Avionics- bendix BX 2000

[philipneeper]

has anyone use this system before? If so, did you like it?

[Piloto]

About 20 years ago I had the Bendix 2000 series installed in my old M20C. My setup had separate NAVCOMS instead of dual integrated NAVCOMs.  It works very well if you keep them cool. The gas discharge type of display is not the most reliable and is subject to leak and fail. To insure reliable operation have an air duct directly pointed at the unit, they get pretty hot due to the display high voltage power supply.

José 

[philipneeper]

so i need to route one of the side vents to be ducted right on digital readouts?  what would you recommend to keep them cool? when you used them did you like it? I never seen these before, i just bought the plane and the ferry pilot said the radios dont work, so is there more than an avionics power switch?

[carusoam]

BENDIX BX-2000 System including;
Dual Nav/Com with Dual indicators and G/S, R/NAV with programmer,
Dual DMEs w/remote head and Nav Switching, ADF, Transponder Mode C,
Encoding Altimeter, Audio Panel w/ Marker Beacon, and Built in Intercom.

 

I was not familiar, so I did some searching.  Maybe some additional insight can be found by sharing the attached info...

Is this what you have?  It looks like an early version of a Garmin 430 (sorry PK).  Probably from the time when Gary and Min actually worked at Bendix....

Hope this helps,

Best regards,

- a -

[philipneeper]

yes that looks like what i have. I attached a pic but its probably hard to see. Im not home to "investigate" why they cant get the radios to work. Is there multiple power switches? and do i need to run a duct to keep them cool?

[philipneeper]

i dont have the huge box to the right. can you see in my pic?

[carusoam]

Philip,

Your pic is clearly visible.  With the photo of someone else's system completely removed, we can get a better idea of what you are dealing with....  According to the description, all of the devices are part of the BX system

I believe Piloto is saying cooling air on the unit is beneficial,  not so much directly on the display.

-a-

[philipneeper]

well i havent got to do a hands on myself yet, im currently in iraq. i sent my dad and an A&P to look and purchase for me. just wondering if anyone knew anything about this system. I havent used one before. I kno the ferry pilot said he couldnt get them on so he will use a handheld... just curious if there would be more than 1 power switch. the last flight on this mooney was 96-97.  This is a project plane as i already knew when i purchased, kinda hoping avionics could wait a lil while. hard to make $ $ $ in the military .

[Jerry 5TJ]

I worked at the Communications Division of what was Bendix in the 1980's and 1990's, and here's what I recall of the BX2000 series:

One, the BX2000 was not part of the King line and was not designed or built at the King Radio facility in Olathe, Kansas.  Bendix developed the BX2000 system before the King acquisition.   

Bendix had a long history of building avionics – in fact a majority of all US WWII aircraft radios were built in the Bendix factories in Baltimore.  But by the 1970s the Bendix avionics line was lacking in general aviation offerings.   So they built the BX2000 line.   That went so well that Bendix bought King Radio to get a more suitable GA line-up. 

The BX2000 system was advanced for its day in that it included two Nav and two Com radios plus a marker beacon receiver, glide slope receiver, power supplies and audio switching all in one box.   In addition the OBS units were digital with no moving parts, using a bar graph gas-discharge displays.   The good news is that it was all well designed and integrated.  It was neat and easy to harness up and install.  The not so good part is when it fails you can lose all radios at once.   

In addition to the main box (the CN-2011) there were also ADF, DME, transponder and RNAV components in separate boxes. 

There's a review of the system demonstrated in a single engine aircraft from Flight International of 1978 -- see http://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1978/1978%20-%201132.PDF and http://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1978/1978%20-%201133.PDF   At the time a dual NavCom was considered a full IFR panel so a Cessna with RNAV, DME and all of it new and digital seemed, well, almost too complex for single pilot operations.   The article glowingly comments that 9 custom ICs were developed for the BX2000, and that the system MTBF may be as good as 1,500 hours.

At this point BX2000 spares are not likely to be easy to find, either, as this system is all based on circa 1975 components.  Cooling air is always helpful to keep the BX2000 alive and (not) cooking.

A BX2000 in the panel of a 1970s Mooney could be a good period restoration.    I'd keep a portable GPS & transceiver hidden under the seat, however.

[DaV8or]

Interesting history lesson. I've never seen these radios before. However, if this were my plane and I were on a tight budget and I really wanted to fly the plane a lot, I would yank these museum pieces buy a single used KX 155 and a CDI to go with it and fly the plane VFR for a while reliably. There are cheaper used radios, but the 155 is very reliable and very serviceable and can be used for a long time as it will compliment a Garmin unit later when you want to get the plane up to IFR speed.

Used 155s are very common because they used to be the gold standard and people are pulling them to put in the new standard, the GNS 430/530. There's probably even somebody on this board that could steer you towards a good unit at a good price. Bottom line, IMO, I wouldn't waste any time or money trying to get the BX2000 radios to work. Sounds like at best they would only work for a while and you'll be fixing them again. It might just be my personal bugaboo and I may be scared from years of renting airplanes, but I can't stand radios that don't work reliably.

Oh, just occured to me. You're in Iraq, right? I bet if you go out to the airports there, you'll probably find wrecked, dead airplanes from the past. If there are any GA planes there, good chance they'll have a KX 155 in it. Since they won't let you guys take home firearms as a war trophy anymore, why not liberate a radio?!

[fantom]

Quote: DaV8or

....why not liberate a radio?!

[Barry]

It is possible to get used, non-waas 430's for ~$3 - $4K. This would give you nav/com and gps. Just another ideal.