During the past couple of months we have noticed an increase in interested parties looking for pricing and general info for avionics upgrades. We’ve seen interest in everything from Radar, Multi-function displays (MFD), EFIS, 406 MHz ELT, GPS, FMS and Phone/Internet. The vast majority of interest goes to WAAS FMS and Phone/Internet upgrades. These are the newest technology that allow us to either arrive at our destination more efficiently (WAAS FMS) or stay connected to our business while in flight (Phone/Internet). There are many options available for both. To install one of these systems as new you should know that there may be STC work to be performed which could increase the project’s cost and timing in some cases.
As for WAAS FMS you’re most likely upgrading your current FMS. If you have an system that is eligible for an upgrade then chances are better that you can either perform the upgrade via a service bulletin or follow an approved upgrade path and not have to do STC work – but that’s on a case by case basis. Honeywell and Rockwell Collins are both starting to offer software and hardware upgrades to allow WAAS LPV navigation. With Universal Avionics there are certain, very clear upgrade paths that you can follow and possibly avoid any STC charges and delays as well. Universal Avionics is offering substantial trade in credits on some legacy Flight Management Systems. This could offer an operator a great upgrade that will pay for itself in a few years in saved fuel and maintenance. We have a return on investment calculator that can show you how much money WAAS FMS pays back annually based on your aircraft data-NOT stock data. We can help you with that.
As for the Phone/Internet upgrades there is still a lot of grey area with how these upgrades will be seen in the eyes of the FAA and some uncertainty in the cost associated with certification in addition to the actual upgrade itself. There are some OEM’s out there that really offer an exceptional product but offer no support on the certification process. There are other OEM’s out there who put forth a great effort to help in the certification process, or handle it for us because of their proficiency at it. So with that being said, if you are looking for pricing on a phone/internet upgrade, beware of the sticker shock, but don’t let the overall cost be a deterrent. It seems like a lot of money to spend to perform this upgrade, but if a company employee or principal capitalizes upon an opportunity that happened while in flight, or avoided a catastrophe of some kind while in flight, because they were connected in flight; that is invaluable. We can help with that as well.
Spirit Avionics is an authorized dealer for all major avionics OEM’s. See our complete list of dealerships at our website. http://www.spiritavionics.com/expertise/affiliations.php