dfgreene61 Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Have any of you Mooney drivers had installations done by Pacific Coast Avionics. I'm wanting to get an Aspen EFD-1000 Pro, Aspen EA-100, Garmin GTN-650, Garmin GDL-88 and RC Allen Vacuum Horizon installed in my 201. They're located South of Portland so it's about a 5 hour flight for me. I tried to find an avioinics shop here in Utah to take care of this for me but I can't even get a quote. Seems like the recession devastated the avionics industry here. Anyway, any first hand experiecnes with them would be great to hear about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schinderhannes Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 I bought over the years different radios and accessories from PCA mainly due to 0% sales tax in OR, and had a GTX 320A installation done. No complains, however this was nothing complex and doesn't compare to your project. I would check out Executive Aircraft Maintenance (EAM) in Scottsdale, AZ they do beautiful high end work and are not that far from you. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryb Posted March 28, 2014 Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 I had almost that exact same list installed in my plane at Aerial Avionics at my home field, KRHV in San Jose, CA. I was very pleased with their work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy_B Posted March 28, 2014 Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 I have seen some nice avionics installed in a local Mooney by Skyline Aircraft Maintenance in Nampa, Idaho. I believe Idaho has tax breaks for some aviation work as well, you'll have to ask. I am sure Justin, their avionics guy, would be happy to work up a quote for you. I have not had avionics work done by them, but have been happy with other work they have performed. http://skylineaircraft.com/avionics/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisk Posted March 28, 2014 Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 I have no experience with Pacific Coast Avionics. I would however like to encourage you to keep the install as local as reasonable. I ended up making 2 trips back to the avionics shop after my install. It was very painful and only 25 minutes away by air. I don't even want to think about how painful it would have been if it was 5 hours away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M016576 Posted March 28, 2014 Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 I'm in the process of having an aspen efd 1000 pro and a few other boxes installed at chief aircraft in grants pass. Their quote and pricing was a few thousand less than most advertised prices / quotes I received. I'll let you know how it all turns out: the plane should be complete here in a few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldn0tded Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 How about a coincidence? I have just put a deposit on a GTN 650 and an Aspen Pro in my M20F. Does anyone have actual user based feedback on this install? I have downloaded the PC based trainer and have grasp of how to manipulate the Garmin, but can't find anything on the Aspen. Reviews, thoughts??? Anyone?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marauder Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 How about a coincidence? I have just put a deposit on a GTN 650 and an Aspen Pro in my M20F. Does anyone have actual user based feedback on this install? I have downloaded the PC based trainer and have grasp of how to manipulate the Garmin, but can't find anything on the Aspen. Reviews, thoughts??? Anyone?? I have this combination in my F. The Aspen is pretty straightforward. Fly with it a bit and if you run into questions, you can try to "stump us chumps". What autopilot do you have? That is where the real power is; the GPSS roll steering. Edit: just saw your tail number. We are 2 serial numbers apart. Would love to see some pictures! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_elliott Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 How about a coincidence? I have just put a deposit on a GTN 650 and an Aspen Pro in my M20F. Does anyone have actual user based feedback on this install? I have downloaded the PC based trainer and have grasp of how to manipulate the Garmin, but can't find anything on the Aspen. Reviews, thoughts??? Anyone?? I have an Aspen and a 430w in my F, and an Aspen and a gtn650 in a J I am caretaker for. User feedback = Great choice!. The Aspen is very intuitive. What autopilot do you have? If Stec, just leave it in hdg mode. Use GPSS button on Aspen to engage commands from the Garmin, or hdg bug to fly vectors. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffy Posted April 10, 2014 Report Share Posted April 10, 2014 You might try Kings Avionics at Henderson NV just south of Las Vegas. I've had work done there and they seem pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotarPilot Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 I'm considering some work at PCA but no one seemed to contribute with personal experiences with PCA. Hopefully someone has some new info to add? Anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amillet Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 I just had PCA install my new GTN 750, GTX 330 ES and Flight Stream 210. I was satisfied with the work and customer care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotarPilot Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 That sounds like a tall order too. Thanks for the input, that's what I was hoping to hear. My biggest worry is if something goes wrong I'd have to take the plane back up to Aurora to get it fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amillet Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 I'm about 1.2 hours away. I do have a couple of minor things to be fixed. I'm waiting for the Garmin 6.xx software update to be released so I can get it installed at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helitim Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 (edited) My mode C went out on a trip to Aurora a few months ago. Just so happened that PCA was on the field. They had a new one installed and waiting for departure the next AM and were surprisingly reasonable on the labor and parts rates. I would rate my experience with them as very good. Tim Edited January 30, 2016 by helitim 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMac Posted February 20, 2018 Report Share Posted February 20, 2018 Thinking about getting a G500 TXi and thought I would ask the question again - Has anyone had any recent radio work done with PCA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcrmckenna Posted February 20, 2018 Report Share Posted February 20, 2018 I’ve got a few quotes from PCA over the last year on my plane and a few quotes on planes that I was looking to buy. They do good work I’m sure, but their labor and mark up is very high. I’ve gotten multiple Avionics upgrades and but from Chase at Avionics Source and have Barry Foote with Av Com do the install. He is great and has a mobile truck and will come to you. You can watch him do the work, help out of just leave him be. I’m not trying to say PCA is a shop to stay away from but I know you can’t go wrong with Barry! And yes my two cents you need a G500 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxrpilot Posted February 20, 2018 Report Share Posted February 20, 2018 9 hours ago, xcrmckenna said: I’ve got a few quotes from PCA over the last year on my plane and a few quotes on planes that I was looking to buy. They do good work I’m sure, but their labor and mark up is very high. I’ve gotten multiple Avionics upgrades and but from Chase at Avionics Source and have Barry Foote with Av Com do the install. He is great and has a mobile truck and will come to you. You can watch him do the work, help out of just leave him be. I’m not trying to say PCA is a shop to stay away from but I know you can’t go wrong with Barry! And yes my two cents you need a G500 If Barry will go all the way to you out in BumF*%# Egypt... he'll likely go anywhere! