No, these upgrades don’t come with steamy towelettes and tons of legroom. The upgrade on the docket is a little more involved as we go about removing legacy components that have been in place for decades—ah, the stories they could tell—and replacing them with repurposed avionics from a once hangar mate. Out with the old and in with the new!

When last we left Corey, he had received the pull-off avionics parts from Stephen’s Saratoga and was prepping to install them in his 1966 Cessna 172H Skyhawk. All set up in his T-hangar, it was time to get down to business. You heard me correctly, ladies and gentlemen. After months of planning and a can-do attitude, Corey got busy pulling apart his panel.

• READ MORE: Part 1: Cessna 172 Skyhawk Avionics

Careful, Diligent Removal

Disassembly is easier than it sounds though one does not simply go ripping and snatching on aircraft components. While it is true these are pull-off units, they do have value. Corey could pass them along to another, as Saratoga Stephen did for him, sell them as cores, or keep them as souvenirs. The first order of business was to map what was to be accomplished before laying wrenches on it.

As the pieces come out, it is important to take time to tag them with relevant information. Part number, serial number, condition “AR” for as removed, the date, and N-number of the aircraft. This is helpful if you need to identify the item later, especially if Corey passes them on to someone else.

Once removed and tagged, Corey placed them out of harm’s way and began the task of preparing the panel for installation.

Installation Prep 

Step one for the installation is to inventory everything. Steve and the crew from Oasis Aviation manufactured and delivered the wiring harness, and it looks fantastic. The team even created and provided a wiring diagram. This will assist Corey with the installation of his replacement equipment, and it will become part of the aircraft technical documents to be retained for future reference during maintenance events. Once inspecting it, Corey loosely installed the new wiring harness. Also, the avionics trays are installed loosely. Once the harness is cleaned up, he will secure them in place.

• READ MORE: Oasis Aviation Sponsoring Aviation Avionics Apprenticeship

Next, it’s time to wire in the circuit breakers and fasten the routing. This is accomplished with zip ties and a stand, making everything nice and tidy. This will ensure everything stays in place when the new components are installed. It takes more time on the front end but will pay dividends in the long run. Oftentimes, mechanics will race through removals and not take proper pictures or notes. This is a mistake. While in the area, go ahead and do an impromptu inspection. Look for frayed, chafed, or broken wire. Check for visual discrepancies like cracks or corrosion. Use this time to get to know things behind the panel—you are not here all that often.

There is a fair amount of dust and debris that collects behind instrument panels. Give everything a thorough cleaning and use a high-powered light and inspection mirror to see those hard-to-reach places. Another good exercise is to replace any loose or damaged hardware. Stripped screws, broken lock plates, and cracked brackets are common occurrences. Again, use this time to correct any and all issues you find. As a mechanic, one cannot “unsee” problems once they arise. Now that everything is prepped, we will move forward.

What Comes Next

Alright, sports fans, we have come to a stopping point. Yes, I know you want to keep going, but Corey is doing this after hours, and he has a family and a full-time gig to attend to. Trust me when I say you don’t want to rush aircraft maintenance. Even so, it is important to make steady progress. Just like anything in life, your repetition creates your reputation. Don’t rush or skip steps, and always stick to the maintenance plan.

I asked Corey to share his next steps. Here are some maintenance actions that are forthcoming in the refurbishment:

• Install the new avionics panel.
• While I had the interior out, Corey pulled all the old fiberglass insulation and discarded it. He is planning on upgrading to a better and newer soundproofing insulation. While the airplane is down for maintenance in one area, you can always use that time to  perform additional upgrades.
• Next, Corey will need to install GPS antennas and wire them up. We will follow this process with him as well.
• We removed the old automatic direction finding (ADF) system. After removing the old antenna, we will have to patch the hole made from it.
• Lastly, we still need to remove the vacuum system.

That’s it for now, folks. Stay tuned as we keep working on Corey’s Cessna 172 project. Don’t forget we are also tracking Stephen and his Saratoga. There is still so much to do. Take care and stay safe!

The post Part 2: Cessna 172 Skyhawk Avionics appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

In a statement sent to FLYING, Garmin advised that “due to multiple component availability limitations, comprehensive repair service for Garmin’s GNS 430/530 series is estimated to become limited in the years ahead. This includes all GPS/COM and GPS-only variants, as well as all WAAS models. Initially, these limitations are estimated to impact a small percentage of repairs in 2024.”

The GNS 430/530 was introduced in 1998 and produced until 2011, which included 25 years of repairs.

• READ MORE: Bidding Farewell to the Garmin GNS Line

“We will continue to do so until serviceable components become unavailable,” the company statement said.

Garmin noted that it plans to continue offering repair service when the components required for a specific repair remain available. Database updates and technical support will also remain available.

The company added that products that Garmin must return as unrepairable due to the announced unavailability of repair parts will incur a $500 processing fee per unit.

Garmin is encouraging customers to transition to newer-generation products.

The post Garmin Announces Repair Service Limitation on GNS 430 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

“The GTR 205 and GNC 215 products show Garmin’s commitment to offering attractive and affordable ground-based navigation and communication options while continuing to provide world-class, modern capabilities,” said Carl Wolf, Garmin’s vice president of aviation sales and marketing. “We are excited to offer these new solutions for our general aviation customers as we keep our entire product line fresh.”

Each unit offers a worldwide database and intuitive user interface, according to the company—and it can be installed in both fixed-wing aircraft and rotorcraft. The GTR 205 and GNC 215 are designed as a complementary replacement for the SL20 and SL30 with the same form factor.

Additional features include:

• Pilot-selectable 25 kHz or 8.33 kHz channel spacing
• Sunlight-readable color LCD display
• Standby and active windows
• Station ID
• Dual concentric knobs and backlit keys

The GTR 205 com features a 2,280-channel-capable VHF com and comes standard with 10 watts of power, with a 16-watt option available. It also has a built-in timer.

The GNC 215 nav/com adds in full VHF navigation capabilities, including a VOR/ILS functionality with glideslope indication. Pilots can use its navaid lookup feature as well as benefit from the on-screen station ID.

“The GNC 215 also has the ability to monitor the standby VOR frequency while displaying the received radial and features a supplemental CDI display for a VOR or localizer,” Garmin stated in a release. “These nav/com products interface with most CDI, HSI, and autopilot systems, as well as most Garmin flight displays to show the nav indicators in the primary field of view.”

Price for the GTR 205 com begins at $2,695 suggested retail, with the GNC 215 starting at $5,295.

The post Garmin’s New Slimline Nav/Coms Offer a Lower-Cost Alternative appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

• READ MORE: New ForeFlight Safety Update Includes Runway Alert

Pilots can choose to keep their recaps private or share an image and interactive preview of them on platforms such as Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). In addition, ForeFlight included a “Make Private” button, so access to previously shared recaps can be revoked. Recaps can also be downloaded.

• READ MORE: National Aviation Hall of Fame Honors ForeFlight Co-Founder Tyson Weihs

According to the company, Recap is now available for any pilot who logged flights on ForeFlight in 2023. ForeFlight noted that Recap will also work for pilots who have not logged flights in ForeFlight Logbook, provided they “import data from other digital platforms or from their paper logbook using catch-up entries.”

Recap is currently not supported by the ForeFlight Mobile app but can be viewed with both computer and mobile device on ForeFlight Web.

The post ForeFlight Launches Interactive Flight Recap for 2023 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.