Used Avionics

I plan to buy my first airplane and "trade-up" in about 3-4 years. I
expect my initial investment will be around $75K. At that price, it
does not seem to be worth putting in brand new avionics to the tune of
$12-$15K (thinking specifically about a Garmin 430/MX-20 combo, or a
GX-50/MX-20 combo). At the sametime, I really would like the
situational awareness benefits of such avionics. Is it practical to
consider buying used avionics? If so, where might I get used avionics
(web site pointers, phone numbers, or email addresses would be helpful
in addition to names of places).

By the way, thanks for all the great help I have been getting on this
forum. It really helps me make some hard decisions about my first purchase.

-Sami

O. Sami Saydjari wrote:
...where might I get used avionics
(web site pointers, phone numbers, or email addresses would be helpful
in addition to names of places).

I bought a couple of used radios from http://www.avionix.com and I was happy
with the way I was treated. Actually, I initially bought some new KX-170B
slide-in replacements, but I was unhappy with them, and they took them back and
sold me some used KX-155s. They held my hand the whole way, provided good advice
and I came away happy. I don't own that plane any more, but the KX-155s are
still in it and working fine.

Dave
Remove SHIRT to reply directly.

: consider buying used avionics? If so, where might I get used avionics
: (web site pointers, phone numbers, or email addresses would be helpful
: in addition to names of places).

If you're careful and savvy:

http://www.ebay.com




--
************************************************** ***********************
* The prime directive of Linux: *
* - learn what you don't know, *
* - teach what you do. *
* (Just my 20 USm$) *
************************************************** ***********************

Just buy a portable unit like the 196 or 295 Garmin. Then sell it on ebay
when you trade up. If you put in a panel mounted unit (used or new) you
will not see much of your money back.

Kobra


"O. Sami Saydjari" wrote in message
...
I plan to buy my first airplane and "trade-up" in about 3-4 years. I
expect my initial investment will be around $75K. At that price, it
does not seem to be worth putting in brand new avionics to the tune of
$12-$15K (thinking specifically about a Garmin 430/MX-20 combo, or a
GX-50/MX-20 combo). At the sametime, I really would like the
situational awareness benefits of such avionics. Is it practical to
consider buying used avionics? If so, where might I get used avionics
(web site pointers, phone numbers, or email addresses would be helpful
in addition to names of places).

By the way, thanks for all the great help I have been getting on this
forum. It really helps me make some hard decisions about my first
purchase.

-Sami

In article ,
O. Sami Saydjari wrote:
I plan to buy my first airplane and "trade-up" in about 3-4 years. I
expect my initial investment will be around $75K. At that price, it
does not seem to be worth putting in brand new avionics to the tune of
$12-$15K

No, but you can probably find an airplane that's already so-equipped in
your price range. It's always cheaper to buy a plane that's configured
how you want.

Remember, used avionics cost just as much (maybe more!) to install,
and a large part of any avionics upgrade is the installation.

--
Ben Jackson

http://www.ben.com/

This is not always true, when I sold my old cherokee 180, I had put a new
garmin stack in, 430,x-ponder, audio panel and some other stuff, I got back
90% of what I had into the plane, plus, it sold in 4 days.

I cant expect to get back 100% because I did fly it and use the equipment so I
was happy with what I got back from it.

Jeff
http://www.turboarrow3.com


Kobra wrote:

Just buy a portable unit like the 196 or 295 Garmin. Then sell it on ebay
when you trade up. If you put in a panel mounted unit (used or new) you
will not see much of your money back.

Kobra

Sami
It actually depends how much your paying for the plane (if you got a good deal
on the price) if you get your money back on the avionics you put into it.
I put 20K in new avionics in my plane, I may or may not get it back, but I dont
plan on selling my plane anytime soon. The avionics is something I wanted and
something I use is why I got them, if I got back 100% of their cost was not
something I considered, having my airplane the way I wanted it what mattered to
me.

Jeff
http://www.turboarrow3.com


"O. Sami Saydjari" wrote:

I plan to buy my first airplane and "trade-up" in about 3-4 years. I
expect my initial investment will be around $75K. At that price, it
does not seem to be worth putting in brand new avionics to the tune of
$12-$15K (thinking specifically about a Garmin 430/MX-20 combo, or a
GX-50/MX-20 combo). At the sametime, I really would like the
situational awareness benefits of such avionics. Is it practical to
consider buying used avionics? If so, where might I get used avionics
(web site pointers, phone numbers, or email addresses would be helpful
in addition to names of places).

By the way, thanks for all the great help I have been getting on this
forum. It really helps me make some hard decisions about my first purchase.

-Sami

what kind of plane are you getting, if you dont mind...

jeff

"O. Sami Saydjari" wrote:

I plan to buy my first airplane and "trade-up" in about 3-4 years. I
expect my initial investment will be around $75K. At that price, it
does not seem to be worth putting in brand new avionics to the tune of
$12-$15K (thinking specifically about a Garmin 430/MX-20 combo, or a
GX-50/MX-20 combo). At the sametime, I really would like the
situational awareness benefits of such avionics. Is it practical to
consider buying used avionics? If so, where might I get used avionics
(web site pointers, phone numbers, or email addresses would be helpful
in addition to names of places).

By the way, thanks for all the great help I have been getting on this
forum. It really helps me make some hard decisions about my first purchase.

-Sami

"Jeff" wrote in message ...
This is not always true, when I sold my old cherokee 180, I had put a new
garmin stack in, 430,x-ponder, audio panel and some other stuff, I got
back
90% of what I had into the plane, plus, it sold in 4 days.


It must have been a good market then because that is quite extraordinary
(unless you're dealing with someone who has more money than buying savvy).

http://www.planedata.com/aircraft%20...%20methods.htm

"O. Sami Saydjari" wrote:

I plan to buy my first airplane and "trade-up" in about 3-4 years. I
expect my initial investment will be around $75K. At that price, it
does not seem to be worth putting in brand new avionics to the tune of
$12-$15K (thinking specifically about a Garmin 430/MX-20 combo, or a
GX-50/MX-20 combo). At the sametime, I really would like the
situational awareness benefits of such avionics. Is it practical to
consider buying used avionics? If so, where might I get used avionics
(web site pointers, phone numbers, or email addresses would be helpful
in addition to names of places).

Many avionics shops have used gear that they replaced. Finding _current_
equipment is going to be tougher.

This place has refurbished equipment: http://www.psavionics.com/

The F33A I'm buying has a basic panel (dual KX-155's, ADF, DME, Loran,
Xpder...) which is what I want. I figure to remove the 2nd KX-155 and the
Loran and replace it with a Garmin GNS-530 ($13,150 installed)
http://www.pacific-coast-avionics.co...il.asp?id=4448.

Also we'll replace the transponder and put in a Garmin GTX-327 and the Audio
Pnael with a PSEngineering audio panal (7000B) and intercom. Then it's a
TATurbo Whirlwind (Turbo Normalization) and an oxygen system.

All in all, it's looking to be about $78K, but I expect to have this plane
for at least five to seven years. It's also a 1992 model, so it's not like
having an antique bird that's over-equipped. Putting an elaborate panel into
an antique is just going to cost a lot of money that will never hold it's
value (or so I'm led to believe).

Like anything else, make the equipment suit the mission just as you'd build
a home that suits the neighborhood.