Phased In Upgrade of Avionics M20J

[cbarry]

On 3/8/2023 at 11:13 AM, PT20J said:

Actually, the inflation rate is decreasing because the FED is raising interest rates. The FED’s goal is to get it down from the current mid-6% to a target of 2%. They started out at 7%, so there is a way to go. Rising interest rates make borrowing more expensive which reduces demand for goods, and the reduced demand causes business to cut back production which increases unemployment and that also reduces demand. Decreased corporate growth drives the stock market down and shareholders feel less wealthy and cut back purchases. Reduced demand causes a drop in prices. Or, so the theory goes. The problem is that the theory assumes that people always act rationally, and behavioral economics teaches that they do not.

As Neils Bohr famously said, “Predictions are difficult, especially about the future.”

 

Don’t forget about the adverse effect of the excessive government spending on the real value of the dollar—this is the root of the inflation we’re facing today.  We have one arm of the monetary system, the Fed, attempting to appear proactive in the inflationary fight while the economically illiterate in govt. think the answer is always in their hands.  Free markets will eventually win out, but at what costs?  The amplitude of expansion v. contraction is not being fueled by normal consumer demand from gained resources or lack thereof, it’s being fueled by monetary power in the hands of too few.  

[donkaye]

6 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

120 hours is one person working 40 hours a week for 3 weeks. There's no way it takes that long to install a GFC500 unless they are learning on yours.

Mine took 3 weeks.  I got daily pictures.  I had 4 servos installed and there was a lot of wiring to the G500TXi, a new G5, Audio, and other things.  It's a big job and it was done on time and budget.

[LANCECASPER]

3 hours ago, donkaye said:

Mine took 3 weeks.  I got daily pictures.  I had 4 servos installed and there was a lot of wiring to the G500TXi, a new G5, Audio, and other things.  It's a big job and it was done on time and budget.

How many hours were you billed for?

[ArtVandelay]

Mine took 3 weeks.  I got daily pictures.  I had 4 servos installed and there was a lot of wiring to the G500TXi, a new G5, Audio, and other things.  It's a big job and it was done on time and budget.

Why keep the old fuel flow box?

Mine took 120 hours and 3 months, but it was GFC500 and G3X and new panels. This was last year with the labor/supply chain issues.

[donkaye]

5 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

How many hours were you billed for?

It was a fixed price job.

[donkaye]

5 hours ago, Evan said:

Who did the work, Don?

Accurate Aero, LLC in Minden, Nevada.

[donkaye]

On 3/16/2023 at 3:13 AM, ArtVandelay said:

Why keep the old fuel flow box?

With the knob on the Shadin I can quickly get important numbers without having to switch pages on the MVP-50.  Secondly, I have 2 sources of fuel remaining.  Third, I already had the Shadin and space to put it.

[ArtVandelay]

With the knob on the Shadin I can quickly get important numbers without having to switch pages on the MVP-50.  Secondly, I have 2 sources of fuel remaining.  Third, I already had  the Shadin and space to put it.

Ok, JPI has all the info on 1 page not to mention it shares info with GTN and I can see information on fuel utility page.
By 2 sources, you mean fuel flow from Shadin and MVP? You still have the fuel senders which I assume MVP replaces old analog gauges.
I also have wing mounted fuel gauges, I thought they were standard on long bodies? So don’t you have 4 sources?

[donkaye]

23 hours ago, ArtVandelay said:

Ok, JPI has all the info on 1 page not to mention it shares info with GTN and I can see information on fuel utility page.
By 2 sources, you mean fuel flow from Shadin and MVP? You still have the fuel senders which I assume MVP replaces old analog gauges.
I also have wing mounted fuel gauges, I thought they were standard on long bodies? So don’t you have 4 sources?

Sorry for the thread drift.  

Sources of fuel information: 1. MVP-50  2. Shadin Miniflow  3. GTNXi 750  4. Wing sight gauges

For me the primary source of fuel information is Page 1 of the MVP-50.  It shows most accurate amount from the FF transducer, followed by less accurate amount from the wing tank fuel senders, and FF.  Without doing anything the Shadin shows FF.  The wing sight gauges are reasonably accurate from 11 gallons to 33 gallons and would be a third backup.  As a 4th source the GTN is as accurate as the MVP-50 and Shadin but isn't immediately available without multiple touches, although I suppose I could use the Telligence capability of the GMA35c.  That's somewhat unreliable, as the voice commands don't work all that well for me in flight. 

The main reason for keeping the Shadin, as mentioned above, is that I had it.  With the knob on the right I can, with a couple of knob turns, get good information like fuel at remaining at destination, without having to go to the Fuel Management page of the MVP-50.

With all the information that I have, I haven't ever used the Fuel Planning page of the GTN.

Although not asked, the main reasons I chose the MVP-50 instead of the JPI are twofold:  First, much larger characters and second the Fuel Management Page (see photos 1 and 2 below).  The Fuel Management page has 2 registers: Fuel used on the current trip only and fuel used since last fueled.  I have found the fuel used per trip or trip leg to be very useful.  Notwithstanding wind, I can go back years and see how much fuel I use on a particular trip of multiple legs (such as going Oshkosk) and easily plan trip and where I stopped for fuel based on actual numbers (see photo below).  Also, in going to students I can accurately see how much fuel I used for reimbursement purposes.

A long answer to a simple question, but maybe it will help someone on decision making for an engine monitor as part of their upgrade.

[Lax291]

An update on the avionics. Received a quote from a recommended shop at my home field and they came in at ~$23K for the GFC 500 install (previous was $26K).

The GI 275 AI & HSI came in at $15K and the same price to add the GI 275 engine monitor (previous was $18K and $19K).

Seeing some savings locally and having them where I keep my plane will be a bonus. +1 for having a friend who recommended them after doing an avionics upgrade in his Arrow. 

 

 

[RoundTwo]

6 hours ago, Lax291 said:

An update on the avionics. Received a quote from a recommended shop at my home field and they came in at ~$23K for the GFC 500 install (previous was $26K).

The GI 275 AI & HSI came in at $15K and the same price to add the GI 275 engine monitor (previous was $18K and $19K).

Seeing some savings locally and having them where I keep my plane will be a bonus. +1 for having a friend who recommended them after doing an avionics upgrade in his Arrow. 

 

 

I would ask them how many of each they have done so your plane doesn’t wind up being a Guinea pig they’re learning on.

[PT20J]

On 3/31/2023 at 8:51 PM, Lax291 said:

An update on the avionics. Received a quote from a recommended shop at my home field and they came in at ~$23K for the GFC 500 install (previous was $26K).

The GI 275 AI & HSI came in at $15K and the same price to add the GI 275 engine monitor (previous was $18K and $19K).

Seeing some savings locally and having them where I keep my plane will be a bonus. +1 for having a friend who recommended them after doing an avionics upgrade in his Arrow. 

 

 

If the shop is good, there is a lot to be said for having one local do the work. If there are any issues, you don't want to fly hundreds of miles to get it fixed. And, most shops don't really enjoy fixing problems on other's installations and you probably won't get priority attention from a different shop unless the issue is due to a Garmin service bulletin.

[Pinecone]

That is one reason I will likely go with a local shop.  Plus I can drive or rent and fly to take look every week.

And make sure it is not in a back corner being ignored.