Aerodon

Yes Main Turbo in California

BK lost me forever when the wanted to charge $3500 to fix a KX155A which is freely available on the used market for less than $2000. Buying avionics have three parts to the equation, just like buying a car: 1) purchase price 2) operating costs (repairs and databases) 3) resale value (in or out of your plane) Some companies (PS Engineering come to mind) truly do repair their 10 year old equipment at a realistic price. Others have these outrageous flat rate repairs - L3 comes to mind, not happy paying $1100 and reading 'connector changed'. Have you seen what they charge for a TRC899 flat rate repair? Garmin also have a fixed price policy, G430's have to be upgraded to 430W's before you can do the flat rate repair (please tell me it isn't true). It would seem to me that Avidyne have got 'critical mass' and I'm pleased that there is a viable alternative. Personally, I don't think there is room for three, and you run a high risk that the product never gets traction. So why take the risk? It takes 20 years to build a market brand, only a year or two to loose it. BK would have to do something special to win me back. Ironically some of their older stuff is still first class - I would not hesitate to install a good 20 year old KX165 as a second com. Audio quality, reliability and repair costs are excellent. I would not install a KX165A. Aerodon

I'm busy with upgrading my C172, and thought I would post some pictures here because it really is an avionics package that belongs in a Mooney. The GNS480 is still a very capable WAAS GPS for future ADSB and has tons of serial and Arinc ports to communicate with all sorts of devices like ELT, transponder, ADSB, HSI, and more. The Sandel is a great way to save panel space - combine DG, ILS, ADF and much more into one locate without spending 10AMU's on hardware. Keep the KR87 ADF, but get rid of the indicator. Integrate your DME. Get rid of your stormscope and replace with remote WX500. Replace transponder with remote SL70R or new GTX32/33 I used a 3" JPI engine monitor with fuel flow just so it matches, looks great. SN3500 shown in the panel, but thats for my other plane. Hole is for a KI258, same as KI256 without the FD bars. Panel is cut from 0.090 2024-T3 on my AXYZ CNC router. Still learning, will have to cut a couple more times. (You can't rely on the manufacturer's cutout dimensions, they suck). Apollo GPS MAP is just for show. I think I should put the ADF and ILS indicator down at the bottom, and move the JPI up? Don

Still available.

Added a picture of the 3" EDM700 going into a C172 panel. Looks much better than a 2" display in this case. I have a couple of these 3" displays with and without fuel flow, will take your EDM700 or other in trade. Clean up your panel and get a new display at the same time. Don supercub180@gmail.com

I have a complete new EDM830 system for sale. Can take other JPI products in part trade and reduce the price accordingly. (EDM700,800, FS450 etc). Aerodon, supercub180@gmail.com

I flew a TR182 last week with a KFC200, and there is a placard saying 'no autopilot operation with flaps'. A little ridiculous for an autopilot capable of flying the GS. Aerodon

Looks at least 10kts faster?

Don, I'll give it a try: 1) The Merlyn waste gate replaces the fixed setting bypass on the TSIO360EB/FB/KB/LB series engines. It is controlled by a pneumatic diaphragm with upper deck pressure on one side, can't remebr what is on the other. It provides limited control (you can still over boost) but at least the small bypass is fully open at low altitudes and fully closed at higher altitudes. I can get full power at 18,000 ft and 75% at 25,000 ft in my Seneca, or thereabouts. The original factory setup was full power at about 11,000 ft and 75% at 18,000, probably 50% at 25,000. Still have to what CHT's carefully at high altitudes. 2) The Kelly controller is hydraulic, controls a larger bypass, and in theory prevents over boost. Much better controller, but a lot more money, not available as a retrofit, only on TSIO360MB/SB engines. (252 type installation. Aerodon

Not really, when you unwind it and lay it out, it all makes sense. But a lot of wire for sure. Don

As I said before, that is a real sweet price for a high serial number like this one. Here's what a harness for it would look like - you can see there is a large quantity of wire that needs to be routed from the panel to the rear avionics bay (gyro), and from the panel and rear avionics to the wingtip (fluxgate).

Peevee, I've owned shares in several airplanes over the years with very few problems. Availability is not much of a problem, even with a plane that flies 200 hours a year and that is rare. Especially if the partners are complementary, say one guy who flies alone during the week, one guy who flies weekends, one guy has another plane to fly etc. Value is pretty easy to deal with - do a thorough market search and see what similar planes go for, use Vref to make adjustments for TT and SMOH etc. Arrive at a price that you would be prepared to pay outright, then divide by 4. Add subtract current assets and liabilities (i.e.. if you've decreased the base value because of high engine time, now you add back the engine reserve). There is some less tangible value like the costs of setting up the LLC, and the fact that it is all up and running. Last one in generally has it all done for him, and the lowest risk. I would pay more. Don't lowball the current owners - the current owners are probably taking a big hit due to the decrease in A/C values over the last 5 years, don't insult them by taking another 10% off - you have to live with them. Do your homework properly, and be prepared to show comparables and how you arrived at the number. If you are close - move ahead you'll get your value out of flying lots. If you are far apart - keep looking. Where does the money go - to buy a partner out, to fund the plane or to each of the current shareholders? Get an up to date financials - I bought into a share once and a whole lot of unpaid bills surfaced. I was to complicated and I was too naive to stick it straight back to the existing shareholders. There were a whole lot of things that should have been divided by 3 instead of 4. Don't worry too much about the PPI if you are joining an existing 'stable group' - get the existing shareholders to sign a disclosure both on the financials and the technical status - no known technical issues, all AD's up to date. Have a discussion of what they think the pending maintenance issues are, and future upgrades etc. Get enough of a purchase agreement that if the engine dies next year, and it turns out that they knew compressions were low and the mechanic had told them about it at last annual… Get creative in a good way - if the plane is worth $90k, offer $30k to be paid into the LLC as new share capital, use $15k for avionics upgrade, $5k for next years operating costs (insurance, hangar, annual etc.) and the balance to be held as an engine reserve? OK, now I see you are buying a 4th guy out - much of the same applies, except its harder to deal with liabilities that popup. So be a little harder on the share price - you are not going to offend the remaining 3, especially if you keep the number confidential. Make sure 'the group' provides a current financial position, so they are on the hook. Regards, Aerodon Don

Maybe its your shop that doesn't realize there are options: https://www.acrartex.com/products Check out the pictures, then the install manual to see what is compatible with your ELT. Bear in mind the ELT probably came with a whip antenna and you will need to buy another one. A whip is quick and easy - the blade antennas may require 5 holes and a doubler riveted in place. Don