ADS-B Install Experience

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ricksigler
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Re: ADS-B Install Experience

Post by ricksigler »

Steven,

Thanks very much for the info. Is your plane equipped with the G1000? Did you give any consideration to the 335R unit which costs less? At least your install was less than the last one that reported an $11,000 cost.

I think it's very important for all of us to share information as it applies to this onerous mandate. I can't believe that the pilot organizations (eg. AOPA, EAA, etc.) aren't doing anything to provide relief to the many non-wealthy pilots. The mandate that was shoved down our throats is just outrageous. I really feel sorry for the many owners that will find compliance to cost close to the value of their planes. As the time for compliance gets closer, I'm hoping that many pilots feel the same outrage that I do and will protest to their representatives.

I have a G1000, XM and TAS equipped plane and don't have any desire for the "benefits" that ADS-B will supposedly provide. $7,000 to $11,000 for an eight second position update difference is just crazy, even when you consider the generous $500 rebate.

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Re: ADS-B Install Experience

Post by Ultrapilot1 »

Rick: Yes my plane is equipped with the G1000 Non-Waas. I did not consider the 335R as I wanted both "in and out". I also felt that the 345R would increase the value of my plane in the event I sell it in the future. I weighed the idea of delaying until 2019 but I was influenced by several sources stating that shops will be unable to handle the volume of installs by all of the pilots that delayed. As it was I had to wait 6 weeks for my appointment. The $500 was also a small inducement. After reading that post about $11,000 I was really surprised when I got quotes from shops and they were all around $8300 - $8800. My decision was based on the fact that the shop had already installed in a DA42 so I felt I wouldn't be a guinea pig. The install took approximately 40 hours. Majority of it software and setup time. I agree that the cost is outrageous but nobody has any sympathy for us since airplane ownership is perceived as a "rich man's" hobby. I have friends who will be spending the equivalent of 25% of the value of their plane. What really bugs me is that the experimental guys are spending less than $2000 to accomplish the same thing or more (they get weather!).
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Re: ADS-B Install Experience

Post by ricksigler »

Steve,

Thanks again for the response. Forty hours for labor sure seems like a lot. I also see the price for hardware for the experimental planes and it's a lot less expensive and they can do the install themselves (if they've got the knowledge). We've only got two avionic shops in Albuquerque and one in Santa Fe. I'm like you and want to wait until they go through their learning curve on someone else's dime. I'd be willing to fly a reasonable distance to get a good job at a reasonable price (if there is such a thing).

I hope the members keep this thread active with their install and cost experiences.

Rick
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Re: ADS-B Install Experience

Post by Ultrapilot1 »

Rick: Choosing the right shop is paramount! I went to another large well known (unnamed) shop a few months ago for a simple software update on my G1000. Both Garmin and the shop said it would take 45 mins. 7 hours later it was finally done. They crashed my system and had to get Garmin help to get it back up and running. And after that experience they wanted to quote my ADS-B install! So I don't think it actually takes 40 hrs. but the shop I chose said that every install is different and it's like a box of chocolates, "you never know what you are gonna get"! So they build in a $$ buffer and I guess in the end it evens out. Find a shop that has already done a Diamond (any Diamond). I actually did get one quote for $6000 which I immediately ignored because they had no experience installing in a Diamond. Experience first, price second! This is truly a case of “The Bitterness of Poor Quality remains long after the Sweetness of Low Price is Forgotten”.
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Re: ADS-B Install Experience

Post by Rich »

How much it costs can be significantly affected by your starting point, of course. And what state you want to achieve. The installation of a KT74 in my 2002 cost me about $5,000. The fact that I already had compatible WAAS receivers on board helped keep the price down. The fact that the KT74 needed a special mount to set it at a canted angle contributed about $500 to that $5000. Note that this is one of the variables that shops encounter. Overall, the unit itself was $2700 and the labor and other parts came to $2300.

I also chose an ADS-B-out-only because the ADS-B in was already incorporated in my use of iPad/Foreflight/Stratus. Anyone who subsequently might come to own/use the plane is free to use their own solution for "in". In my opinion this is a better solution as new goodies are constantly being added to the portable universe all the time, as opposed to the slow pace of change in the installed world.

To put it in perspective, over the 15 years I've owned my plane, I've done 10 modifications to it. They total just over $28,000. Five of these (which includes this one) were between $3.5k and $6K, which puts it right in the ballpark of the "big" mods. (The other 5 totaled about $3.8K)

An interesting quirk: I found out that my no-longer-needed GTX 327 actually has value as the interface device for a L3 NGT-1000, which looks superficially to be a viable choice for UAT978-out approach.
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
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Re: ADS-B Install Experience

Post by Cschobel »

I did not see the answer the the previous question. I have a 2005 WAAS G1000. Will the 345 provide weather on the MFD or only on bluetooth?
I also have XM weather.
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Re: ADS-B Install Experience

Post by Ultrapilot1 »

Until Diamond upgrades the software all you will see is traffic. However weather (and traffic) will be displayed on your ipad.
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Re: ADS-B Install Experience

Post by Cschobel »

Confusing. I just got off the phone with Diamond support. They say if you have the latest software 321.23, then you do get weather and traffic. I have the 321.23. They also said the XM/GPS antenna is recommended.
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Re: ADS-B Install Experience

Post by Ultrapilot1 »

Hmmmm, I will need to check my software but i just completed the install and no weather on my MFD. I am not sure why I would need an XM antenna if I DON't have XM service. I was referring to ADS-B weather not XM.
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Re: ADS-B Install Experience

Post by Cschobel »

You don't need xm antenna but if you had xm as I do. It can prevent having another hole in roof
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