![]() Got an existing GTX330 Mode S unit? Garmin will upgrade it to the GTX330ES, which has ADS-B Out, but requires a WAAS GPS input. Pricing on the base GTX345 (without GPS) is $4995. It’s available with and without WAAS GPS and has built-in Bluetooth for sending flight data, ADS-B traffic and weather data to a tablet or smartphone running the Garmin Pilot or ForeFlight tablet apps. The installation requires mounting the GPS antenna on the cabin and wiring the unit.īut as budget-based as these solutions are, shops still report that the most popular ADS-B upgrade is Garmin’s GTX345 ADS-B In and Out transponder. The datalink processor connects in line with the existing transponder antenna and has a built-in WAAS GPS. If you already have a healthy and modern transponder and you don’t plan to fly high, Garmin’s GDL82 UAT solution sells for $1795-the second cheapest. Realistically, you’ll want to budget $2000 for an easy installation (including the strobe light), paperwork and flight testing, and a bit more if the light doesn’t exactly bolt directly in place of the existing lamp assembly. ![]() Turns out the claim was close enough to crown the skyBeacon a winner for a budget-based solution, the deal sweetened with a two-for LED lighting upgrade. We’ve covered this system extensively, and most recently in the May 2019 Aviation Consumer where we installed one in a Piper Cherokee to see if it really was the world’s easiest ADS-B upgrade as the company claims. If you’ve already invested in a modern transponder upgrade and don’t fly above 18,000 feet, one top pick is the uAvionix skyBeacon wingtip unit with LED position and strobe lamps. You’ll need a reliable unit for the long term. If there’s any doubt about its health, have your shop evaluate it. Old models worth getting rid of include the King KT76/78 series and anything made by Narco or Collins. And if your existing transponder is an aging non-digital (has a cavity oscillator tube) model, our advice is to ditch it and put in an ADS-B transponder. You’ve heard it all before but we’ll tell it to you again: If you fly above 18,000 feet, you’ll need an ADS-B transponder. Don’t Overthink ItĪt this point the ADS-B buy-in decision should be easy. It’s also time for our ADS-B buyer’s guide, and it follows this article. The idea is to arm you with enough knowledge to talk the talk with your avionics shop when they make suggestions for a package. So to help sort it out, in this article we’ll offer an around-the-bases look at the most popular new avionics configurations-from entry-level (for basic aircraft) to higher-budget (for go-places higher-end machines). Of course the dense market doesn’t make an already difficult buying decision any easier. As we reported in the July 2019 Aviation Consumer, this new company’s AV-series primary EFIS is capable and smartly engineered, with a price that caters to low budgets and an installation that doesn’t require shredding the instrument panel. ![]() That’s working out to the benefit of avionics buyers, especially ones with lower budgets.Īdding to the competition are newcomers, with New Mexico-based Aerovonics as one example. ![]() Let’s equip and move on because the real news in the avionics market is the serious surge in competition, combined with a shift from expensive TSO approvals to STCs.
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