N55WB is back, and I'm in love all over again

AggieMike88

AggieMike88

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Denton, TX
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The original "I don't know it all" of aviation.
After her 6-month "spa treatment" at Tech Aero Avionics at KDTO, our club's 1975 C182P is back in the hangar.

The new panel items make her a new and wonderful airplane. 425 hours in her, 12 of which in last few days.

55WB Panel 2021.JPG (Click to enlarge)
 
How pretty. What did the change do for your useful?
 
Beautiful panel layout.
 
AggieMike88 said:
After her 6-month "spa treatment" at Tech Aero Avionics at KDTO, our club's 1975 C182P is back in the hangar.

The new panel items make her a new and wonderful airplane. 425 hours in her, 12 of which in last few days.

View attachment 97530 (Click to enlarge)
Click to expand...

It would be useful to the rest of us if you shared with us the installed components and the total cost. Thank you.
 
MountainDude said:
It would be useful to the rest of us if you shared with us the installed components and the total cost. Thank you.
Click to expand...
G3X Touch
G5 as backup
JPI EDM 830 (held over from prior panel)
PS Engineering PMA 450
GTN 650Xi
KX155 (held over)
GT345 (held over)
GFC 500
New metal panel overlay
New LED right lights where needed
Vacuum system removed

Waiting on final bill from shop.
 
Ok, guesses on what the total bill is - winner gets a dubious prize to be named later. Price is Right rules (closest without going over)

I'll go with 34k.
 
I’d be interested to hear about the club interpersonal dynamics. Getting the members to the same place financially and feature wise.
 
I'm guessing $60k. And I think I'm low.
 
Morgan3820 said:
I’d be interested to hear about the club interpersonal dynamics. Getting the members to the same place financially and feature wise.
Click to expand...

I'd be curious about this as well.

One of the reasons I avoid clubs is because I'm not sure how these decisions are made and what my level of control is.

I believe that plane has had 2 panel overhauls and been repainted in the last 4 years.

I guess it's working out but I'm curious how the process works.
 
$48,921.00, Bob!

That won’t be a cheap invoice, but it sure looks like a great panel!
 
I think the audio panel and GFC500 install costs are going to push it up to 65k
 
Racerx said:
I think the audio panel and GFC500 install costs are going to push it up to 65k
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Are audio panel installs that pricey? The GFC500 I get, but ignorant as to why the audio panel would bump it up.
 
Sierra_Hotel said:
Are audio panel installs that pricey? The GFC500 I get, but ignorant as to why the audio panel would bump it up.
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Box itself no. Just lots of wires and labor go through it. Had 2 separate quotes for putting just a par200b no other radios to hook up and the labor alone was between 4000 and 4500. Different part of the country but I'd venture a guess that labor alone around here would be around 7k for just the audio panel work.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I'd be curious about this as well.

One of the reasons I avoid clubs is because I'm not sure how these decisions are made and what my level of control is.

I believe that plane has had 2 panel overhauls and been repainted in the last 4 years.

I guess it's working out but I'm curious how the process works.
Click to expand...
Repainted within last 5 years, new reman engine 3 years and 400 hours ago.

At engine overhaul, we did do some small changes to panel, mostly install the engine monitor.

The club is operated as a general democracy. We do have an executive committee and bylaws, but everyone has the chance to contribute to the decision making process on all topics big and small.

And most members do. The remainder are informed via group email and asked to respond. Silence is considered as “no objection”.

For big money spend decisions like this panel, we had a committee of 3 that came up with several configuration proposals. Those were brought to the group and discussed (cost, benefits, pros/cons).

Everyone in the group had a chance to speak up and just about everyone did. End result is what is in the photo and everyone is happy with the results.
 
Racerx said:
I think the audio panel and GFC500 install costs are going to push it up to 65k
Click to expand...

Sierra_Hotel said:
Are audio panel installs that pricey? The GFC500 I get, but ignorant as to why the audio panel would bump it up.
Click to expand...

We already had the audio panel and engine monitor in place before this big upgrade. Had the audio panel before the engine replacement in fact.
 
Racerx said:
Box itself no. Just lots of wires and labor go through it. Had 2 separate quotes for putting just a par200b no other radios to hook up and the labor alone was between 4000 and 4500. Different part of the country but I'd venture a guess that labor alone around here would be around 7k for just the audio panel work.
Click to expand...
IIRC, the PMA450 was in this price zone.

You are correct that the box itself isn’t too much. The cost is removal of the older wire and run of new wire and required bits and bobs.
 
For reference on my audio panel numbers, the local shop wanted a 60k deposit for a 90k estimate to put in an ifd550, dual 10"hdx and a 7"hdx for engine monitor, and a new audio panel among other tidbits. So my local area might be a little more stiff on the price sheet.
 
That's one hell of a panel, Mike. Enjoy!
 
I can't remember our deposit (I tend to forget when I write big aviation checks lol), but it was pretty much for the cost of the hardware upfront, with the labor to be paid upon job completion.
 
Any more details on the extra bits that they never mention on the Garmin web site that are needed. GFC 500 - how much for the servos, and what else is needed? 650 - things needed for attaching a compass, GPS wiring, antenna, etc.?


BTW - I'll go with $35,000 as my guess.
 
WDD said:
Any more details on the extra bits that they never mention on the Garmin web site that are needed. GFC 500 - how much for the servos, and what else is needed? 650 - things needed for attaching a compass, GPS wiring, antenna, etc.?


BTW - I'll go with $35,000 as my guess.
Click to expand...
I don’t have specific numbers on those. But there were several LRUs needed, GPS antennae, and lots of wire.

Having seen it when the wiring loom was being fitted to the airframe, I am impressed with their ability to keep up with which wire connects to which gadgets.

And for those participating on the pricing game, we did go with the 3 servo option, allowing the AP control of the trim tab. This provides us electric trim thumb button and features such as IAS climbs and VS descents.
 
mondtster said:
The deposit is likely cost of materials the way it looks to me.
Click to expand...
Thought the same until I started pricing out the equipment quoted. My best estimate was 40k for equipment. It wasn't really broken down.
 
mondtster said:
The deposit is likely cost of materials the way it looks to me.
Click to expand...

Would make sense, but still a steep deposit when something around 50% is more typical in many industries.
 
Sierra_Hotel said:
Would make sense, but still a steep deposit when something around 50% is more typical in many industries.
Click to expand...

The shop we dropped off at Saturday had five birds in the hangar at various stages of completion and all were getting significant upgrades. Five birds times $50k in hardware for each, you can see why the shop wants a deposit for hardware up front. That's a quarter of a million in cash they would have to float until those jobs are done. Hard for a smaller operation to do.
 
Bill said:
The shop we dropped off at Saturday had five birds in the hangar at various stages of completion and all were getting significant upgrades. Five birds times $50k in hardware for each, you can see why the shop wants a deposit for hardware up front. That's a quarter of a million in cash they would have to float until those jobs are done. Hard for a smaller operation to do.
Click to expand...

Yep, payment for hardware up front seems to be fairly common in situations like that.

I just picked up a Super Cub on which we had amphibious floats and new fabric installed. Same thing held true, we paid for materials up front and they floated the labor costs until the project was complete.
 
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