Making a VFR C152 IFR

I was aware of the equipment required by the FARs for IFR, but that
isn't real-world. Right? To fly approaches you need substantially more
equipment than that, of course. The different types of approaches and
equipment make the subject complex at first sight to the neophyte.

Andrew Sarangan wrote:

The basic requirement for IFR is not a whole lot more than for VFR.
You don't need two nav's (or any nav at all), although that would be
nice. The FAR outlines what you need to fly IFR. Besides the regular
six pack instruments (except the VSI), your altimeter must be accurate
to within 75 ft, and your transponder's altitude encoder must have
been inspected to IFR standards.

I seriously considered this advice and looked into the NAV 122. I
talked to a friend of mine and the local avionics shop and they both
told me that Narco has a bad rep for service and gouges you badly to fix
a 122 - and they do break.

As others have pointed out, you don't need a heck of a lot more to make
the plane legal for IFR training/flight. Here's what __I'd__ do if I
were you. I'd sell the 300XL (since you got it for a steal, you should
at least get your money back) and buy a used NARCO NAV-122A on Ebay.
You can get a yellow tagged one for about $1300. This is the ONLY piece
of equipment you will need to be able to fly IFR legally - it's a VOR,
LOC, GS, MKR and CDI all in one 3 1/8" hole. You can then legally do
ILS, LOC, and VOR approaches.

I did exactly this in order to make my COZY MKIV IFR capable (for
training purposes and light IFR). Even if you have to pay someone $500
to install it, it's still the cheapest way there, using the least panel
space.

Ok, here's what I'm thinking now. Critisism of this setup not
discouraged!

- 300XL installed *VFR only*.
- PSE 6000 Audio panel with marker beacons.
- KX-155 nav/com - there's one on Ebay right now I may pick up.
- KX 209 Indicator.

Local shop tells me no more than $3500 or so for this install, including
antenna for 2nd com. Does that sound right? I'd be ditching the 385
nav/com that's in there now, of course.

Full cost of this setup assuming used KX-155 and 209 and new audio panel
should be $9-$10K. While this is definitely more money than I wanted to
spend or figured I'd have to spend, I think it may be worth it. I
actually ran a price quote on my plane (aeroprice) with this equipment
installed and was pleased to see the value go up by 80% or so of what
I'd be putting into it. I plan to keep the plane for probably 4-5 years
(until I build my RV-9).

Again, what I want to do here is have an aircraft in which I can get my
instrument ticket and be able to practice real-world instrument
approaches. Subsequent to that, I don't see myself flying hard IMC, but
being able to do a lot more flying on those marginal VFR days that keep
me grounded now. (MVFR can turn into IFR too damn easily - I've already
discovered that.)

Tell me if I'm all wet (please).

Paul Folbrecht wrote:

I've just purchased a '79 152 that is currently VFR only. Avionics
consist of a single nav/com and xponder. That's it.

At some point in the next year or two I am going to want to get my
instrument ticket in this aircraft, so I'm already starting to think
about the best way to do that. Trouble is I know precious little about
IFR equipment at the moment. If someone has some good resources/links
that could get me up to speed I'd appreciate it.

Actually, I already started buying stuff. I bought an IFR Garmin 300XL
GPS on ebay (it was a steal). That's my start. I'm completely open to
suggestions on where to go from there.

Maybe a B/K 80 nav? Has everything else I need, right? I know I need
an audio (switch) panel and at least one more CDI.

I'll be searching for an avionics shop soon to install the GPS, but
until then any idea what that will cost me? Might it make some sense to
have them do a VFR-only install initially and then do it IFR when I have
the rest of my equipment? (I want a GPS now, of course, for VFR flight.)

TIA.

