Let’s Talk About a La Carte Avionics

All instrument panels aren’t created equal.

Les Abend

Friday, July 10, 2026 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

The author's 54-year-old Piper Arrow with its modern glass panel. [Credit: Les Abend]

Key Takeaways:

An extensive avionics upgrade to the author's aging Piper Arrow resulted in a "domino effect" of component replacements and a completely redesigned instrument panel.
The core challenge identified was how to safely and effectively train to operate this new, customized technology, which differs significantly from the standardized systems found in airline cockpits.
The author utilized manuals, online videos, and paid training courses but recognized limitations, ultimately suggesting a need for better, potentially mandated, operational proficiency training for general aviation pilots with new avionics installations.

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When my wife agreed to an extensive avionics upgrade to our Piper Arrow, I was pleased that she immediately understood the safety value of the endeavor despite the eye-watering cost. Based on our experience of a vacuum pump failure, an intermittent dual comm failure, and the fact that the entire system was aging, it was time for a change.

Avionics shops don’t just install a standard instrument panel template for a 54-year-old airplane. It’s a carefully thought-out strategy of integrating the new with the old, dependent almost completely on customer desire and budget. Selection and placement of the electronics is a la carte. Although the shopping process to determine the best value for our airplane was exciting, it alerted me to an interesting challenge.