Going with Glass: The Mother of All Panel Upgrades

The Boyd family gives their Piper Twin Comanche an extreme instrument makeover in Washington state.

Wednesday, April 03, 2024 at 10:32 AM ET

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'I chose the Twin Comanche because I flew one back in the 1980s, and I loved it,' says John Boyd, an A&P and retired Boeing 737 captain from Alaska Airlines who resides in Puyallup, Washington. 'It’s an efficient twin and faster than the 182.' [Jim Barrett]

Key Takeaways:

The Boyd family undertook an extensive, multi-year, and approximately $80,000 panel upgrade for their 1963 Piper Twin Comanche due to the original setup's scattered, unreliable analog instruments and malfunctioning vintage autopilot.
The overhaul replaced all analog instruments with a comprehensive Garmin digital suite, including touch screen displays, advanced engine monitoring, and a GFC 500 autopilot featuring yaw damper and Smart Glide.
This meticulous modernization, involving self-removal of old components and navigating supply chain challenges, transformed the aircraft into a significantly safer, more reliable, and single-pilot IFR capable machine.

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A vintage aircraft, if properly maintained, will last for decades. But there may come a time you want to make changes in the name of safety and convenience. It can be a challenge, as the Boyd family from Puyallup, Washington, learned when deciding to do an extreme makeover on the panel of its 1960s-era Piper Twin Comanche, also known as the PA-30.

The Boyds are an aviation family. John Boyd is an A&P and retired Boeing 737 captain from Alaska Airlines. John’s sons, Jason, 32, and Justin, 30, both hold instructor ratings and are planning aviation careers. Jason is also an A&P. The family also owns a Cessna 182 Skylane that it flies regularly. In summer 2017, John Boyd decided it was time to get something a little more comfortable for family travel, and something for the boys to build their multiengine time in.