not much upgrade is possible with the powerplant. Airframe - some mods make sense, some don't. Depends entirely on the airplane and ROI (return on investment).

What it really comes down to is your comfort level with the airplane. Do you want to spend the money to make it what you want, or do you want to go try and find something either what you want or close to it, knowing you'll still have to spend some $$$.

And the ever present definition of "mission". Does the airplane you have now satisfy 80-90% of your requirements?
 
Apache123 said:
Just wondering how you guys choose your upgrade priorities when it comes to powerplant vs airframe vs avionics vs paint vs simply selling what you have and trying to buy a new bird with the upgrade you were considering.

So many things that are shiny, but the budget says we must prioritize and choose.
Click to expand...


What's most important to YOU?
 
If you have the plane you want to own, spending some money on creature comforts, accessories (lighting, etc.) and panel goodies may be of value insofar as helping you enjoy it.

If you want more performance, buy another plane.
 
murphey said:
Rather than specific components of the airplane, how about functionality first? Of course if I total up all the improvements (very few were due to ADs) I have no doubt I could have bought another airplane. But there's no guarantee I could find one with all the features I wanted for the comparable expense. My rule of thumb is 1) Safety 2) Comfort 3) Cosmetics. It's unlikely I'll ever paint the airplane, just not economically practical.

I know most of the first couple years I concentrated on safety issues:
1. Shoulder harnesses
2. strobes
3. rebuilt seats that where the foam had completely disintegrated

Then I went for functionality because a local shop (no longer in business) pretty much trashed the entire pitot system, so most of the instruments were either rebuilt or new.

Next step was better functionality in the avionics. The airplane was VFR-day and I upgraded everything needed for IFR. Installed an engine monitor. A GPS is not economically feasible this year - I really need to replace the 30 yr old appliances in the house. I'd really like an Aspen, but again, not this year. Or probably next year, either. I can justify the GPS but I really want the Aspen. What can I say, I'm a geek!

In 2011 during the engine overhaul it was time for more comfort. All new interior, ran wiring for the 406 ELT (possibly this year's purchase, haven't decided yet), removed 10 pounds of 45 yr old wiring, etc.

Unless you have an STC for either turbo or different engine, not much upgrade is possible with the powerplant. Airframe - some mods make sense, some don't. Depends entirely on the airplane and ROI (return on investment).

What it really comes down to is your comfort level with the airplane. Do you want to spend the money to make it what you want, or do you want to go try and find something either what you want or close to it, knowing you'll still have to spend some $$$.

And the ever present definition of "mission". Does the airplane you have now satisfy 80-90% of your requirements?
Click to expand...

Awesome write-up thank you.

While we have the plane passively listed here and there, we're just weighing upgrading it slowly over time to a geronimo as well as better avionics versus just trying to sell harder than a one-liner in barnstormers and here and buying another bird.

Right now 50% of flights are two adults and a baby, the other 50% are four adults and a baby. There are two more babies on the way, so in the near future that will likely bump up to half of my flights being two adults and two children and the other half being up to four adults and up to three children (or there's a chance when they have their child they won't want be able to fly with us, thus nixing this requirement off the list).

The geronimo powerplant would give us greater a greater useful load and a much safer margin for OEI performance (being 200AGL around here and having 700fpm OEI would be amazing).

The interior isn't the best, but it has been stated as very comfortable by everyone who's been in the back.

My panel is technically IFR legal, but I'll be leaving that part alone since it's been discussed in a previous thread having only two KX-170b w/ GS will make the training and the test simpler.

I would like the jpi fuel flow for twins, but it is more a nice-to-have versus must have (though I'd rather know what my fuel flow/quantity is).

Then there's the extended tanks, I have a quote from diamondaire who will put in the outboard tanks for the apache at about 9k~10k (mine only has the inboard tanks).

Then there's the basic speed mods, but that'd be much further down the road.
 
Going from most important to least (for me):

-Engine
-Avionics
-Aesthetics
 
What is most important to me is "usefulness!" If a WAAS gps is it, or floats, just depends on what you want to get out of it.
 
Apache123 said:
Just wondering how you guys choose your upgrade priorities when it comes to powerplant vs airframe vs avionics vs paint vs simply selling what you have and trying to buy a new bird with the upgrade you were considering.

So many things that are shiny, but the budget says we must prioritize and choose.
Click to expand...

I had a Cherokee with every speed mod you can get and it flew like a Cherokee...

Still wouldn't it be nice if it had a Garmin 430W $15k installed; how about a wing leveler? $7500; how about engine analyzer $2000, what about fuel flow $450. Well it just did not make sense.

When I bought the Comanche I came up with a list of "to Do's" and wish list:

Leather interior and seats $8-9k
Speed mods LFS $7-8k
Single Tine forks-landing gear $3k
Garmin 530 $20k
autopilot $15k
engine analizer $5k
New paint $15k
FWF rebuilt engine with turbos/waste gates $45k

and when I totaled the list of add-ons the amount was $120,000 not including the amount I paid for the plane already. So I decided that I wouldn't start down that track.

So if you want a different plane it is much cheaper to sell/trade what you got and move that way.

This is one area where I have to agree with Gieco-better to own a home built or experimental if you want to pay as you go with upgrades as they are much cheaper and possibly do add value to the ultimate plane you sell.
 
How did you spend 20k on a Garmin 530? In my 172 we got a 530, 330, Kx155, got the panel put in the standard layout, and we were still under 20k.
 
Apache123 said:
Then there's the basic speed mods, but that'd be much further down the road.
Click to expand...

In a twin, thinking safety first - If you don't already have them, the very first thing I'd do is get micro vortex generators installed. http://www.microaero.com is a great company and tends to make a very large difference, especially on twins. Easy install and on my plane (a single Warrior) made an incredible difference in stall, low-speed control authority, take off roll, climb rate, etc. Probably the best investment I've made as far as additions to my plane.
 
For me it was, what was most deficient? My plane came to me with a lot of great upgrades already installed, but it still had no shoulder harnesses and the original shotgun panel layout. So those were the first priorities for me.

My original engine gauges were going wonky and I never liked the engine monitor it came with, so I elected to upgrade engine monitors during the panel rebuild. I also decided to change nav 2 and put in a second glide slope indicator. This part was purely elective and probably a big waste of money as I have yet to complete an IPC. However, I do love my new SL-30...

Last year I put in a 406 ELT and I bought a GDL-39 so I could get traffic and weather on my 696. I switched to an LED landing light so I could leave it on all the time for safety. I also bought shiny hubcaps just for kicks.

Future plans-

New glare shield with lighting.
AoA indicator.
Probably GAMI injectors.
40:1 landing gear mod.
Eventually refurbished interior.

Maybes-
LED nav and strobes with wig wag.
GTX 330 mod to be ADS-B compliant.
Lower gear doors.

Love to haves, but unlikely-
Lo Presti cowl
New paint job.
Touch screen replacement for the 430.
HSI/Sandel 3500/Aspen
 
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