to adsb or not to adsb

[TheTurtle]

this is a cross post to the AOPA FB group so sorry if you saw it already.

To ADSB or not to ADSB
My old narco AT50A TSO wont pass pitot static check. Needs an $800 part for a 20+ year old transponder.

So my options are spend 1250 now to fix the AT50a and sometime between now and 2020 get a GDL84 to deal with ADSB. Theres no way im putting 1000 into it and then yanking it for a new system in a few years.

other option is a GTX45. Its the Cadillac I guess. But its all done and I dont have to worry about adsb, streaming to a ipad or waas anymore.

My plane doesnt have Waas and will never have a fancy 430w or higher so the GTX30 wont work since I have no waas to feed it.

not really interested in the appareo system as Im pretty annoyed they dumped support on the old stratus. makes me wonder what theyll drop later?

any thoughts? the price is only a few hundred more for the GTX345 and if that old narco ever shits the bed again ill be on the losing side of that equation. But I get to put off a large chunk of AVGAS by just fixing it.

Really im just happy my wifes giving me the option!!

[donkaye, MCFI]

My recommendation is to bite the bullet now, get the GTX 345, and be done with it.  Wait until near the deadline and you will have a hard time getting programmed into the Avionics shop.   Meanwhile you will have the use of excellent traffic including TargetTrend associated with Garmin products.

[Piloto]

Wait for Michelle Obama to break the glass ceiling in 2020. No ADS-B required for the poor.

José

[Tony Armour]

I have the Lynx 9000. Knowing what I know now, I would do another tomorrow if needed. In fact, i like it so much I was very close to getting one for my experimental and it doesn't even have a transponder ! Several good friends also have the 9000 and love it. One reason I like it is that it's all in one, not displaying on something else (although it will display on an iPad too) There is clutter when displaying on other boxes. They do have simulator you can play with.

[TheTurtle]

So I went with the GTX345.  Shop called today and said instead of 15 hours labor its going to be 30 because my stack is riveted in place...  They will do owner assist and give me the tray to install myself.  grumble grumble.

I started a new threa don removing the tray here if anybody has any hints or tips or tricks.

 

 

[glafaille]

Congratulations on your new transponder.  I'm a bit more frugal and would have bought a used AT50A for $300 and swapped it in for the bad one.

[TheTurtle]

Update on this.  got the bill today.

14 hours labor @ $125

That included me removing all the panels, removing the old transponder and tray.  Removing the old transponder antenna, installing new transponder antenna, removing front seats, removing interior plastic for ceiling access for new GPS antenna.  And me putting it all back in after.

$5346 - GXP345 GPS with built in WAAS

Transponder antenna (old one was toasted from being in exhaust flow) - $206

Misc Hardware - $150.  i assume thats wire and connectors.  seems high but in the grand scheme of this invoice...

Tax $456.16

Total $7908.16

That did include the pitot static check I was due for as well...

-$500 for the obama-phone rebate.

 

This was done at Western Aviation at SNA.  Not known for cheapness but across the airport so I could do ownerassist. They were right at the quoted price and the service is excellent.

Edited December 3, 2016 by TheTurtle