Aspen Max Upgrade

[DXB]

1 minute ago, LANCECASPER said:

I had my Aspens done back in August without a hiccup.  Aspen should be able to get the word right though . . lol. It's queue not que.

Probably a hiccup in their vowel supply chain  

[rbridges]

Just an update. Picked up tonight. mfd and PFD upgrade. Charged 3 hrs labor plus $79 shipping. Part of labor was installing audio wire to my PMA450.

[Zulee]

On 11/7/2019 at 3:31 PM, Oldguy said:

@Zulee would have to do that. I don't have a G5 to compare to.

Maybe a second photo shoot?

The only increase in size that I am aware of with the Max is the field selected...in other words, when you select Baro, Altitude, Min, Heading, etc. that data field increases in size substantially.  It resets or goes back to the normal display in a few seconds automatically or you can push the knob or hot key to resume normal display size.

And by the way @Oldguy, I used to be based at Pell City, loved that airport.

[alextstone]

For those of you who opted for the extra $500 charge to have a new unit waiting on you at the shop, does that mean that the old one is still sent in as a used core?  I assume this is the case but I need to verify before I pick up my airplane this Friday (fingers crossed on that).

Alex

 

 

[M016576]

12 minutes ago, alextstone said:

For those of you who opted for the extra $500 charge to have a new unit waiting on you at the shop, does that mean that the old one is still sent in as a used core?  I assume this is the case but I need to verify before I pick up my airplane this Friday (fingers crossed on that).

Alex

 

 

Yes, your old unit still gets sent back to the factory, which they keep.
 

Edited November 25, 2019 by M016576

[Schinderhannes]

After a little bit more than 3 weeks (including shipping) I received my Max upgrade today. Find it it very appropriate that the Form 8130 was signed by Mary Mooney...

 

[Marauder]

After a little bit more than 3 weeks (including shipping) I received my Max upgrade today. Find it it very appropriate that the Form 8130 was signed by Mary Mooney...
 

Can you tell if they put a new bezel on the front? If not, did they freshen up or replace any labels that were worn? My PFD bezel labels were pretty worn.



Mine will be there for 3 weeks on Monday.


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[Schinderhannes]

My labels were in good condition, therefore I can’t tell if the bezel was replaced. However I looks like the unit was cleaned and looks like new.

[Marauder]

Just an update on mine. Dropped the Aspens off at the avionics shop on 11/11/2019 and received an email from the shop on 12/5/2019 that they arrived at the shop. (3 weeks and 3 days, including a U.S. holiday).

[Cruiser]

Aspen originally said 10 working days at the factory.

[LANCECASPER]

8 minutes ago, Cruiser said:

Aspen originally said 10 working days at the factory.

3 weeks and 3 days is 18 business days.

If they were shipped the following day after the shop received them , there's one day. If they were shipped UPS ground thats maybe 4-5 days each way from DE to NM, that's as much as 10 days. If Aspen takes Thanksgiving and Black Friday off, that's two more days. Assuming all of that, Aspen took less than 10 working days to turn them around.

[carusoam]

Is the re-install complex at all?

Or just plug and play?

Best regards,

-a-

[Marauder]

Is the re-install complex at all?
Or just plug and play?
Best regards,
-a-

The Max supports an audio output for altitude call outs. This requires a wire to be run to the audio panel. I also believe the shop needs to update the configuration module that remained in the plane.


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[MIm20c]

@Marauder please update with completion pictures. I’m also curious if they replaced the bezel or not. Mine is in great condition except for the aspen logo at the top. 

[Marauder]

[mention=9886]Marauder[/mention] please update with completion pictures. I’m also curious if they replaced the bezel or not. Mine is in great condition except for the aspen logo at the top. 

I’m struggling to get the avionics shop to reply to me! Could it be that all of you LAST MINUTE ADS-B compliance guys have my shop owner kidnapped?

I’ll post pictures when I get the units back. I will be pretty disappointed if they didn’t refresh the silk screening.


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[Marauder]

Got to see the Aspens today. Will be installing them tomorrow. Looks like they replaced the entire exterior bezel for both units.

Can’t tell if the batteries were replaced. Anyone know if they replaced the batteries?




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[gsxrpilot]

I've been resisting the urge to post on this thread. As I was still waiting in the queue for the call from Aspen to get my MAX upgrade. 

It's been so long that I can't remember when, but I bought a refurbished MFD from Aspen and got on the upgrade waiting list for both my PFD and my refurbished MFD sitting on the shelf. I was told August, then November and now it's December. And it's a bit complicated in that I've now moved to Denver and the Avionics shop is in New Braunfels, Texas. So I stopped in last weekend to see what was going on. And in a bit of frustration I went ahead and put down the $500 on the PFD to speed things up. I'm not ready for the MFD even if it was installed. 