I've got a Nav 122, and I've used Narco to repair it. I honeslty don't know
where the bad rep comes from, the 122 is a solid unit and I've only had good
experiences with Narco. My 122 has been to Narco twice. Once in 1996 when it
was intermittently losing the localizer. It turned out to be a cracked
resistor. That fix was actually two trips to Narco. The first trip, they
only saw the problem briefly and after cleaning up the unit and recalibrating
it could not reproduce it. After getting it back in the plane, it got more
intermittent so it went back. Narco had the unit a total of 8 days including
time in shipping. It was 11 days from when I first took it out till I had it
back in and working, and a grand total of $152 to fix. There was no charge on
the second trip because once they see it, the whole unit goes under warranty.
The second time was summer 2003 for a PROM that had gone bad after an
alternator overvoltage. The symptom in that case was no localizer on
frequencies that ended with .9x and no glide slope on two frequencies (don't
recall which ones now). Took them about six weeks and cost me $225. My usual
avionics shop told me it wasn't worth repairing and convinced me to replace it
with a KX155/KI209. I figured I would send it to Narco for their $90 eval
(they'll eval a unit for $90 and then call you to see if you want to repair
it, and the $90 is applied to the repair) to see if it could be resurrected to
give me a second glideslope. It is back in my airplane now. I've noticed
that it is noticibly more sensitive than the KX155 for picking up VORs as well
as localizers. Shop measured it to be about 11db more sensitive. The only
thing I like better about the kx155 is the digital flip-flop which allows you
to set up a second frequency ahead of time. One of the nice things about the
122 is that it will cost you next to nothing to get it installed. It is
all-in-one and goes in a standard 3.5" round hole. You just have to hook up
power, audio panel, and the antennas. Oh, it also has a marker beacon
recevier built in if you don't have one in your audio panel. For about $2200
you could have a Narco rebuild installed.

I did my primary instruction and part of my instrument in a BE-77 (beech
skipper) that had a single KX-170 nav-com with no glideslope or markers but
was IFR certified. The cert was OK for picking up an emergency IFR clearance
to get you on the ground, but that's about it. It would be next to reckless
launching off into IFR with such a minimal panel. You can't shoot an ILS with
it (you can do a localizer only approach though), and identifying
intersections requires retuning the NAV and turning the OBS. That is a
prescription for disaster when shooting an approach in worse than anticipated
weather, especially as a low time instrument pilot. The fact that you don't
intend to fly much if any IFR with it should underline that concern. At an
absolute bare minimum, you should have at least something with a digital
flip-flop NAV/COM so that you can set it up to identify intersections and also
to set up your tower/departure frequencies ahead. Even that, is probably
going to be too little when the chips are down. Put the Narco 122 in, that'll
give you a full ILS capability in one instrument, and your existing Nav/comm
will still be there to help with identifying intersections. If your comm is
not a digital flip-flop, you should probably also consider a second comm. I
think this approach will get you a minimal IFR capability for less than the
cost of getting an IFR install on the GX-300





Paul Folbrecht wrote:

I seriously considered this advice and looked into the NAV 122. I
talked to a friend of mine and the local avionics shop and they both
told me that Narco has a bad rep for service and gouges you badly to fix
a 122 - and they do break.

As others have pointed out, you don't need a heck of a lot more to make
the plane legal for IFR training/flight. Here's what __I'd__ do if I
were you. I'd sell the 300XL (since you got it for a steal, you should
at least get your money back) and buy a used NARCO NAV-122A on Ebay.
You can get a yellow tagged one for about $1300. This is the ONLY piece
of equipment you will need to be able to fly IFR legally - it's a VOR,
LOC, GS, MKR and CDI all in one 3 1/8" hole. You can then legally do
ILS, LOC, and VOR approaches.

I did exactly this in order to make my COZY MKIV IFR capable (for
training purposes and light IFR). Even if you have to pay someone $500
to install it, it's still the cheapest way there, using the least panel
space.


--
--Ray Andraka, P.E.
President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc.
401/884-7930 Fax 401/884-7950
email
http://www.andraka.com

"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin Franklin, 1759

If you're installing the 300xl VFR only, why not just go with a handheld?
Heck, a $300 handheld would beat the 300xl in screen size and features. The
difference could buy a nice handheld com radio to use as a backup, with a
external antenna wired in.

I'm not trying to poop on a decision already made, but if you knew you were
going to be using this as a IFR training plaform, why didn't you search out
a bird with the necessary avionics? Just curious

I can't count the number of folks who get their private certificate and go
out and buy a 150/152, only to wish they bought just a bit more for
instrument training, trips, passengers, etc.


"Paul Folbrecht" wrote in message
k.net...
Ok, here's what I'm thinking now. Critisism of this setup not
discouraged!

- 300XL installed *VFR only*.
- PSE 6000 Audio panel with marker beacons.
- KX-155 nav/com - there's one on Ebay right now I may pick up.
- KX 209 Indicator.

Local shop tells me no more than $3500 or so for this install, including
antenna for 2nd com. Does that sound right? I'd be ditching the 385
nav/com that's in there now, of course.

