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Panel Planner 101: Approachable, Modern Utility

For fair-weather flying and practicing approaches, drop-in uAvionix instruments and a Garmin GPS add just enough utility without breaking the budget.

The plastic panel overlay on this Skyhawk was in good shape, making the decision to drop in a couple of uAvionix AV-30 flight displays even easier. No need to modify the plastic to make them fit. [Aviation Consumer photo]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A flying club upgraded an older Cessna Skyhawk with modern GPS approach capabilities and electronic flight instruments on a budget.
  • They chose a pair of uAvionix AV-30 electronic flight instruments, saving over $2,000 compared to Garmin options and allowing for the removal of the vacuum system.
  • The avionics suite includes a new Garmin GPS 175 for RNAV approaches, integrated with existing KX155 and TKM MX155 radios for backup and ILS capability.
  • The complete panel modernization was achieved for well under $20,000, providing a utilitarian and modern setup.
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This month’s panel for planning comes from an active flying club that’s lucky enough to operate in a region where it’s hardly ever IFR conditions. But when it was time to inject some modern capabilities to one of its older Cessna Skyhawks (a 1968 L model), the club wanted the ability to at least practice GPS approaches, while getting a taste of electronic flight instruments.

Of course, the airplane sported original round-gauge instruments mostly left over from when it was new, but the radio stack had been incrementally upgraded over the years. That meant retaining some of the existing gear in hopes of saving some work and money.

Larry Anglisano

Larry Anglisano is the former Editor in Chief of sister publication Aviation Consumer magazine. He's an active land, sea and glider pilot, and has over 30 years experience as an avionics tech.

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