Testing the Hardware After a USM Retrofit

A Cessna 172 takes its first flight after an avionics panel upgrade with used-serviceable material (USM).

Richard Scarbrough

Thursday, April 04, 2024 at 11:32 AM ET

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A Cessna 172 avionics panel upgrade with used-serviceable material (USM). [Credit: Elijah Lisyany]

Key Takeaways:

Corey Sampson successfully completed an avionics retrofit of his Cessna 172 using used-serviceable material (USM), highlighting the benefits of meticulous planning, proper tooling, and an A&P's expertise.
The multi-week project involved careful routing, removal of obsolete equipment like the ADF, and professional pitot-static certification, culminating in successful ground testing and a test flight.
The article emphasizes the critical importance of attention to detail and a prepared environment in aircraft maintenance, and addresses continued airworthiness, clarifying the advisory nature of service bulletins versus mandatory airworthiness directives for new equipment.

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It is springtime, and that means a return to the skies.

Recently, we cheered on Stephen Mercer as Gardner Lowe Aviation Services in Peachtree City, Georgia, put the finishing touches on his family’s 1982 Piper PA-32R-301T Saratoga. Now, it is time for the pull-offs from that job to find a new life in Corey Sampson’s Cessna 172. We have been tracking this story from the beginning with Sampson’s decision to incorporate used-serviceable material (USM) in his retrofit.