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcrmckenna Posted February 20, 2018 Report Share Posted February 20, 2018 If Barry will go all the way to you out in BumF*%# Egypt... he'll likely go anywhere! True story....Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaylw314 Posted February 20, 2018 Report Share Posted February 20, 2018 10 hours ago, TMac said: Thinking about getting a G500 TXi and thought I would ask the question again - Has anyone had any recent radio work done with PCA? Had an ADS-B KT-74 install with an existing G530W. They invoiced the unit at $100 over the listed sale price IIRC, which I thought was fine. They estimated 16 hours of install time, and, lo and behold, charged me for 16 hours of install time, even though I instructed them not to change the tray and not to hook up all the optional wiring. I also had my A&P run the RG-400 from the transponder tray previously. Their explanation was that the install took closer to 40 hours, what with all the fiddling with wiring and taking apart the instrument panel, even without the tray change and optional wiring, but they would honor the estimate of 16 hours. Still, the work was done well and timely, and no significant hiccups with the install Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bennett Posted February 20, 2018 Report Share Posted February 20, 2018 I had a complete panel rework done at Executive Aircraft Maintenance at Scottsdale Airport. Quite a way from San Carlos, CA, but well worth the flight. Absolutely outstanding workmanship and everything worked as represented. When a GTN 750 failed through no fault of their installation, they flew out an avionics specialist to San Carlos to swap out the bad unit for a new one. No charge to me for that service work. All in all the price was reasonable, and they gave me a fair price for trading in older avionics. If you call them ask for Bill Forbes- a great guy to talk to, and easy to work with his staff who picked me up and took me back to Phoenix Airport. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flight2000 Posted February 20, 2018 Report Share Posted February 20, 2018 (edited) Holy old thread batman.... I had a GTN750, PMA450A, NGT-9000, and some other stuff installed in my...gasp....Bonanza....last May. Not only did they clean up the mess that was behind the panel, but they did me one better by setting up the wiring for the future upgrade to either Aspen or Garmin glass. I've had zero issues in the 100+ hours since the install. There may be cheaper options, but you have to ask yourself, do you want cheap or do you want it done right? I'd argue, cheaper is not really cheaper if you have issues and have to keep going back for "fixes". PCA would not release the aircraft back to me unless I was 100% satisfied and the flight test passed with everything working. If I lived closer, I'd go back to them in a heartbeat for more work. You can see the mess they started with in picture #4. I'm amazed I didn't have any major failures with the way the wiring was previously done. http://67m20e.com/avionics-upgrade.html Cheers, Brian Edited February 20, 2018 by flight2000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcrmckenna Posted February 21, 2018 Report Share Posted February 21, 2018 Holy old thread batman.... I had a GTN750, PMA450A, NGT-9000, and some other stuff installed in my...gasp....Bonanza....last May. Not only did they clean up the mess that was behind the panel, but they did me one better by setting up the wiring for the future upgrade to either Aspen or Garmin glass. I've had zero issues in the 100+ hours since the install. There may be cheaper options, but you have to ask yourself, do you want cheap or do you want it done right? I'd argue, cheaper is not really cheaper if you have issues and have to keep going back for "fixes". PCA would not release the aircraft back to me unless I was 100% satisfied and the flight test passed with everything working. If I lived closer, I'd go back to them in a heartbeat for more work. You can see the mess they started with in picture #4. I'm amazed I didn't have any major failures with the way the wiring was previously done.http://67m20e.com/avionics-upgrade.html Cheers, Brian I will not say they don’t do good work because I’m sure it’s great. But I saved $4,000 for the same work I had done for my adsb install last year. They wanted the plane for three weeks. The cost of flying it over there getting home then getting back over there wasn’t even in that $4,000. Av-com finished the work in three days and came to me. I had the ease of mind watching his work and also learning a lot about my plane. And the confidence if I have issues with it I know what I need to tell Barry so he can fix it right away. Cheaper doesn’t always mean it’s not done right. And more expensive doesn’t always mean it’s done better. Sometimes saving money is just smarter. I will admit I’m bias because when the quotes came back they were holding onto the Avidyne rebates to pad their price. I wasn’t impressed. And they won’t get any of my business or good words beyond saying I’m sure they do good work. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted February 21, 2018 Report Share Posted February 21, 2018 Brian, Nothing would be cooler than a pic of your panel, when it gets the engine out graphic indicating, glide rings, gliding distance to the nearest Airport..! Would those glide rings be available on a G500? I would pay extra for that. Pp thoughts only... Best regards, -a- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flight2000 Posted February 21, 2018 Report Share Posted February 21, 2018 (edited) Nah, I just use a trick my Bo transition CFI taught me. Imaginary ring around the airplane - an arc that goes from wing tip to nose to wing tip. Anything within that circle is within gliding distance. Tried it a few times from different altitudes and it works. Did the simulated engine failure from 6,000 agl and 12 miles from an airport for my commercial ticket and landed it right on the numbers. I almost always have an airport or suitable field within that imaginary circle. Only thing that messes that up is flying IMC or above a layer, then I plan my routes a little more carefully. Brian Edited February 21, 2018 by flight2000 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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