petrolero
Pattern Altitude
What was the installed cost and what are the pitfalls?
G500 Retrofit Glass in a Cessna 182 - who's done it?
- Thread starter petrolero
- Start date
I did it in a 310 I think the G-500 part was $22k a few years ago. I haven't experienced an operational pitfall.
write-stuff
En-Route
Call Scotty at Precision Avionics in Griffin, GA (just south of Atlanta). He can send you pictures of the his airplane (182 with 500) and give you some details. www.precision-avionics.com Tell him Russ Still sent you.
petrolero
Pattern Altitude
Were there any significant problems during the install? Sounds like not really if it was "only" $22k.
Other general thoughts I'll throw out there...
- Does it require a whole new panel?
- Did you get rid of your vac pump?
- Install a backup alternator?
- Does it require a larger alternator?
- What was required as far as backup power? Just a backup battery?
I got a whole new panel all lit up with NuLites, the whole thing with the 430W, engine monitor and fuel flow all said and done was $40k. That also included rewiring the whole panel and getting rid of 3 generations of avionics and harnesses behind the panel and in the nose. Between that and the generator -> alternator swap the plane lost about 250lbs in the weighing. The actual metal panel is cheap as is the decal set. The time savings in just mounting a new pane vs patching together a Frankenstienesque panel just makes it a no brainier to just build a new panel.
I have a twin, so I already have two alternators and I still have vacuum pumps. If I can get Kelly hot pads for the wings one day, I'll put alternators on those drive PTOs and likely put in a STBY EFIS. It would be no big deal to add another STBY battery in the nose either.
poadeleted20
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Advertised installed prices for G500 are in the $16-20K range. However, if you don't already have something like a GNS430 and at least one extra G500-compatible nav/comm (like a Garmin SL30), the price for a truly functional system goes up in a hurry. So, what else do you have in the plane already?
BTW, I've flown a C-310 with a retrofitted G500 package including a GTN750 and GTN650 plus GTX33 blind transponder (remote-mounted and controlled via the G500). That's something on the order of $60K installed, but it's almost as nice as a G1000.
BTW, I've flown a C-310 with a retrofitted G500 package including a GTN750 and GTN650 plus GTX33 blind transponder (remote-mounted and controlled via the G500). That's something on the order of $60K installed, but it's almost as nice as a G1000.
petrolero
Pattern Altitude
Running down the stack:
- SL15 Audio Panel
- GTN 750 coupled w/ Meggitt/STEC HSI
- (WX 500 Stormscope on the GTN)
- SL 30 Nav/Comm/ILS
- SL70 Mode C xpdr (Trig TT31 Mode S/ES may be coming soon - long story)
- Stec 55 with ST-901 GPSS converter
- Hoskins ancient fuel totalizer
- No modern engine monitor at all (on the short list)
I have a standard 6-pack with no backup alternator or static or backup battery. So if I went all-electric, backups would be a serious consideration.
For those who have done this retrofit, what is typically done for backup?
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N747JB
Final Approach
Nice rack! Of avionics I mean! 
I'd price both the G-500 and the Aspen, with the 750, you could get by fine with a single screen Aspen. I've had both a single Aspen in a 421B and recently installed a G-600 in my 425, I do like the Garmin better and if it would have worked with my autopilot I might have been tempted to put it in the 421.
Both are good units, I can't speak on costs, they use different units for the heavier airplanes and installation costs more with a pressurized airplane.
I'd price both the G-500 and the Aspen, with the 750, you could get by fine with a single screen Aspen. I've had both a single Aspen in a 421B and recently installed a G-600 in my 425, I do like the Garmin better and if it would have worked with my autopilot I might have been tempted to put it in the 421.
Both are good units, I can't speak on costs, they use different units for the heavier airplanes and installation costs more with a pressurized airplane.
petrolero
Pattern Altitude
Nice rack! Of avionics I mean!
I'd price both the G-500 and the Aspen, with the 750, you could get by fine with a single screen Aspen. I've had both a single Aspen in a 421B and recently installed a G-600 in my 425, I do like the Garmin better and if it would have worked with my autopilot I might have been tempted to put it in the 421.
Both are good units, I can't speak on costs, they use different units for the heavier airplanes and installation costs more with a pressurized airplane.
Yeah the single-Aspen option is the plan if the HSI goes out and I just don't want to do the full-Monty G500 install.
But knowing myself, it would blow up like this: If I did that I'd problably go with at least a dual Aspen "while I'm at it." and if I'm doing that I might as well go full-Monty and do the G500.
I'm such a gadget whore.
N747JB
Final Approach
I think if I were doing the dual Aspen, I would really look at the G500!
The 750 is such a capable unit, I think I could get by with it an steam gauges just fine, but I got my 750 and 650 when I installed the G600.
