Raptor05121 Posted November 19, 2017 Report Share Posted November 19, 2017 On 11/13/2017 at 7:21 AM, daver328 said: Is that the LASAR panel? Do you have any pics out of the box? I'm curious what other holes I'd need to drill. I'd absolutely LOVE to get my panel into an 8-pack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJMac Posted November 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2017 You will LOVE the IFD. There are so many very cool features that don't even make the videos on YouTube. Are you also using Avi's AXP340 transponder or Skytrax 100 for ADSBin? With the 440 spec'd i just signed off on these for the ADSB portion of the install.Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxrpilot Posted November 20, 2017 Report Share Posted November 20, 2017 3 hours ago, NJMac said: Are you also using Avi's AXP340 transponder or Skytrax 100 for ADSBin? With the 440 spec'd i just signed off on these for the ADSB portion of the install. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk I'm using the Avi AXP322 remote transponder and the Skytrax 100. Make sure they wire in a 9 pin serial port when they do the Skytrax. There isn't any other way to configure it if you need to. Mine isn't displaying weather and so I have to go back to get them to wire in the port so I can change a simple config setting. The traffic is working fine as well as the ADSB in and out. The more I fly with the IFD, the more I like it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJMac Posted November 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2017 And so it begins! Im pumped that we saved $500 on the Avi stuff thanks to black friday. Totally coincidental but I can always appreciate saving some money. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJMac Posted November 29, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2017 Apparently I have to type something.Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marauder Posted November 29, 2017 Report Share Posted November 29, 2017 Apparently I have to type something.Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk You’ve gone off and did it now. Hide your wallet before it becomes an addiction. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJMac Posted November 29, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2017 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Marauder said: You’ve gone off and did it now. Hide your wallet before it becomes an addiction. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro Ive already decided we will be doing one of the new digital autopilots at next annual. Hoping my wife doesn't start getting suspicious when annuals are not a small affair like some others have told us about. Will be hard to hold off on glass on the left not knowing if this is our forever plane or not. Edited November 29, 2017 by NJMac 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradp Posted November 30, 2017 Report Share Posted November 30, 2017 You’re moving quick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJMac Posted November 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2017 You’re moving quick. life is too short to go slowlySent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJMac Posted February 1, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2018 You’re moving quick. Ironic this is one of the last posts from this discussion. When i commissioned this project, i was lead to believe the end of the year or middle of January i would have my plane ready to go. We're 2 weeks past that now so i talked with the mechanic doing the pannel work. Hes saying end of March before i get my plane out of his shop. What do you do in this situation? Just smile and say ok? 6 months for this just boggles my mind. I cant imagine trying to fly this to another shop at this point. Options? Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIm20c Posted February 1, 2018 Report Share Posted February 1, 2018 28 minutes ago, NJMac said: Ironic this is one of the last posts from this discussion. When i commissioned this project, i was lead to believe the end of the year or middle of January i would have my plane ready to go. We're 2 weeks past that now so i talked with the mechanic doing the pannel work. Hes saying end of March before i get my plane out of his shop. What do you do in this situation? Just smile and say ok? 6 months for this just boggles my mind. I cant imagine trying to fly this to another shop at this point. Options? Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Is the shop close enough for weekly check up visits? You are doing a major gut job on the panel and it takes time. If he put the end of March as his deadline find out what still needs to be done and make sure he keeps to the timeline. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradp Posted February 1, 2018 Report Share Posted February 1, 2018 I was going to suggest 1) keeping a positive attitude despite the obvious disappointment and lack of timeline adherence- nothing negative is going to make it move faster. 2) Ask for an explanation of the delays. Again keep it neutral. 