How Much to Install HSI?

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write-stuff

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My brother has a complete King HSI with all the gyros, flux gizmo, and wiring and he's giving it to me for free. I want to replace my old DG with it, and drive it through a switch for my King KX55 and my Garmin 500.

I know installation prices will be all over, but what roughly do you think it might cost to do an install like that? I have an older C-182.
 
Wow, you have an awesome brother! Any chance he wants more brothers? :D

My mechanic says it could be $5k with 0 trouble during installation or it could blow up to $10k if he has to spend a month of work and overtime on it.
 
BigBadLou said:
Wow, you have an awesome brother! Any chance he wants more brothers? :D

My mechanic says it could be $5k with 0 trouble during installation or it could blow up to $10k if he has to spend a month of work and overtime on it.
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10k and a month? :hairraise:


I'd keep looking.
 
I'd guess $3-5k for the install, depending on what it needs to interface with (autopilot, GPS, nav radios, etc.). Also expect that you might need some adapters to work with your exact equipment. HSIs, especially non-solid state ones, are pretty complicated. IMHO, it's rarely worth spending the money to install a used one, though in your case, getting it for free, it might be worthwhile. Personally, I'd rather sell the thing and use the proceeds, + my expected installation costs, towards an Aspen, which can be had for around $10k installed at the right shops.

Remember, you're putting in a complicated, old instrumentation system based on arguably antiquated technology. When the HSI works, they're great to have. But you could easily spend $3-5k on installation for your "Free" HSI, and in a month have one of the parts fail and get hit with another $1k+ bill. Just something to keep in mind.
 
You got it for free.

Gratis.

No charge.

Sans money.

Think about it. I have an HSI and if it wasn't already installed, I'd never consider putting one in at any price over a few hundred. The actual cost will be over $3500 if everything goes smooth(hoping you have all the documentation).
 
bradg33 said:
Remember, you're putting in a complicated, old instrumentation system based on arguably antiquated technology. When the HSI works, they're great to have. But you could easily spend $3-5k on installation for your "Free" HSI, and in a month have one of the parts fail and get hit with another $1k+ bill. Just something to keep in mind.
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HSIs are worth their weight in gold for serious IFR ops.

I love my EHSI, all the info in one place makes ones scan so much smoother.
 
bradg33 said:
I'd guess $3-5k for the install, depending on what it needs to interface with (autopilot, GPS, nav radios, etc.). Also expect that you might need some adapters to work with your exact equipment. HSIs, especially non-solid state ones, are pretty complicated. IMHO, it's rarely worth spending the money to install a used one, though in your case, getting it for free, it might be worthwhile. Personally, I'd rather sell the thing and use the proceeds, + my expected installation costs, towards an Aspen, which can be had for around $10k installed at the right shops.



Remember, you're putting in a complicated, old instrumentation system based on arguably antiquated technology. When the HSI works, they're great to have. But you could easily spend $3-5k on installation for your "Free" HSI, and in a month have one of the parts fail and get hit with another $1k+ bill. Just something to keep in mind.
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Does an Aspen come with a magnetic flux sensor and all the goodies needed in an HSI installation, or would those be in addition to the $10k for the Aspen?
 
James331 said:
HSIs are worth their weight in gold for serious IFR ops.

I love my EHSI, all the info in one place makes ones scan so much smoother.
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I absolutely agree, I'm simply trying to point out the difficult economics of installing and maintaining a used one, when a little more $$ might get a solid-state system like an Aspen that won't have the on-going maintenance and repair issues. I can tell you from experience that the King HSI system can be pretty pricey in terms of upkeep.
 
nddons said:
Does an Aspen come with a magnetic flux sensor and all the goodies needed in an HSI installation, or would those be in addition to the $10k for the Aspen?
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My understanding from the last quote I got/saw was yes, it's the whole package (save for any adapters needed for autopilots).
 
James331 said:
HSIs are worth their weight in gold for serious IFR ops.
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They are, but for the cost to install let alone people acquire and install, you'd be better off going with an Aspen. If my Century HSI ever fails, that's what I intend to do.
 
docmirror said:
You got it for free.



Gratis.



No charge.



Sans money.



Think about it. I have an HSI and if it wasn't already installed, I'd never consider putting one in at any price over a few hundred. The actual cost will be over $3500 if everything goes smooth(hoping you have all the documentation).
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Why do you say that? I got spoiled with an HSI on the Skyhawk that I used for my Instrument checkride, and bristle at having to continually adjust the precession on a standard DG on the Cutlass that I currently fly.
 
nddons said:
Why do you say that? I got spoiled with an HSI on the Skyhawk that I used for my Instrument checkride, and bristle at having to continually adjust the precession on a standard DG on the Cutlass that I currently fly.
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Because the cost is so ridiculous.

