Buying a Plane? Important Avionics Considerations

has more than 50 years of aviation experience focused on avionics, in General and Business Aviation. Having a broad understanding after working in several countries on many aircraft types and avionics systems, he has contributed to several work groups and committees, including for NextGen, Airport Lighting, Human Factors, Unmanned Aircraft and Low Vision Technology. In retirement, he is striving to give back the knowledge gained with an eye on aviation’s future direction.

Ken Elliott delves into business aircraft transactions from an avionics perspective, highlighting some important considerations for buyers...

While the tight market for new and preowned business aircraft remains, buyers may not find the exact aircraft meeting all of their needs and desires, including the avionics installed, the interior, the paint, and more.

Focusing on avionics specifically, there is a strong likelihood that something will need to change, be added, or be upgraded during a transaction. It would therefore be helpful for buyers to know what the key areas are to focus on, both before and during a purchase.

There are two aircraft zones for avionics: Cockpit and cabin. Understandably, the cabin attracts the most scrutiny from the buyer, simply because the passenger experience is crucial. Underlying that experience, though, is the ability of the aircraft to complete the mission, which partially depends upon the workings of the cockpit.

As with any purchase, being a savvy buyer makes all the difference.

Being somewhat educated on the aircraft industry, or trusting someone to represent you, will allow for an easier aircraft search and a smoother purchasing process. It is not possible to be knowledgeable of the whole industry, but it is possible to focus on specific aircraft classes, quickly grasping the important buying information.

The Avionics Basics

From an avionics perspective, the basic systems are similar across all versions of business jet and turboprop, except for specific requirements covering transcontinental and regional flight routes, as well as operating certification classifications, such as Part 135 v 91/91K.

Separately, smaller jets and most turboprops are certified for production and equipage under Part 23 (Normal Category), and larger aircraft are certified under Part 25 (Transport Category). The requirements of the avionics differ in design and operating requirements, but surprisingly the features offered by Part 23 avionics can often exceed those of Part 25.

As a buyer you will quickly note that the avionicssuite providers can be counted on one hand, to include Collins Aerospace, Honeywell Aerospace, Garmin, and Universal Avionics.

Many other providers exist who either do not manufacture the primary suite of avionics, or whose suites are not available as Part 25 versions.

The manufacturers of aircraft (OEMs) will typically select the same avionics provider for their different models, but occasionally have been known to switch at least some avionics during production runs.

Looking at the major aircraft OEMs and their current aircraft, you will notice how the primary avionics are shared between three providers:

• Bombardier – Collins Aerospace & Garmin • Gulfstream – Honeywell Aerospace • Dassault Falcon – Honeywell Aerospace • Embraer – Collins Aerospace • Textron Cessna – Garmin & Collins Aerospace • Textron Beechcraft – Collins Aerospace • Pilatus – Honeywell Aerospace • HondaJet – Garmin.

When it comes to pre-owned aircraft, the field can look quite different. In general, the older the airframe is, the more likely the avionics will be a mixture of different products. For example, Garmin offers suite upgrades to aircraft that have different existing products.

Worth special mention here, and listed above as a major provider, is Universal Avionics. Originally, Universal specialized in Flight Management Systems (FMS) but has evolved by growing into flat panel displays, and now, as an Elbit Systems company, provides advanced low-vision solutions.

While not employed as a standard platform for any of the major aircraft manufacturers, Universal Avionics can be found in many pre-owned aircraft cockpits, and is highly regarded.

All the major avionics providers produce reliable avionics support, and offer approved service centers located around the world.

Aircraft Buyer Avionics Pointers

As a buyer and future operator of an aircraft, look out for the following:

• Standard factory warranty period remaining, and if the seller has extended the avionics warranty:

Most avionics providers have extended warranty programs that apply specifically to their equipment, but not the aircraft or installation.

These are optional, so prospective aircraft buyers should check on this. 

“Focusing on avionics specifically, there is a strong likelihood that something will need to change, be added, or be upgraded during a transaction.”

• Obsolescence of legacy systems: This could be anything from Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)-based cockpit displays to Cabin Management Systems.

Buyers should ask for a current equipment list of all the avionics, and run it by a trusted avionics shop to see what is close to retirement, or what is likely to require an upgrade soon.

• Part numbers needing an upgrade: There is a subtle nuance of avionics in which you can have the same identical product but with different part numbers or software revision versions. Although all the equipment perform the same basic functions, part numbers and levels of software are a clue to the options available, additional functional capability, operational capability and upgradeability. While all of these are important, worth further mention are:

a) Operational capability – where the product may work perfectly well for where the aircraft operated for the seller but lacks the function necessary for where the buyer needs to operate. This could be moving from domestic to international flying; or from being based in the US to Europe; or flying into runways where the buyer needs advanced Navigation capability.

b) Upgradeability – when for sale, if there’s an instance that a product in the aircraft has never been upgraded since delivery and is no longer able to be upgraded, the buyer could need to replace it to meet new mandates or operational changes.

In both cases, the existing part number and software status will inform the avionics shop whether the aircraft has outdated equipment, and the shop can then advise what it will take to resolve.

While most equipment lists provide model numbers and not part numbers, fortunately an additional review of the aircraft logbooks and flight manual should help the shop discover the necessary information.

During a pre-purchase inspection (PPI), there should be a review of the aircraft documents — including logbooks and flight manual — where the inspection should reveal part numbers (and possibly software status) that can be checked by an avionics shop. 

READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE ON AVBUYER.COM, INCLUDING:

• Avionics considerations during the Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI), and • How to take advantage of the PPI to upgrade the aircraft’s avionics before taking delivery. LINK TO THE FULL ONLINE ARTICLE VIA THIS QR CODE

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