-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Luke ]
Posted At: Wednesday, June 14, 2006 5:59 AM
Posted To: rec.aviation.owning
Conversation: What's a radio stack really cost?
Subject: What's a radio stack really cost?


"Jim Carter" wrote:

[snip]

Substitute a Garmin 430 for one of these:
* Dual SL30 nav/comms


...and drop this:
* GPS 400 gps


[Jim Carter] I'm interested to understand why you'd want to go with a
430 instead of the 400. I realize the 430 is comm/nav/gps, so I was
trying to isolate the comm/nav from the gps function with the 400. If I
dropped the 400, would you also suggest dropping the MFD? The 430 has
such a small screen that I would think traffic and weather would be a
problem to display.

Would you drop the MFD and the 400 and maybe go with a 530? If so, we're
back to merging the comm/nav and gps together into one unit.


[snip]

It will still cost you $30K+ installed; maybe as much as $40K,
depending
on
the shop. And you still haven't even thought about an autopilot.

There is a functioning standard (for the 337) Cessna autopilot on board
already. It is just coupled to a bunch of junk radios. Don't I have a
pretty good chance of re-using that autopilot? It has pitch and roll
with variable rates in each direction, along with heading and altitude
preset.