HSIs are awesome....as long as somebody else pays the bill.
 
nddons said:
Why do you say that? I got spoiled with an HSI on the Skyhawk that I used for my Instrument checkride, and bristle at having to continually adjust the precession on a standard DG on the Cutlass that I currently fly.
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Why not say it? I mean, if you want to write the check for his install, go for it.
 
docmirror said:
Why not say it? I mean, if you want to write the check for his install, go for it.
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Relax. I couldn't tell if it was a cost issue, or some other reason. I'm just trying to understand your thoughts on an HSI. I've never flown with an Aspen, but that looks like a pretty popular upgrade for planes that don't have an HSI.
 
Like I said, I have one. I like it. Doesn't make me a better pilot, and there's a reason something is usually free.
 
nddons said:
I've never flown with an Aspen, but that looks like a pretty popular upgrade for planes that don't have an HSI.
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It's popular because the Aspen gives you more bang for your buck than an HSI. I suspect that the majority of HSIs installed were done before PFDs were available.
 
Fearless Tower said:
It's popular because the Aspen gives you more bang for your buck than an HSI. I suspect that the majority of HSIs installed were done before PFDs were available.
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It may be a better value overall, but I'd take an HSI over an Aspen any day. I've never liked them. I wish they weren't so expensive to install and maintain.
 
Cpt_Kirk said:
It may be a better value overall, but I'd take an HSI over an Aspen any day. I've never liked them. I wish they weren't so expensive to install and maintain.
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Aspens aren't cheap, but last I checked, they weren't that much more expensive to install than an HSI.

I do like my HSI, but if I ever need to replace it, I'll be going with an Aspen.
 
James331 said:
HSIs are worth their weight in gold for serious IFR ops.

I love my EHSI, all the info in one place makes ones scan so much smoother.
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Agreed on the value of the information display method, but he's not getting an EHSI, he's getting an old mechanical one.

If I did not already have an HSI system, I would not install a mechanical one. I would sell the parts to people keeping their old ones working, and install a solid state system. The old mechanical systems are far from being maintenance free, and the parts are expensive. On a 10 year view, you'll be dollars ahead selling off the system and augmenting the money to get an Aspen.

As far as installing the mechanical one, I wouldn't bet on anything less than 50 hours of labor and $1000 in sundry hardware.
 
My avionics guy is estimating $3-$5K and a week to do the work.
 
write-stuff said:
My avionics guy is estimating $3-$5K and a week to do the work.
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Has he looked at the entire system you have, and compared it to what your airplane has in it, to see if you'll need additional parts, etc.? Don't underestimate what those could cost you.
 
bradg33 said:
Has he looked at the entire system you have, and compared it to what your airplane has in it, to see if you'll need additional parts, etc.? Don't underestimate what those could cost you.
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That was a SWAG, not a quote. My airplane is a 12V system and the HSI is 24V so I'd have to swap out the gyro. All in all, quite a pricey upgrade for an old 182.
 
write-stuff said:
That was a SWAG, not a quote. My airplane is a 12V system and the HSI is 24V so I'd have to swap out the gyro. All in all, quite a pricey upgrade for an old 182.
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Avionics upgrades are maddeningly expensive. It's especially frustrating because it's MUCH harder to "owner-assist" on those things, as it seems most avionics shops aren't open to that kind of thing. My A&P/IA is happy to have me help on airframe/engine work, but radio shops never seem that way.
 
Fearless Tower said:
They are, but for the cost to install let alone people acquire and install, you'd be better off going with an Aspen. If my Century HSI ever fails, that's what I intend to do.
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:yeahthat: There are some gifts not worth receiving.
 
write-stuff said:
My avionics guy is estimating $3-$5K and a week to do the work.
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Plus if he had to buy the unit like the rest of us do it is twice that. That's what is driving the home built/experimental wave.
 
Henning said:
Yep, Gyro+$5k install > Aspen.
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It really is unfortunate that this stuff is so expensive to put in, given how many HSIs are being removed these days to install Aspens and Garmin glass upgrades. Many are still working just fine, and would be great additions to less expensive airframes (172s, etc.). But the installation costs alone simply make them uneconomical.
 
bradg33 said:
It really is unfortunate that this stuff is so expensive to put in, given how many HSIs are being removed these days to install Aspens and Garmin glass upgrades. Many are still working just fine, and would be great additions to less expensive airframes (172s, etc.). But the installation costs alone simply make them uneconomical.
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Then there is the ongoing maintenance costs of them which is why they get traded in to begin with.
 
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