Full cost of this setup assuming used KX-155 and 209 and new audio panel
should be $9-$10K. While this is definitely more money than I wanted to
spend or figured I'd have to spend, I think it may be worth it. I
actually ran a price quote on my plane (aeroprice) with this equipment
installed and was pleased to see the value go up by 80% or so of what
I'd be putting into it. I plan to keep the plane for probably 4-5 years
(until I build my RV-9).

Again, what I want to do here is have an aircraft in which I can get my
instrument ticket and be able to practice real-world instrument
approaches. Subsequent to that, I don't see myself flying hard IMC, but
being able to do a lot more flying on those marginal VFR days that keep
me grounded now. (MVFR can turn into IFR too damn easily - I've already
discovered that.)

Tell me if I'm all wet (please).

Paul Folbrecht wrote:

I've just purchased a '79 152 that is currently VFR only. Avionics
consist of a single nav/com and xponder. That's it.

At some point in the next year or two I am going to want to get my
instrument ticket in this aircraft, so I'm already starting to think
about the best way to do that. Trouble is I know precious little about
IFR equipment at the moment. If someone has some good resources/links
that could get me up to speed I'd appreciate it.

Actually, I already started buying stuff. I bought an IFR Garmin 300XL
GPS on ebay (it was a steal). That's my start. I'm completely open to
suggestions on where to go from there.

Maybe a B/K 80 nav? Has everything else I need, right? I know I need
an audio (switch) panel and at least one more CDI.

I'll be searching for an avionics shop soon to install the GPS, but
until then any idea what that will cost me? Might it make some sense to
have them do a VFR-only install initially and then do it IFR when I have
the rest of my equipment? (I want a GPS now, of course, for VFR
flight.)

TIA.

Thanks for the great reply. You seem to be implying that I won't have a
GS with the setup I proposed - I will. But I see your point in
retaining a 2nd nav. Trouble is, I don't have the panel space - unless
I go with an all in one unit such as the 122.

Ray Andraka wrote:
I've got a Nav 122, and I've used Narco to repair it. I honeslty don't know
where the bad rep comes from, the 122 is a solid unit and I've only had good
experiences with Narco. My 122 has been to Narco twice. Once in 1996 when it
was intermittently losing the localizer. It turned out to be a cracked
resistor. That fix was actually two trips to Narco. The first trip, they
only saw the problem briefly and after cleaning up the unit and recalibrating
it could not reproduce it. After getting it back in the plane, it got more
intermittent so it went back. Narco had the unit a total of 8 days including
time in shipping. It was 11 days from when I first took it out till I had it
back in and working, and a grand total of $152 to fix. There was no charge on
the second trip because once they see it, the whole unit goes under warranty.
The second time was summer 2003 for a PROM that had gone bad after an
alternator overvoltage. The symptom in that case was no localizer on
frequencies that ended with .9x and no glide slope on two frequencies (don't
recall which ones now). Took them about six weeks and cost me $225. My usual
avionics shop told me it wasn't worth repairing and convinced me to replace it
with a KX155/KI209. I figured I would send it to Narco for their $90 eval
(they'll eval a unit for $90 and then call you to see if you want to repair
it, and the $90 is applied to the repair) to see if it could be resurrected to
give me a second glideslope. It is back in my airplane now. I've noticed
that it is noticibly more sensitive than the KX155 for picking up VORs as well
as localizers. Shop measured it to be about 11db more sensitive. The only
thing I like better about the kx155 is the digital flip-flop which allows you
to set up a second frequency ahead of time. One of the nice things about the
122 is that it will cost you next to nothing to get it installed. It is
all-in-one and goes in a standard 3.5" round hole. You just have to hook up
power, audio panel, and the antennas. Oh, it also has a marker beacon
recevier built in if you don't have one in your audio panel. For about $2200
you could have a Narco rebuild installed.

