Pricey EFIS retrofits have been available for years, but today the market offers more affordable options. Plus, most all of the choices permit removing the vacuum system, saving weight and space with an all-electric instrument suite totally immune to dreaded vacuum pump failures.
New standards for instrument certification allow blanket approval via AML-STC (supplemental type certification via an approved model list) instead of the age-old TSO certification. This simpler process yields some prices well below $5000. Compared to the cost of maintaining iron gyros and vacuum systems, that’s enticing buyers to pull the trigger on EFIS, and ultimately enhance IFR safety and capabilities in even the most basic aircraft. Let’s see what Aspen, Garmin, and uAvionix have to offer.