3) I’d let him know that you will plan to pop in twice per week to keep track of the progress. 4) Handy? Offer to perform some task (run wires), etc both to let him know that you want this done and to keep it positive. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marauder Posted February 1, 2018 Report Share Posted February 1, 2018 Ironic this is one of the last posts from this discussion. When i commissioned this project, i was lead to believe the end of the year or middle of January i would have my plane ready to go. We're 2 weeks past that now so i talked with the mechanic doing the pannel work. Hes saying end of March before i get my plane out of his shop. What do you do in this situation? Just smile and say ok? 6 months for this just boggles my mind. I cant imagine trying to fly this to another shop at this point. Options? Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk If I did these upgrades under a government contract laced with penalty clauses for missing deadlines, all of my avionic upgrades would result in tons in the bank rather than out of the bank. My first upgrade was started on October 2, 2012 with a promised delivery date of November 1st. I picked it up Christmas Eve. The second upgrade was a bit better. Just a WX-500 install. One week overdue. The third upgrade was a GNC 255B, only 2 weeks overdue. The fourth upgrade was a couple of L-3 units including ADS-B and a new panel. I can’t complain too much because they did a lot extra for the price but the plane went in March 2017 and came out in May. 8 weeks when it was quoted 3. Be happy they got you in. Being delayed because they aren’t ready for you is a different problem. Once you are in, they are motivated to get you out. Just make sure out doesn’t include a bunch of issues. When you see this after 5 weeks, you get discouraged. But that all changes when you see this: Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted February 1, 2018 Report Share Posted February 1, 2018 Me and a friend named Dan would like the panel better, if... Chris, Got a picture of the panel with your new CO meter in it? An installed Guardian CO meter would look great where that CO dot card is. Harassed into a higher level of safety, MS style... Best regards, -a- 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJMac Posted February 1, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2018 Be happy they got you in. Being delayed because they aren’t ready for you is a different problem. Once you are in, they are motivated to get you out. Just make sure out doesn’t include a bunch of issues. Maybe I should have explained the context better. We bought 1259x 10/10/17 last year. Ive yet to fly it. Seller flew it to KSCA while my wife and i were in Hawaii. I checked it out when we got back. Plane was out of annual so the annual took the month of October. I decided that avionics from the 60s weren't for me. Commissioned and paid for about 85% of the panel upgrades start of Nov. Mechanic started undoing the panel durring the month of November. And since its been gutted at end of November, not a thing has been done. Nothing. Mechanic's excuses have been many and varried. He had to plow some snow since he is the airport manager. Had to deal with fuel pumps. An owner assisted project got him sick. I get it. Life happens. But what is really bothering me is that he has had at least 2 other planes come and go while mine has sat. And he says February is booked with another job he committed to a year ago. At least he was honest in telling me he wont be touching it until start of March. Im going to wrap up my IR with my instructor there and probably look at moving my plane elsewhere. I just dont appreciate being treated this way. Why doesn't he work on a last in first out basis? Keep most happy and let me boil in frustration? From my perspective, first in first out isnt working. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIm20c Posted February 1, 2018 Report Share Posted February 1, 2018 Probably a little late but I’d be checking around for a different installer, might be able to find one that works out of a trailer to speed the process along without having to move your plane (hard to do in the condition its in). I hate this when any kind of contractor tears apart a functional(?) setup and leaves the project just to nail it down. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradp Posted February 1, 2018 Report Share Posted February 1, 2018 How much work is getting done with this guy - I see a picture of an engine monitor and the panel is otherwise torn into in the post above. Was this an A&P that was going to do he honest to goodness avionics work? Or was that another shop... ? Is this your home field? If so, You might be better off pulling the plane into your hangar and find someone willing to get it back into a flying state... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marauder Posted February 1, 2018 Report Share Posted February 1, 2018 5 hours ago, NJMac said: Maybe I should have explained the context better. We bought 1259x 10/10/17 last year. Ive yet to fly it. Seller flew it to KSCA while my wife and i were in Hawaii. I checked it out when we got back. Plane was out of annual so the annual took the month of October. I decided that avionics from the 60s weren't for me. Commissioned and paid for about 85% of the panel upgrades start of Nov. Mechanic started undoing the panel durring the month of November. And since its been gutted at end of November, not a thing has been done. Nothing. Mechanic's excuses have been many and varried. He had to plow some snow since he is the airport manager. Had to deal with fuel pumps. An owner assisted project got him sick. I get it. Life happens. But what is really bothering me is that he has had at least 2 other planes come and go while mine has sat. And he says February is booked with another job he committed to a year ago. At least he was honest in telling me he wont be touching it until start of March. Im going to wrap up my IR with my instructor there and probably look at moving my plane elsewhere. I just dont appreciate being treated this way. Why doesn't he work on a last in first out basis? Keep most happy and let me boil in frustration? From my perspective, first in first out isnt working. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Everything you are describing is normal business sans the 85% down payment. Most shops require 50% down with ROP due at the end. On my 2012 upgrade, the shop's owner had died just before I began working with them. My concern was they would go belly up before they started my plane. So I negotiated a deal that I would take advantage of the summer rebates and buy the equipment. I kept the actual avionics and they kept the install kits and brackets. Worked out fine except for the delays. These shops are extremely busy. All of them are struggling with normal avionic repairs mingled in with warranty work and new installations. Some are quoting start dates 6 or months out. As was mentioned above, start visiting the shop on a regular basis. I would stop in weekly to get a progress update and to make sure my plane wasn't wheeled into the back of the hangar to collect dust. What troubles me is you keep referring to the "mechanic". I hope you didn't use a regular repair shop for this. If so, they are probably also dealing with normal work for the break/fix business. Finding a good avionics shop can be challenging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJMac Posted February 1, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, bradp said: How much work is getting done with this guy - I see a picture of an engine monitor and the panel is otherwise torn into in the post above. Was this an A&P that was going to do he honest to goodness avionics work? Or was that another shop... ? Is this your home field? If so, You might be better off pulling the plane into your hangar and find someone willing to get it back into a flying state... This kinda answers @Marauder 's question too. There are 2 parties involved in the process here. The mechanic (a&p probably) is at my home field, KSCA, and started doing the annual. His part of the panel upgrade was to cut the new panel for the standard 8 pack on the left and the ipad dock and monitor on the right. Just yesterday he asked me to call Lasar and get the 8 pack left panel from them. From past contractors, that sounds to me like he has bitten off more than he can chew. He was going to be pulling some new cables, installing the engine monitor and reconfiguring the 8 pack. Once that was done, he was going to take the plane to an avionics guy about 15 mins away to do the nav / com upgrades. That guy is a dedicated avionics shop who i have 110% confidence in. I dont yet have my own hanger to pull it into. Im moving it 10 mins away to KDAY once its done but I dont see how I have that option right now. Honestly I feel like im hostage to party 1 here and dont see many options based on the condition of the plane currently. Edited February 1, 2018 by NJMac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradp Posted February 1, 2018 Report Share Posted February 1, 2018 One option would be to get the plane buttoned up as much as possible (altimeter, compass, required engine instrumentation). Forget about the 8 pack for now. Have the avionics shop do that with the purchased lasar panel or have a CNC shop cut you one based on a cad file? They usually have some sort of a relationship with or A&P/IA on hand that they could install a pre-cut panel (avionics techs can't do logbook entries). Have the A&P file a ferry permit (or otherwise make some logbook entry as to its airworthiness) with the minimal day VFR instrumentation installed (the equipment list dictates airworthiness to some extent - so ferry permit would be fine). Fly over to the avionics shop day VFR no pax under a ferry with a handheld transceiver and no sharp edges or non-terminated wires sticking out. Go to the avionics shop. Say "forgive me" and hand them your keys. Otherwise I'd say if you want this thing to the avionics shop before May you better be willing to get your hands dirty and do the installs yourself under that A&P's supervision or find another independent IA willing to travel. In the latter case you would need a hangar at that field to be able to work in. There are ways to fix this. In the long run you'll look back and say wow that was silly (hopefully), but now I can only imagine it sucks for you. In the grand scheme of things, it's not like you're stuck there with major structural work to be done... it's just avionics. Is your plane at least sitting inside his hangar and not out in the harsh OH winter? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJMac Posted February 1, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2018 One option would be to get the plane buttoned up as much as possible (altimeter, compass, required engine instrumentation). Forget about the 8 pack for now. Have the avionics shop do that with the purchased lasar panel or have a CNC shop cut you one based on a cad file? They usually have some sort of a relationship with or A&P/IA on hand that they could install a pre-cut panel (avionics techs can't do logbook entries). Have the A&P file a ferry permit (or otherwise make some logbook entry as to its airworthiness) with the minimal day VFR instrumentation installed (the equipment list dictates airworthiness to some extent - so ferry permit would be fine). Fly over to the avionics shop day VFR no pax under a ferry with a handheld transceiver and no sharp edges or non-terminated wires sticking out. Go to the avionics shop. Say "forgive me" and hand them your keys. Otherwise I'd say if you want this thing to the avionics shop before May you better be willing to get your hands dirty and do the installs yourself under that A&P's supervision or find another independent IA willing to travel. In the latter case you would need a hangar at that field to be able to work in. There are ways to fix this. In the long run you'll look back and say wow that was silly (hopefully), but now I can only imagine it sucks for you. In the grand scheme of things, it's not like you're stuck there with major structural work to be done... it's just avionics. Is your plane at least sitting inside his hangar and not out in the harsh OH winter? Big picture its not the end of the world waiting. But honestly having my $60k sitting in his shop hijacked is really pissing me off. Kinda jading the whole ownership process. If he doesnt get started first of March like he said, ill be moving it. Silver lining its sitting in his heated shop, theoritically not having the cam rust apart. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marauder Posted February 1, 2018 Report Share Posted February 1, 2018 Big picture its not the end of the world waiting. But honestly having my $60k sitting in his shop hijacked is really pissing me off. Kinda jading the whole ownership process. If he doesnt get started first of March like he said, ill be moving it. Silver lining its sitting in his heated shop, theoritically not having the cam rust apart. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk I sympathize with your situation. My old repair shop owner was a wannabe avionics guy. He made me a new right panel and installed the JPI. I had the right panel made during the annual but the full avionics upgrade was done by an avionics shop. It sounds like the mechanic did bite off more than he could do with his other commitments. I would do as Brad suggests, get it buttoned up and get it to a shop that can do the work. The red flag for you should be the request to get panels from Lasar. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob_Belville Posted February 2, 2018 Report Share Posted February 2, 2018 My avionics shop, Twin Lakes Avionics, Mocksville NC, redid my panel 5 years ago. It was a $54 AMU job. No deposit or progress payments. They had a lot of incentive to finish the job. As I recall it took 10 weeks instead of the 8 that they projected but there may have been extenuating circumstances, we discovered a bad alternator and sent off fuel sensors, perhaps other gotchas. In my experience, getting ahead of a contractor with payments does not turn out well for the customer. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJMac Posted February 2, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2018 My avionics shop, Twin Lakes Avionics, Mocksville NC, redid my panel 5 years ago. It was a $54 AMU job. No deposit or progress payments. They had a lot of incentive to finish the job. As I recall it took 10 weeks instead of the 8 that they projected but there may have been extenuating circumstances, we discovered a bad alternator and sent off fuel sensors, perhaps other gotchas. In my experience, getting ahead of a contractor with payments does not turn out well for the customer. I've been trying to figure out where I went wrong and I have to agree with you that paying so much upfront was my first mistake. Hoping to find out others so I don't repeat them. Always open to other critical eyes as well.Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradp Posted February 2, 2018 Report Share Posted February 2, 2018 Who did you pay so much up front to ... the avionics shop or the mechanic or both? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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