I did my primary instruction and part of my instrument in a BE-77 (beech
skipper) that had a single KX-170 nav-com with no glideslope or markers but
was IFR certified. The cert was OK for picking up an emergency IFR clearance
to get you on the ground, but that's about it. It would be next to reckless
launching off into IFR with such a minimal panel. You can't shoot an ILS with
it (you can do a localizer only approach though), and identifying
intersections requires retuning the NAV and turning the OBS. That is a
prescription for disaster when shooting an approach in worse than anticipated
weather, especially as a low time instrument pilot. The fact that you don't
intend to fly much if any IFR with it should underline that concern. At an
absolute bare minimum, you should have at least something with a digital
flip-flop NAV/COM so that you can set it up to identify intersections and also
to set up your tower/departure frequencies ahead. Even that, is probably
going to be too little when the chips are down. Put the Narco 122 in, that'll
give you a full ILS capability in one instrument, and your existing Nav/comm
will still be there to help with identifying intersections. If your comm is
not a digital flip-flop, you should probably also consider a second comm. I
think this approach will get you a minimal IFR capability for less than the
cost of getting an IFR install on the GX-300





Paul Folbrecht wrote:


I seriously considered this advice and looked into the NAV 122. I
talked to a friend of mine and the local avionics shop and they both
told me that Narco has a bad rep for service and gouges you badly to fix
a 122 - and they do break.


As others have pointed out, you don't need a heck of a lot more to make
the plane legal for IFR training/flight. Here's what __I'd__ do if I
were you. I'd sell the 300XL (since you got it for a steal, you should
at least get your money back) and buy a used NARCO NAV-122A on Ebay.
You can get a yellow tagged one for about $1300. This is the ONLY piece
of equipment you will need to be able to fly IFR legally - it's a VOR,
LOC, GS, MKR and CDI all in one 3 1/8" hole. You can then legally do
ILS, LOC, and VOR approaches.

I did exactly this in order to make my COZY MKIV IFR capable (for
training purposes and light IFR). Even if you have to pay someone $500
to install it, it's still the cheapest way there, using the least panel
space.



--
--Ray Andraka, P.E.
President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc.
401/884-7930 Fax 401/884-7950
email
http://www.andraka.com

"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin Franklin, 1759

It took me long enough to find a plane - my #1 priority was a good,
mid-time engine with full logs. That I got.

As for going handheld GPS - doesn't the integration with the COM help a
lot? Autoselecting frequencies and such? I already have a GPS 295 - I
was planning on selling it. They fetch nearly $1000 used still.


Brad Z wrote:
If you're installing the 300xl VFR only, why not just go with a handheld?
Heck, a $300 handheld would beat the 300xl in screen size and features. The
difference could buy a nice handheld com radio to use as a backup, with a
external antenna wired in.

I'm not trying to poop on a decision already made, but if you knew you were
going to be using this as a IFR training plaform, why didn't you search out
a bird with the necessary avionics? Just curious

I can't count the number of folks who get their private certificate and go
out and buy a 150/152, only to wish they bought just a bit more for
instrument training, trips, passengers, etc.


"Paul Folbrecht" wrote in message
k.net...

Ok, here's what I'm thinking now. Critisism of this setup not
discouraged!

- 300XL installed *VFR only*.
- PSE 6000 Audio panel with marker beacons.
- KX-155 nav/com - there's one on Ebay right now I may pick up.
- KX 209 Indicator.

Local shop tells me no more than $3500 or so for this install, including
antenna for 2nd com. Does that sound right? I'd be ditching the 385
nav/com that's in there now, of course.

Full cost of this setup assuming used KX-155 and 209 and new audio panel
should be $9-$10K. While this is definitely more money than I wanted to
spend or figured I'd have to spend, I think it may be worth it. I
actually ran a price quote on my plane (aeroprice) with this equipment
installed and was pleased to see the value go up by 80% or so of what
I'd be putting into it. I plan to keep the plane for probably 4-5 years
(until I build my RV-9).

Again, what I want to do here is have an aircraft in which I can get my
instrument ticket and be able to practice real-world instrument
approaches. Subsequent to that, I don't see myself flying hard IMC, but
being able to do a lot more flying on those marginal VFR days that keep
me grounded now. (MVFR can turn into IFR too damn easily - I've already
discovered that.)

Tell me if I'm all wet (please).

Paul Folbrecht wrote:


I've just purchased a '79 152 that is currently VFR only. Avionics
consist of a single nav/com and xponder. That's it.

At some point in the next year or two I am going to want to get my
instrument ticket in this aircraft, so I'm already starting to think
about the best way to do that. Trouble is I know precious little about
IFR equipment at the moment. If someone has some good resources/links
that could get me up to speed I'd appreciate it.

Actually, I already started buying stuff. I bought an IFR Garmin 300XL
GPS on ebay (it was a steal). That's my start. I'm completely open to
suggestions on where to go from there.