The 750 is such a capable unit, I think I could get by with it an steam gauges just fine, but I got my 750 and 650 when I installed the G600.
Yeah the single-Aspen option is the plan if the HSI goes out and I just don't want to do the full-Monty G500 install.
But knowing myself, it would blow up like this: If I did that I'd problably go with at least a dual Aspen "while I'm at it." and if I'm doing that I might as well go full-Monty and do the G500.
I'm such a gadget whore.
petrolero
Pattern Altitude
I think if I were doing the dual Aspen, I would really look at the G500!
The 750 is such a capable unit, I think I could get by with it an steam gauges just fine, but I got my 750 and 650 when I installed the G600.
Yeah the GTN with the Stec 55 and GPSS is a great setup. I flew my 6-pack well during instrument training. "Oh, you covered up an instrument or three? Almost didn't notice. Guess I'll tell ATC."
I admit I do have more motivation to install a nice graphical engine monitor than the G500. But it's just so darn sexy with all its fancy-pants glass and buttons I can't stop thinking about it.
I have a Kx-155 w/GS and vacuum AI and analogue airspeed and altimeter stacked next to the G-500. I would consider using an EFIS back up unit as well.
drotto
Cleared for Takeoff
Not in a 182, but in a Saratoga. Full glass upgrade leaving only 3 of the original steam gauges, and engine stuff, was over 85K. This included the g500, g750, g650, all new radios, and new transponder. A new panel was needed to make it look right, and have everything in the right spots.
N747JB
Final Approach
I did pretty much the same thing, G600, 750/650, dual remote transponders, remote audio panel, GDL 69A, pretty much everything except Garmin radar.
Marauder
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When you start getting quotes, pay special attention to the interfaces. In most cases, you will need a GAD-43e to interface with your existing autopilot and any radios that you may want to interface to it. Check whether or not you will get GPSS roll steering with the hardware you have. And if not, how much it will cost to add.
Many shops will quote you a price and then surprise you later with the add-ons. I had an $10k difference between the low and high quotes. I would insist on a quote instead of an estimate. A quote is an agreement to the work for a specific price. An estimate is a best guess.
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Many shops will quote you a price and then surprise you later with the add-ons. I had an $10k difference between the low and high quotes. I would insist on a quote instead of an estimate. A quote is an agreement to the work for a specific price. An estimate is a best guess.
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evapilotaz
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Off topic. Why are they called steam gauges?
drotto
Cleared for Takeoff
Yes that was needed also. The plane has a King 200 autopilot and a digital to analog converter was needed so the new avionics could communicate with the original autopilot.
N747JB
Final Approach
If a shop give you a quote without looking at the airplane and wiring, it's an estimate! I had what I thought was a quote, it was an estimate, which did not include a lot of wire removal and they under estimated the labor, by a LOT!
To be fair on a major avionics install the shop should throughly examine the airplane.
I had what I thought was a quote, it was an estimate, which did not include a lot of wire removal and they under estimated the labor, by a LOT! To be fair on a major avionics install the shop should throughly examine the airplane.
poadeleted20
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With a glass panel like a G500, the regs require three backup instruments -- airspeed, altimeter, and independently-powered AI. In your situation, you would normally keep your old altimeter and airspeed. On the AI side, you'd typically keep the old vacuum AI as the independent backup, but you don't seem to have a vacuum AI right now. Do you still have your vacuum pump? Otherwise, you'd have to install one of the electric backup AI's with built-in 30-minute backup power supply.
Marauder
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Because they look like the round gauges found on old steam driven devices.
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evapilotaz
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LuisO
Pre-takeoff checklist
That's because you don't fly high enough for the water vapor in your exhaust to hit dewpoint and condense right away as it comes out
petrolero
Pattern Altitude
My AI is currently my only vacuum instrument. The old DG is now an electric HSI.
My question about backup is whether to keep the vac system or switch to an all electric system with backup alternator and battery?
poadeleted20
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OK, then the normal plan would be to keep the vacuum system and vacuum AI as your backup AI.
You might want to discuss that idea with your shop. The first question I'd have is whether there is any such backup electrical system STC'd for a 182, and if not, what it would take in time, effort, and money for field approval of such a system. Any way you look at it, that will far more expensive than just keeping the vacuum system and vacuum AI.
In a single engine application I would most definitely ditch the vacuum system and mount the backup alternator on that PTO pad, they make one that bolts right on. If the money was there, there is a nice SVT back up EFIS unit, or you can stay with an old style electric AI.
I wish the G-300 would certify, that would make an excellent back up, or even primary when running with a 750 next to or below it. Could also stick an Aspen over on the right.
evapilotaz
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That's because you don't fly high enough for the water vapor in your exhaust to hit dewpoint and condense right away as it comes out
Now I know why I put water in the fuel tanks.
