On Wed, 15 Aug 2007 08:02:51 -0400, "Peter R."
wrote:

On 8/14/2007 7:51:18 PM, Peter Clark wrote:

It should be noted that the KDR510 FIS uplink unit from Bendix/King
has also been obsoleted with 6/08 EOL. Their replacement is the
KDR610 XM unit.

Interesting. What is Bendix doing to transition their customers to this new
unit? Providing the equipment for free? Labor to install it?

Little to nothing. They're providing the equipment at reduced cost
(pro-rated based on when you purchased it, assuming you have a current
working FIS subscription). Antenna is extra, installation is extra
(and of course you have to yank the headliners out to run the cabling
for the on-top-of-aircraft antenna rather than the underneath FIS
antenna, etc etc etc). Including labor it's looking like around $3500
- $5500 per aircraft to upgrade depending on time since the KDR510 was
purchased. They already turned off the annual subscription option too
so you're down to 30 or 90 day increments with the commeserate
increase in cost over the old annual package. They really want people
off this stuff right now.

Personally I'm going to a GMX200 and GDL69A in my Malibu when the time
comes this fall. I'm going to have it done as part of the dual 530W
upgrade (since everything has to be ripped apart anyway, Piper didn't
put the good enough the GPS antenna wiring in when it was
manufactured) once Meggitt/S-Tec comes out with the MAGIC software
update. Haven't decided what to do with the Cessnas yet.