Today I got the word that the PFD MAX is in the mail and on the way. Once I get it, I'll pull my PFD and send it back in the same box.

Now I'm getting excited.

[alextstone]

My MAX upgrade did not go well so far.  I am at a loss as to what to do next and I hope someone on MS can point me in the right direction.  Here's the rundown (apologies for the length):

1.  April 5th:    Paid for the MAX upgrade with $500 for exchange to minimize down time.
2. November 1st:  Called by the Aspen dealer to schedule an install date.   Discussed via email other "minor" squawks that needed attention and received the shop's commitment to address the same.  
3. Delivered the plane and returned to pick it up as scheduled.  Was informed the new unit was bad out of the box and an RMA would be issued.  Instead flying home, rented a car and drove 7 hours home with a scheduled time to drive back after enough time for Aspen to send a replacement unit and for it to be installed.
4. Then informed that there were further delays and the date was pushed back.  Returned the car to the rental company, paid a penalty for dropping at a different location.
5. Arranged for a friend to fly me in his TBM 700 back to the avionics shop.  He surprised me by letting me fly left seat (so far the bright spot of the saga).
6. The next morning, I learned that the guy with knowledge of my situation came down with a serious illness the day before and he did not finish the work.  Another person at the shop attempted but failed to correct the issues that were still occurring with the second new MAX unit (more on this in a bit).
7. I persuaded the shop to reinstall the old Aspen unit  and release the new one to me.

So, I now have a MAX unit in hand (with Synthetic vision card and ADS-B unlock card), an old Aspen 1000 Pro unit in my plane and the following configuration:

1.  Aspen 1000 Pro
2.  KFC 150
3.  EA 100 
4.  ACU2
5.  New RSM

Current status:

When the old Aspen 1000 Pro is installed, everything works as expected.  When the new-new Aspen 1000 Pro MAX is installed, the AHRS Failure annunciator will not extinguish (same fault as with the other new MAX unit) and therefore the KFC 150 will not successfully self test or activate.  The MAX unit itself appears to be functioning normally however (data presented properly, artificial horizon correct, etc).  The new MAX unit has been leveled with the aircraft level and the AHRS has been re-calibrated three times as per the manual. 

I'm at a point that I am considering just selling the new unit and waiting until I can afford a more elegant solution, e.g. all Garmin panel.   However, I assume that I am on the hook for returning the old Aspen unit and I do not have an 8130 (not sure if this matters or not).  I left a message with Aspen but I did not receive a return call yet.  

Any advice is appreciated.

Alex

[carusoam]

Monday marks the beginning of the new work year...

Expect a phone call by Tuesday afternoon...

Monday will be a day of meetings trying to figure out what has gone wrong, and what they are going to do about it...

Tuesday morning will be reserved for the guy with a flight school that just installed a dozen of these things...

In the meantime... let’s talk about the left seat of the TBM...   

 

@Jerry 5TJ may have insight on how these things might work...

Best regards,

-a-

[alextstone]

 

Well, lemme see...

....easier to fly and land than my Bravo....

....300 KTS at FL280....

....quiet and smooth....

....I had a bad case of perma-grin afterwards 

[MIm20c]

35 minutes ago, alextstone said:

I'm at a point that I am considering just selling the new unit and waiting until I can afford a more elegant solution, e.g. all Garmin panel.   However, I assume that I am on the hook for returning the old Aspen unit and I do not have an 8130 (not sure if this matters or not).  I left a message with Aspen but I did not receive a return call yet.  

Any advice is appreciated.

Alex

The proper thing to do is fly back to the dealer (or find another one closer) and have them complete the install. Sounds like you are close to the finish line now. 

[alextstone]

Just now, MIm20c said:

The proper thing to do is fly back to the dealer (or find another one closer) and have them complete the install. Sounds like you are close to the finish line now. 

I appreciate that advice but the issues are these:  The dealer I was working with no longer has anyone qualified to finish the job.  All other dealers anywhere close are covered up with work.  When I approached one of them, he basically said he would want to re-wire my entire panel in order to take responsibility for the job...oh and he could get to it in 3 months...

What I am hoping for is to learn why the fault is occurring so that I can have my local IA complete the install then work out the paperwork with Aspen.  Is this reasonable?  