Maybe a B/K 80 nav? Has everything else I need, right? I know I need
an audio (switch) panel and at least one more CDI.

I'll be searching for an avionics shop soon to install the GPS, but
until then any idea what that will cost me? Might it make some sense to
have them do a VFR-only install initially and then do it IFR when I have
the rest of my equipment? (I want a GPS now, of course, for VFR

flight.)

TIA.

My club has a bird with an IFR certified 300XL and a 430. While it does
have the database that contains runways and frequencies, I don't recall the
300XL doing any frequency autoselection. My personal opinion is that if
you're not using it as an IFR installation, it's wasting space on the panel
that could be used for a useable navcom.

I think you'll be sorely disappointed if you trade your color 295 for a tiny
green screen 300xl.

"Paul Folbrecht" wrote in message
k.net...
It took me long enough to find a plane - my #1 priority was a good,
mid-time engine with full logs. That I got.

As for going handheld GPS - doesn't the integration with the COM help a
lot? Autoselecting frequencies and such? I already have a GPS 295 - I
was planning on selling it. They fetch nearly $1000 used still.


Brad Z wrote:
If you're installing the 300xl VFR only, why not just go with a
handheld?
Heck, a $300 handheld would beat the 300xl in screen size and features.
The
difference could buy a nice handheld com radio to use as a backup, with
a
external antenna wired in.

I'm not trying to poop on a decision already made, but if you knew you
were
going to be using this as a IFR training plaform, why didn't you search
out
a bird with the necessary avionics? Just curious

I can't count the number of folks who get their private certificate and
go
out and buy a 150/152, only to wish they bought just a bit more for
instrument training, trips, passengers, etc.


"Paul Folbrecht" wrote in message
k.net...

Ok, here's what I'm thinking now. Critisism of this setup not
discouraged!

- 300XL installed *VFR only*.
- PSE 6000 Audio panel with marker beacons.
- KX-155 nav/com - there's one on Ebay right now I may pick up.
- KX 209 Indicator.

Local shop tells me no more than $3500 or so for this install, including
antenna for 2nd com. Does that sound right? I'd be ditching the 385
nav/com that's in there now, of course.

Full cost of this setup assuming used KX-155 and 209 and new audio panel
should be $9-$10K. While this is definitely more money than I wanted to
spend or figured I'd have to spend, I think it may be worth it. I
actually ran a price quote on my plane (aeroprice) with this equipment
installed and was pleased to see the value go up by 80% or so of what
I'd be putting into it. I plan to keep the plane for probably 4-5 years
(until I build my RV-9).

Again, what I want to do here is have an aircraft in which I can get my
instrument ticket and be able to practice real-world instrument
approaches. Subsequent to that, I don't see myself flying hard IMC, but
being able to do a lot more flying on those marginal VFR days that keep
me grounded now. (MVFR can turn into IFR too damn easily - I've already
discovered that.)

Tell me if I'm all wet (please).

Paul Folbrecht wrote:


I've just purchased a '79 152 that is currently VFR only. Avionics
consist of a single nav/com and xponder. That's it.

At some point in the next year or two I am going to want to get my
instrument ticket in this aircraft, so I'm already starting to think
about the best way to do that. Trouble is I know precious little about
IFR equipment at the moment. If someone has some good resources/links
that could get me up to speed I'd appreciate it.

Actually, I already started buying stuff. I bought an IFR Garmin 300XL
GPS on ebay (it was a steal). That's my start. I'm completely open to
suggestions on where to go from there.

Maybe a B/K 80 nav? Has everything else I need, right? I know I need
an audio (switch) panel and at least one more CDI.

I'll be searching for an avionics shop soon to install the GPS, but
until then any idea what that will cost me? Might it make some sense
to
have them do a VFR-only install initially and then do it IFR when I
have
the rest of my equipment? (I want a GPS now, of course, for VFR

flight.)

TIA.

Well, I've not yet seen a 300XL up close, but I wouldn't have thought
the quality of the display would pale compared to my 295 (although I
knew I'd lose the color - not a big deal to me - I've seen several
grey-scale handhelds that I thought were fine).

This is more food for thought.

Brad Z wrote:

My club has a bird with an IFR certified 300XL and a 430. While it does
have the database that contains runways and frequencies, I don't recall the
300XL doing any frequency autoselection. My personal opinion is that if
you're not using it as an IFR installation, it's wasting space on the panel
that could be used for a useable navcom.

