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Thinking about future upgrades (Part 1)

I'm titling this Part 1 as it likely won't be the last time I muse about upgrades I'd like to perform, provided I'm able and willing to spend the funds.

For the most part, the plane is about as good as it can be, but one obvious area in which it can definitely be improved is the avionics. Although the plane is IFR-certified, it only has two nav radios, both with localizer support, and one with glideslope. Each is connected to a matching CDI in the panel. Although the plane has a GPS antenna, it is connected only to the Garmin GDL-82 that provides ADS-B out capability. I do not have a GPS unit of any kind in the panel. The plane also has the typical "steam gauge" instruments typical of an aircraft manufactured in the 70s. In particular, it has the standard vacuum-driven attitude indicator and heading indicator, and the standard electrically-driven turn and bank coordinator.

At a minimum, I'd like to replace one of my Bendix/King KX-155 radios with some sort of GPS unit with a moving map display, along with a communication radio and nav radio. It would replace the radio used for comm 1 and nav 1, and connect to the CDI with the glideslope indicator. The other existing radio would be left in place. Ideally, the GPS unit I installed would also support ADS-B In, and be able to display nearby traffic. The Garmin GTN 650 or GTN 650xi is an example of a unit that would work well for this.

Beyond that, I'd like to replace the attitude indicator and heading indicator with electronic equivalents. This would have the added benefit of allowing me to remove the vacuum pump. Any weight that I can remove from the nose of plane will improve my CG envelope. As for what to install, Garmin makes both the popular G5 and the more recently-introduced GI 275 electronic flight instruments. A pair of either model would work well. However, I'm more interested in the Aspen Evolution 1000 primary flight display. It's a single unit that is designed to replace both instruments, and fit in the two holes in the panel they currently occupy. It has a larger display area than the Garmin solution would provide. And it has the added advantage of not being Garmin products.

Garmin products are great, but the impression I've received as I've researched the various options from various manufacturers is that Garmin is sort of like Apple. They make great products, but they also try to lock you into their ecosystem. This is not to say I wouldn't consider Garmin products; I might decided it's the best solution and go with a full Garmin system. But I will also consider products from other manufacturers like Aspen and Avidyne.

For now, though, I'm just looking at what's available and thinking about the future. I won't be upgrading anything for a while. My main focus for now is building time and hoping the engine is going to last for a while. But, someday, maybe in a year or so, I'll start upgrading the panel, especially if I decide it's time to get my instrument rating. It would be much better if I had a GPS navigator that I could use for RNAV.

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