Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 37

Garmin's GNS 530

Setting guidelines:
match budget and ambition,
then execute accordingly
When pilots and owners speak in terms
of "affordable" airplanes, the scale ranges
broadly .
We know owners who fly $250,000
high-performance retracts and feel they're
poor, while flying, at once, the alpha and omega of
their budgets and needs .
For one aircraft owner, his high-performance, 170knot four-seater is the most aircraft he can afford and,
at the same time, the least he's willing to own for his
travel needs .
He lusts after a glass cockpit replacement that fits
his budget - one with an electronic primary flight display, an electronic multifunction display, WAAS GPS,
traffic-, terrain- and weather-avoidance hardware, and,
if he can ultimately find the funds, ADS-B - both Out
and In . He believes he can fulfill his ambitions over
several years - without sinking into the airplane more
money than it's worth .
For another owner, the most he can afford is a
60-year-old tailwheel Cessna he bought for $50,000
- and far more than his other plane, an $18,000
Taylorcraft .
The T-craft , as purchased, satisfies this recreational-flying need, so he happily keeps it as original as
possible . He uses a hand-held WAAS GPS for nav,
seldom uses the hand-held comm and doesn't fly the
taildragger IFR .
For his other plane, like
the previous owner, the
ambition to embrace the
digital revolution is strong .
Both hold instrument ratings,
and both log considerable
cross-country time yearly .
No surprise, they both lust
for panels more like the
new-plane stacks they see .
The Cessna owner wants
to go electronic in the panel
- but only as much modernization as he can get for
half the hull value, or about
$25,000 .
The retract owner has
broader ambitions but no

larger a budget - with
a little fudge room
allowing for the morecapable aircraft he flies .
The goal, all noted,
is sticking within the
bounds of their budgets - budgets largely
framed by the value of their airplanes . In their cases,
$25,000 to $35,000 is the maximum .
The reality is that thousands of airplanes in the fleet
remain bound in their original analog world of panel
instruments, while many of their owners lust to fly
behind at least part of the new technology delivered in
today's new planes .
Since, in most cases, the new and old planes offer
approximately equal performance, panels are the main
difference .
The new avionics and electronics deliver improved
capabilities and reduced maintenance burden - common to digital panel gear .
The cost hurdle can be tackled with a bit of realistic
assessment and planning; assessment of the budget -
or how to acquire the budget needed - and the needs
of the pilot, both blue-sky and bare-bones .
Many pilots of our acquaintance would welcome
help mapping out a progressive improvement plan for
their plane - a plan that recognizes their limitations
and ambitions for flying the plane they love .
But it takes planning - and budgeting .
The long view: flying to tomorrow
in today's plane
The idea for this thought focuses on owners - or
would-be owners - who own or want a "keeper," or
an airplane that fits their basic needs long-term . The
resale-value potential of most upgrades doesn't generally support profitably buying and "flipping" upgraded
aircraft .
These owners first seek the realization of a dream:
airplane ownership . Then they turn to fulfilling their
ambitions for the plane - paint and interior, powerplant
and prop, upholstery and accessories . All are upgradeable or replaceable on most general aviation aircraft .
It's in the panel where the upgrades can have the
biggest impact on flying and flight safety .
For the purpose of this article, we divided the panel
Continued on following page...

Aspen's Evolution 500

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Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015

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