Lowest Cost GPS IFR system?

I'm currently flying VFR in a vfr equipped plane. What would be the lowest
cost GPS based instrument system I could install and be legal for IFR
flying?

I looked through the last six months of this newsgroup, but didn't see a FAQ
or the answer to the above, so I hope it won't be something that was just
hashed out.

thanks,
tom pettit

tom pettit tompetatpeak wrote:
I'm currently flying VFR in a vfr equipped plane. What would be the lowest
cost GPS based instrument system I could install and be legal for IFR
flying?

Maybe something in the Apollo GX50/55/60/65 series? You'll find, though, that
the cost of installation is a big part of making it IFR, so if you're going to
spend a lot on installation, it seems a shame to waste it on a cheap unit.

On 11/18/2005 13:28, tom pettit tompetatpeak wrote:

I'm currently flying VFR in a vfr equipped plane. What would be the lowest
cost GPS based instrument system I could install and be legal for IFR
flying?

I looked through the last six months of this newsgroup, but didn't see a FAQ
or the answer to the above, so I hope it won't be something that was just
hashed out.

thanks,
tom pettit



Keep in mind that it takes a specific unit (a TSO one forty something
rather than the TSO 129... I'm not sure I have those number correct) for
the GPS unit to be used as the sole means of IFR navigation.

I mention this, because you said your plane is not currently IFR
capable. In order to use one of the TSO 129 certified GPS units for
IFR flight, the plane must still have the navigation equipment on
board for the ground based navigation aids along the route of flight.

Does any of this apply to you?

If not, sorry if I misunderstood your situation.


--
Mark Hansen, PP-ASEL, Instrument Airplane
Sacramento, CA

On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 13:28:32 -0800, tom pettitpeak wrote:

I'm currently flying VFR in a vfr equipped plane. What would be the lowest
cost GPS based instrument system I could install and be legal for IFR
flying?

Wow, low cost and IFR equipment in the same sentence just doesn't compute.

With that in mind, I came across a Garmin dealer who was not making their
quota and managed to get a hold of a GNS 430 radio for 6K with brand new
warranty.

My ILS nor localizer will not work for this 430 so I now have to get a new
indicator. which is another 1.5K. Installation will be about 40 hours of
work which equates to 2.8K or so. This is just for one radio, one
indicator! My second radio will not be replaced at this time, to keep
costs down.

So..... if you only have a VFR equiped plane, this should get you a
baseline for what is ahead of you.

Allen

Dave Butler wrote On 11/18/05 13:57,:
tom pettit tompetatpeak wrote:

I'm currently flying VFR in a vfr equipped plane. What would be the lowest
cost GPS based instrument system I could install and be legal for IFR
flying?


Maybe something in the Apollo GX50/55/60/65 series? You'll find, though, that
the cost of installation is a big part of making it IFR, so if you're going to
spend a lot on installation, it seems a shame to waste it on a cheap unit.

I went through this calculation way back in 2000 or so. I even had the advantage
of having a loran that would have had an upgradable pinout to the Apollo.
I went 430 and am happy with that decision. I doubt it would have saved any
real money in any case.

I don't currently have any navigation equipment. I was hoping that a
single, certified, gps unit could be used as primary, with an uncertified
unit as back up. I was hoping I didn't need anything else. Reading the
FARS it isn't very specific, or more likely, I just don't know enough about
this stuff yet.
thanks,
tom

"Mark Hansen" wrote in message
...
On 11/18/2005 13:28, tom pettit tompetatpeak wrote:

I'm currently flying VFR in a vfr equipped plane. What would be the
lowest cost GPS based instrument system I could install and be legal for
IFR flying?

I looked through the last six months of this newsgroup, but didn't see a
FAQ or the answer to the above, so I hope it won't be something that was
just hashed out.

thanks,
tom pettit

Keep in mind that it takes a specific unit (a TSO one forty something
rather than the TSO 129... I'm not sure I have those number correct) for
the GPS unit to be used as the sole means of IFR navigation.

I mention this, because you said your plane is not currently IFR
capable. In order to use one of the TSO 129 certified GPS units for
IFR flight, the plane must still have the navigation equipment on
board for the ground based navigation aids along the route of flight.

Does any of this apply to you?

If not, sorry if I misunderstood your situation.


--
Mark Hansen, PP-ASEL, Instrument Airplane
Sacramento, CA

I have the GX55 in my Bonanza. They are approx $2K plus install. You
can install it either VFR only or IFR terminal/enroute. To be legal to
accept a direct clearance you will have to get it legal for
terminal/enroute. The GPS can be finnicky and it might cost hardly
anything up to a couple thousand to get it IFR legal. There are some
tests that the shop will run to make it legal, call any avionics shop
and they will tell you what is involved.

tom pettit tompetatpeak wrote:
I'm currently flying VFR in a vfr equipped plane. What would be the lowest
cost GPS based instrument system I could install and be legal for IFR
flying?

I looked through the last six months of this newsgroup, but didn't see a FAQ
or the answer to the above, so I hope it won't be something that was just
hashed out.

thanks,
tom pettit

tom pettit tompetatpeak wrote:

I don't currently have any navigation equipment. I was hoping that a
single, certified, gps unit could be used as primary, with an uncertified
unit as back up. I was hoping I didn't need anything else. Reading the
FARS it isn't very specific, or more likely, I just don't know enough about
this stuff yet.

Any real IFR work without a navcomm isn't practical.

Since the bulk of the cost is installation the actual GPS unit you
select will not have a dramatic effect on end price. A GNS430 is about
$11,000 installed here. Any other GPS is + or - $1000 or so.

Originally Posted by tom pettit

I'm currently flying VFR in a vfr equipped plane. What would be the lowest
cost GPS based instrument system I could install and be legal for IFR
flying?

I looked through the last six months of this newsgroup, but didn't see a FAQ
or the answer to the above, so I hope it won't be something that was just
hashed out.

thanks,
tom pettit

i bought a garmin 155 TSO ifr certified for $1000 on e-bay with certs, and installed it in my plane - an annunciator to link it to my HSI cost another ~$550 or so. i then got an LSTC for that unit from a DAR for $1000. with installation it ended up costing around $4,000.

the king 90B (or 89B) comes with a generic STC - so you can save yourself the cost of the LSTC. there's usually a few of those for sale on e-bay as well.

an IFR certified installation probably can't be done much under $3,500 by the time you add labour, paperwork, and required accessories such as a CDI or annunciator.

i hope that helps,

francois