Cost to install IFR GPS in a basic IFR 172?

Googling the group yielded little so here goes...

1979 172, overall average condition with mostly original radios and
wiring (one RT-385 recently replaced by a TKM radio, M1 Loran from a
few centuries ago)

The Cessna 300 ADF has gone flaky. The box tests fine on the bench
which suggests a wild goose chase may be in store to find the
gremlins. One of the two ILS approaches at my home field require ADF,
and a few fields I go to are ADF/GPS-only so I need one of the two.

My idea is to find a good used Apollo GX-50/GX-60 unit and replace the
ADF. No need to touch the Loran, it makes a good backup. I'll get
legal ADF and DME capability not to mention a moving map. Trying to
convince 4 other partners this is a good idea b/c it will make it
easier to sell shares in the future and even if they are VFR-only the
moving map is a big plus.

The local flight school says they've been spending an average of $6000
to do this with their birds at the local shop. Those of you who've
done this recently, any thoughts?

Bet,
-cwk.

(C Kingsbury) wrote:
The Cessna 300 ADF has gone flaky. The box tests fine on the bench
which suggests a wild goose chase may be in store to find the
gremlins. One of the two ILS approaches at my home field require ADF,
and a few fields I go to are ADF/GPS-only so I need one of the two.

I wouldn't waste any time or money trying to fix an ADF today.

My idea is to find a good used Apollo GX-50/GX-60 unit and replace the
ADF. No need to touch the Loran, it makes a good backup. I'll get
legal ADF and DME capability not to mention a moving map. Trying to
convince 4 other partners this is a good idea b/c it will make it
easier to sell shares in the future and even if they are VFR-only the
moving map is a big plus.

The GX-50/60 series are perfectly reasonable units, but don't forget to
factor in the cost of maintaining the IFR database. Also, to be IFR
legal, they need to have this funky external annunciator box mounted
somewhere within the pilot's normal scan, which means you need to find a
place in the panel to mount it.

I don't know how much a GX-60 will add to the value of the plane. True,
it is an IFR approach certified GPS, but it's also a generation out of
date and doesn't have much sex appeal anymore.

The local flight school says they've been spending an average of $6000
to do this with their birds at the local shop. Those of you who've
done this recently, any thoughts?

My club has put in a mix of CNX-80's and GX-50/60's. The CNX is a much
more expensive unit, but it's also a much better box. I guess it all
depends on how deep your wallet is.

Gee whiz, Roy. Can't you tell the guy how much the installs cost your club?

Steve Robertson
N4732J

Roy Smith wrote:

snip

The GX-50/60 series are perfectly reasonable units, but don't forget to
factor in the cost of maintaining the IFR database. Also, to be IFR
legal, they need to have this funky external annunciator box mounted
somewhere within the pilot's normal scan, which means you need to find a
place in the panel to mount it.

I don't know how much a GX-60 will add to the value of the plane. True,
it is an IFR approach certified GPS, but it's also a generation out of
date and doesn't have much sex appeal anymore.

The local flight school says they've been spending an average of $6000
to do this with their birds at the local shop. Those of you who've
done this recently, any thoughts?

My club has put in a mix of CNX-80's and GX-50/60's. The CNX is a much
more expensive unit, but it's also a much better box. I guess it all
depends on how deep your wallet is.

"C Kingsbury" wrote in message
om...
Googling the group yielded little so here goes...

1979 172, overall average condition with mostly original radios and
wiring (one RT-385 recently replaced by a TKM radio, M1 Loran from a
few centuries ago)

The Cessna 300 ADF has gone flaky. The box tests fine on the bench
which suggests a wild goose chase may be in store to find the
gremlins. One of the two ILS approaches at my home field require ADF,
and a few fields I go to are ADF/GPS-only so I need one of the two.