[MIm20c]

3 minutes ago, alextstone said:

What I am hoping for is to learn why the fault is occurring so that I can have my local IA complete the install then work out the paperwork with Aspen.  Is this reasonable?  

I understand your frustration. Help me remember, all the different panels run together after a little while. You purchased the plane with the aspen installed but the ki256 was still driving the AP?... or was the ea100 already installed?  Did the dealer calibrate the unit for the new RSM?  Was a new configuration module sent with the max screen because you paid he extra 500 or did Aspen pre configure it for your old one?  

If your IA installed/troubleshot the problem you still might miss out of the proper paperwork and any kind of warranty coverage. 

Just my opinion is that Aspen is trying to be helpful and wouldn’t appreciate the resale of your new (or old) screen instead of returning it to them. Part of the reason Garmin/Aspen provides these discounted upgrades is to reduce the secondary market competition. 

[Marauder]

My MAX upgrade did not go well so far.  I am at a loss as to what to do next and I hope someone on MS can point me in the right direction.  Here's the rundown (apologies for the length):

1.  April 5th:    Paid for the MAX upgrade with $500 for exchange to minimize down time.
2. November 1st:  Called by the Aspen dealer to schedule an install date.   Discussed via email other "minor" squawks that needed attention and received the shop's commitment to address the same.  
3. Delivered the plane and returned to pick it up as scheduled.  Was informed the new unit was bad out of the box and an RMA would be issued.  Instead flying home, rented a car and drove 7 hours home with a scheduled time to drive back after enough time for Aspen to send a replacement unit and for it to be installed.
4. Then informed that there were further delays and the date was pushed back.  Returned the car to the rental company, paid a penalty for dropping at a different location.
5. Arranged for a friend to fly me in his TBM 700 back to the avionics shop.  He surprised me by letting me fly left seat (so far the bright spot of the saga).
6. The next morning, I learned that the guy with knowledge of my situation came down with a serious illness the day before and he did not finish the work.  Another person at the shop attempted but failed to correct the issues that were still occurring with the second new MAX unit (more on this in a bit).
7. I persuaded the shop to reinstall the old Aspen unit  and release the new one to me.

So, I now have a MAX unit in hand (with Synthetic vision card and ADS-B unlock card), an old Aspen 1000 Pro unit in my plane and the following configuration:

1.  Aspen 1000 Pro
2.  KFC 150
3.  EA 100 
4.  ACU2
5.  New RSM

Current status:
When the old Aspen 1000 Pro is installed, everything works as expected.  When the new-new Aspen 1000 Pro MAX is installed, the AHRS Failure annunciator will not extinguish (same fault as with the other new MAX unit) and therefore the KFC 150 will not successfully self test or activate.  The MAX unit itself appears to be functioning normally however (data presented properly, artificial horizon correct, etc).  The new MAX unit has been leveled with the aircraft level and the AHRS has been re-calibrated three times as per the manual. 
I'm at a point that I am considering just selling the new unit and waiting until I can afford a more elegant solution, e.g. all Garmin panel.   However, I assume that I am on the hook for returning the old Aspen unit and I do not have an 8130 (not sure if this matters or not).  I left a message with Aspen but I did not receive a return call yet.  
Any advice is appreciated.
Alex

Based on your description, it sounds like the Max unit has a problem. Have you tried calling Aspen technical support directly? When my non-Max units were exchanged, my IA removed them, I drove them to the avionics shop and the avionics shop sent them in for conversion. When they were returned, the process was reversed. There was no calibration of the AHRS needed.

What other issues was the avionics shop working on?


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[alextstone]

8 hours ago, MIm20c said:

I understand your frustration. Help me remember, all the different panels run together after a little while. You purchased the plane with the aspen installed but the ki256 was still driving the AP?... or was the ea100 already installed?

The EA 100 was previously installed along with the original Aspen 1000 Pro

 Did the dealer calibrate the unit for the new RSM?  

Yes

Was a new configuration module sent with the max screen because you paid he extra 500 or did Aspen pre configure it for your old one?  

The original configuration module was left in the installation.  My understanding is that this is standard procedure so that configuration preferences stay with the aircraft. 

If your IA installed/troubleshot the problem you still might miss out of the proper paperwork and any kind of warranty coverage. 

I understand that...that's one reason I am trying to get in touch with Aspen now.

Just my opinion is that Aspen is trying to be helpful and wouldn’t appreciate the resale of your new (or old) screen instead of returning it to them. Part of the reason Garmin/Aspen provides these discounted upgrades is to reduce the secondary market competition. 

Agreed.  I am just trying to figure out how to get "whole".  Selling the unit would be a last resort.