What's a radio stack really cost?

I'm looking at a Skymaster that is mechanically in very good shape, but
is absolutely (just barely) VFR. It has more boat anchors in it than
Tracker Boats sells in a month. So..if a mid-time multi-rated,
instrument pilot was going to spend money on a new radio stack, how much
would he or she have to spend?



I'm assuming something along the lines of the following:



* GMA 340 audio panel

* GMX 200/traffic MFD

* Dual SL30 nav/comms

* GPS 400 gps

* GTX 330 transponder

* MD 200 VOR/LOC/GS indicator

* GI 102 VOR/LOC indicator

* GDL 69 XM receiver



I figure by breaking out the nav/comm function from the gps function, I
can lose either and still shoot an approach. I think my single point of
failure might be audio panel, but I don't know how to get around that
issue. The txponder is also an spof, but so what? Same with the XM
receiver.



I'd like to read feedback from folks that have been-there, done-that,
and have the tee-shirt. I'd also like to know how much I should expect
this stack to really cost (budgetary purposes).

I would contact avionics shops for a quote as the cost of the install
will be substantial and they may be able to get you a discount on the
equipment if they do the install. I just had a audio panel (with
intercom) and a second nav/com and indicator installed along with some
old radios removed, an avionics master and ptt's installed for $1800
with me supplying all the equipment (+$3K used). You'd be looking at
quite a bit more in labor for an IFR approved GPS installation plus the
cost of the equipment. The quotes for the install were all over the
place so shop around.

"Jim Carter" wrote:

[snip]

Substitute a Garmin 430 for one of these:
* Dual SL30 nav/comms


....and drop this:
* GPS 400 gps


[snip]

It will still cost you $30K+ installed; maybe as much as $40K, depending on
the shop. And you still haven't even thought about an autopilot.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

Go to Eastern Avionics web site and look at their packages, both new
and reconditioned... Good folks... Honest and they will be up front
with you on total cost..

denny

Jim Carter wrote:

I'm assuming something along the lines of the following:


* GMA 340 audio panel

* GMX 200/traffic MFD

* Dual SL30 nav/comms

* GPS 400 gps

* GTX 330 transponder

* MD 200 VOR/LOC/GS indicator

* GI 102 VOR/LOC indicator

* GDL 69 XM receiver

If I was starting from scratch, I think I'd go with a GNS-480 and an SL-30.

I figure by breaking out the nav/comm function from the gps function, I
can lose either and still shoot an approach.

The SL-30 alone is enough to get you vectors to an ILS.

I think my single point of failure might be audio panel

That's certainly a single point of COM failure, but it won't keep you
from navigating.

Of course, that's just one man's opinion, and what works for me may
not make sense for you.

We've got an MX-20 in one of our planes, and personally I don't get
much use out of it. The graphics update is way to slow for the moving
map. If they came out with a faster version, it might be more
attractive.

Dan Luke wrote:
"Jim Carter" wrote:

[snip]

Substitute a Garmin 430 for one of these:

* Dual SL30 nav/comms



...and drop this:

* GPS 400 gps



[snip]

It will still cost you $30K+ installed; maybe as much as $40K, depending on
the shop. And you still haven't even thought about an autopilot.

An autopilot is a more difficult thing than everything else
in the avionics stakc. The autopilot has to be set up to
match the flying properties of the airframe,

--

Tauno Voipio
tauno voipio (at) iki fi

On Wed, 14 Jun 2006 03:47:55 GMT, "Jim Carter"
wrote:

I'm looking at a Skymaster that is mechanically in very good shape, but
is absolutely (just barely) VFR. It has more boat anchors in it than
Tracker Boats sells in a month. So..if a mid-time multi-rated,
instrument pilot was going to spend money on a new radio stack, how much
would he or she have to spend?



I'm assuming something along the lines of the following:



* GMA 340 audio panel

* GMX 200/traffic MFD

* Dual SL30 nav/comms

* GPS 400 gps

* GTX 330 transponder

* MD 200 VOR/LOC/GS indicator

* GI 102 VOR/LOC indicator

* GDL 69 XM receiver


That is over $20k in avionics, you can expect 50+% of that to install.
So a minimum of $30k.

-----Original Message-----
From: 150flivver ]
Posted At: Tuesday, June 13, 2006 11:15 PM
Posted To: rec.aviation.owning
Conversation: What's a radio stack really cost?
Subject: What's a radio stack really cost?


.... The quotes for the install were all over the
place so shop around.
[Jim Carter]
I guess that's what I'm worried about, the shop I worked with 20 yrs ago
is gone and there seems to be a wide variety of estimate bandied about
on the net. I'm hoping that folks will step up with hints about what
they really paid, not just MFRP numbers -- unless that includes
installation.

-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Luke ]
Posted At: Wednesday, June 14, 2006 5:59 AM
Posted To: rec.aviation.owning
Conversation: What's a radio stack really cost?
Subject: What's a radio stack really cost?


"Jim Carter" wrote:

[snip]

Substitute a Garmin 430 for one of these:
* Dual SL30 nav/comms


...and drop this:
* GPS 400 gps


[Jim Carter] I'm interested to understand why you'd want to go with a
430 instead of the 400. I realize the 430 is comm/nav/gps, so I was
trying to isolate the comm/nav from the gps function with the 400. If I
dropped the 400, would you also suggest dropping the MFD? The 430 has
such a small screen that I would think traffic and weather would be a
problem to display.

Would you drop the MFD and the 400 and maybe go with a 530? If so, we're
back to merging the comm/nav and gps together into one unit.


[snip]

It will still cost you $30K+ installed; maybe as much as $40K,
depending
on
the shop. And you still haven't even thought about an autopilot.

There is a functioning standard (for the 337) Cessna autopilot on board
already. It is just coupled to a bunch of junk radios. Don't I have a
pretty good chance of re-using that autopilot? It has pitch and roll
with variable rates in each direction, along with heading and altitude
preset.

-----Original Message-----
From: Denny ]
Posted At: Wednesday, June 14, 2006 1:17 PM
Posted To: rec.aviation.owning
Conversation: What's a radio stack really cost?
Subject: What's a radio stack really cost?

Go to Eastern Avionics web site and look at their packages, both new
and reconditioned... Good folks... Honest and they will be up front
with you on total cost..

denny
[Jim Carter] Excellent - this is exactly the steering I was looking for
Denny - thanks.