I think you'll be sorely disappointed if you trade your color 295 for a tiny
green screen 300xl.

"Paul Folbrecht" wrote in message
k.net...

It took me long enough to find a plane - my #1 priority was a good,
mid-time engine with full logs. That I got.

As for going handheld GPS - doesn't the integration with the COM help a
lot? Autoselecting frequencies and such? I already have a GPS 295 - I
was planning on selling it. They fetch nearly $1000 used still.


Brad Z wrote:

If you're installing the 300xl VFR only, why not just go with a

handheld?

Heck, a $300 handheld would beat the 300xl in screen size and features.

The

difference could buy a nice handheld com radio to use as a backup, with

a

external antenna wired in.

I'm not trying to poop on a decision already made, but if you knew you

were

going to be using this as a IFR training plaform, why didn't you search

out

a bird with the necessary avionics? Just curious

I can't count the number of folks who get their private certificate and

go

out and buy a 150/152, only to wish they bought just a bit more for
instrument training, trips, passengers, etc.


"Paul Folbrecht" wrote in message
link.net...


Ok, here's what I'm thinking now. Critisism of this setup not
discouraged!

- 300XL installed *VFR only*.
- PSE 6000 Audio panel with marker beacons.
- KX-155 nav/com - there's one on Ebay right now I may pick up.
- KX 209 Indicator.

Local shop tells me no more than $3500 or so for this install, including
antenna for 2nd com. Does that sound right? I'd be ditching the 385
nav/com that's in there now, of course.

Full cost of this setup assuming used KX-155 and 209 and new audio panel
should be $9-$10K. While this is definitely more money than I wanted to
spend or figured I'd have to spend, I think it may be worth it. I
actually ran a price quote on my plane (aeroprice) with this equipment
installed and was pleased to see the value go up by 80% or so of what
I'd be putting into it. I plan to keep the plane for probably 4-5 years
(until I build my RV-9).

Again, what I want to do here is have an aircraft in which I can get my
instrument ticket and be able to practice real-world instrument
approaches. Subsequent to that, I don't see myself flying hard IMC, but
being able to do a lot more flying on those marginal VFR days that keep
me grounded now. (MVFR can turn into IFR too damn easily - I've already
discovered that.)

Tell me if I'm all wet (please).

Paul Folbrecht wrote:



I've just purchased a '79 152 that is currently VFR only. Avionics
consist of a single nav/com and xponder. That's it.

At some point in the next year or two I am going to want to get my
instrument ticket in this aircraft, so I'm already starting to think
about the best way to do that. Trouble is I know precious little about
IFR equipment at the moment. If someone has some good resources/links
that could get me up to speed I'd appreciate it.

Actually, I already started buying stuff. I bought an IFR Garmin 300XL
GPS on ebay (it was a steal). That's my start. I'm completely open to
suggestions on where to go from there.

Maybe a B/K 80 nav? Has everything else I need, right? I know I need
an audio (switch) panel and at least one more CDI.

I'll be searching for an avionics shop soon to install the GPS, but
until then any idea what that will cost me? Might it make some sense

to

have them do a VFR-only install initially and then do it IFR when I

have

the rest of my equipment? (I want a GPS now, of course, for VFR

flight.)


TIA.

On Fri, 26 Mar 2004 02:12:50 GMT, Paul Folbrecht
wrote:

Ok, here's what I'm thinking now. Critisism of this setup not
discouraged!

- 300XL installed *VFR only*.
- PSE 6000 Audio panel with marker beacons.
- KX-155 nav/com - there's one on Ebay right now I may pick up.
- KX 209 Indicator.

Local shop tells me no more than $3500 or so for this install, including
antenna for 2nd com. Does that sound right? I'd be ditching the 385
nav/com that's in there now, of course.

Full cost of this setup assuming used KX-155 and 209 and new audio panel
should be $9-$10K. While this is definitely more money than I wanted to
spend or figured I'd have to spend, I think it may be worth it. I
actually ran a price quote on my plane (aeroprice) with this equipment
installed and was pleased to see the value go up by 80% or so of what
I'd be putting into it. I plan to keep the plane for probably 4-5 years
(until I build my RV-9).

Paul,

I see little value add by installing the 300XL VFR only. Did you get
a quote to see how much more an IFR install would be?

-Nathan