Weight loss when upgrading Avionics. Hard Data.

Ignacio Allende

Ignacio Allende

Pre-Flight
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Jun 2, 2019
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Canalguna
What have been your experiences weightwise? I can plan for equipment exchange figures, but wires, bundles, plastics, antennas and such are unknown to me in the final count.
 
If you're really looking for your aircraft to shed pounds the easiest place for it to loose weight is to loose it from the guy flying it.
 
Depends on now long it's been since the last clean out. My plane was filled with abandoned gear and wires from many previous installs. I started fresh when I ditched the LORAN, ADF, and a dying NAV12 and put in a modern audio panel and GNS430. Between that and a starter replacement my plane lost about 15-20 pounds. There were two large boxes of unneeded wiring and antennas. Scary. Behind the panel is soooooo pristine now.
 
I lost about 22lbs out of my plane with a new radio stack and illegal autopilot removal, certainly not insignificant.

My vac system is next on the chopping block for weight gains.
 
Mtns2Skies said:
I lost about 22lbs out of my plane with a new radio stack and illegal autopilot removal, certainly not insignificant.

My vac system is next on the chopping block for weight gains.
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According to my installer, two G5s and removing the vac system is about 18 lb. Not earth shattering, but welcome. Getting rid of the graphite vane vac pump is a big bonus.
 
My R182 has to stay tied down on the hangar she is so light after AP and vacuum removal. All told about 20lbs. If we remove any more we will have to get a balloon rating
 
Non-autopilot gyros don't weight much. Old HSI systems are heavier.

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I just got my plane back last week. 1969 C172K. I got rid of the ADF, DME and an ancient Narco transponder. Added a GMA345 audio panel and a Stratus ESGi transponder. The useful load went from 900 to 908. Not bad for a Skyhawk. The original WB with the plane had it at 864. Apparently it's been dropping pieces for 50 years.
 
I just updated a Bonanza panel with a PAR200, Avidyne IFD540, Lynx NGT9000 and a full Dynon suite including 3-servo auto pilot. Dropped 35 lbs.
 
Took a bunch of stuff out of an A-26 I was working on...something like 190 pounds just for the radio compass stuff. That included the boxes, mounts, racks, drive cables, antennas and a refrigerator sized box of wire.
 
bnt83 said:
Quick ebay search https://www.ebay.com/itm/King-KCS-5...022512&hash=item1cc5b5e5d0:g:kl8AAOSw1T1cLT-k

King HSI system
Indicator = 4 pounds
Flux Valve = .3
Slave Accessory = .3
Gyro = 4.8
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Yup that seems to match a very old w/b & equip inventory made to my 206.

Tim86 said:
I just got my plane back last week. 1969 C172K. I got rid of the ADF, DME and an ancient Narco transponder. Added a GMA345 audio panel and a Stratus ESGi transponder. The useful load went from 900 to 908. Not bad for a Skyhawk. The original WB with the plane had it at 864. Apparently it's been dropping pieces for 50 years.
Click to expand...

Humble 8 pounds, but hey that's a backpack. I'll post a new topic about some thoughts you just mentioned...

Jesse Saint said:
I just updated a Bonanza panel with a PAR200, Avidyne IFD540, Lynx NGT9000 and a full Dynon suite including 3-servo auto pilot. Dropped 35 lbs.
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Now that's interesting. What did you drop/update?

Craig said:
Took a bunch of stuff out of an A-26 I was working on...something like 190 pounds just for the radio compass stuff. That included the boxes, mounts, racks, drive cables, antennas and a refrigerator sized box of wire.
Click to expand...
That's a whopping amount! are we talking about a loop antenna?
 
arnoha said:
Ditched the vacuum system (double pump system), the AI, the DG, a KLN94, a KMD550, and a KT76C.

In went dual G5s, a GTX 345, and a GTN 750, along with a USB6A.
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Did you keep the cooling fan/ducts/etc?
 
Ditched old GPS and a Nav/Com, DME, ADF, intercom, audio panel, transponder, GPS annunciator/CDI switch unit, "color moving map"/eRMI, and added GTN 750, GMA 350c, GTX 345, and FlightStream 510. Gained 25 pounds of payload!
 
Ditched Narco radio stack, illegally installed piper autopilot, two CDI's, one with DME and gained 23lbs.

Vacuum system is next on the chopping block.
 
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