My idea is to find a good used Apollo GX-50/GX-60 unit and replace the
ADF. No need to touch the Loran, it makes a good backup. I'll get
legal ADF and DME capability not to mention a moving map. Trying to
convince 4 other partners this is a good idea b/c it will make it
easier to sell shares in the future and even if they are VFR-only the
moving map is a big plus.
[snip]

If I remember correctly, you can use a GPS as a substitute for ADF for darn
near everything except an actual ADF approach. You can navigate to/from the
"ADF", hold at it, use it to define a marker/compass locator. Many NDB
approaches have some sort of GPS overlay, but I've seen a few around here
that didn't.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong (i was wrong last year, i guess i'm due
again...)

If you are budget conscious, it may make more sense to find the best deal
you can on an acceptable IFR GPS.

King, Garmin, Apollo whatever works. Just make sure that its worth the
price of installing the thing. No point installing something worthless.

Talk to the different avionics shops until someone with a lot more money
trades in a reasonably new unit on the latest thing. Then grab it.





"C Kingsbury" wrote in message
om...
Googling the group yielded little so here goes...

1979 172, overall average condition with mostly original radios and
wiring (one RT-385 recently replaced by a TKM radio, M1 Loran from a
few centuries ago)

The Cessna 300 ADF has gone flaky. The box tests fine on the bench
which suggests a wild goose chase may be in store to find the
gremlins. One of the two ILS approaches at my home field require ADF,
and a few fields I go to are ADF/GPS-only so I need one of the two.

My idea is to find a good used Apollo GX-50/GX-60 unit and replace the
ADF. No need to touch the Loran, it makes a good backup. I'll get
legal ADF and DME capability not to mention a moving map. Trying to
convince 4 other partners this is a good idea b/c it will make it
easier to sell shares in the future and even if they are VFR-only the
moving map is a big plus.

The local flight school says they've been spending an average of $6000
to do this with their birds at the local shop. Those of you who've
done this recently, any thoughts?

Bet,
-cwk.

Also recall that $6000 is about 15% of the value of a basic IFR 172. If
you are going to even bother, try finding a used Garmin 430.
Installation and database update cost is going to be the same in either
case, but the Garmin software can be updated ad nauseum... not so with
the GX series.

I don't fly IFR but I think I'd consider getting the plane instrument
certified with the least expensive older unit I could find and then
actually fly with one of the new portables such as Garmin GPS296.

My idea is to find a good used Apollo GX-50/GX-60 unit and replace the
ADF. No need to touch the Loran, it makes a good backup.

I have a GX 60 NO 1, Gx65 NO 2, Radar Altimeter, Annunciator, Glideslope, but
the main and most used GPS was and is a 195, 295, 196, 296 in that order of
purchace. Outside of the comm the portables have a lot more features. Look at
these closely before you buy a GX 60 or 430.

I don't fly IFR but I think I'd consider getting the plane instrument
certified with the least expensive older unit I could find and then
actually fly with one of the new portables such as Garmin GPS296.


If you are going to spend $$ to have an IFR plane the I would spend the other
10K to get a 430 Garmin GPS

Roy Smith wrote in message ...

I wouldn't waste any time or money trying to fix an ADF today.

My point exactly. Good money after bad IMHO.

My idea is to find a good used Apollo GX-50/GX-60 unit and replace the

I don't know how much a GX-60 will add to the value of the plane. True,
it is an IFR approach certified GPS, but it's also a generation out of
date and doesn't have much sex appeal anymore.

A basic 1979 C-172 is not a vehicle for sex appeal. I want no-frills
utility. A 172 with an IFR GPS is a much more marketable beast than
one without, regardless of the GPS in question.

My club has put in a mix of CNX-80's and GX-50/60's. The CNX is a much
more expensive unit, but it's also a much better box.

Would you put a 12k GPS install into a plane with a 172 with a 40k-ish
hull value? By the time you're done we're talking about nearly the
cost of an engine overhaul, which at 1800 tach hours may not be far
off. That will add a lot more back to the value, too. You can buy an
engine for the next guy but the avionics are for the current owner.

I guess it all
depends on how deep your wallet is.

Figure somewhere between mud-puddle and pothole. Quite frankly I might
just end up repairing that damn fool ADF for just that reason.

-cwk.