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:

The author undertook an extensive avionics upgrade for their aging Piper Arrow, driven by safety concerns, which resulted in a highly customized and reoriented cockpit layout.
A significant challenge emerged in safely training to operate the new, integrated technology, contrasting sharply with standardized airline flight deck training due to the custom nature of general aviation installations.
The author utilized various training methods—including manuals, online videos, and manufacturer courses (some paid)—and suggests the FAA consider formalizing logbook entries for proficiency with new avionics.

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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.