Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 36

Tips for a Smooth Retrofit:

GOING GLASS

What Pilots Should Expect
from Their Avionics Shop
1.

Look carefully at HIRF/EMI requirements for the new
equipment (especially PFDs) and the aircraft instructions
for continuing airworthiness to verify that it meets
the STC requirements. Bringing a legacy airplane up to
modern EMI standards can be a significant issue.

3.

Identify existing avionics that will be retained to the
serial number (model and sub-type) level to assure compatibility and avoid unpleasant surprises.

4.

Follow all the manufacturer’s instructions, including
surveys and forms, before pulling equipment out of
the airplane.

5.

Consider a block diagram to identify all major components connected to the new glass avionics. It can
be included in the flight manual supplement, and will
be helpful to an avionics shop when troubleshooting
problems.

6.

If you spend more than one hour chasing a problem, call
tech support for whatever component you’re working
on. They may have seen the problem before and can
save you hours of wasted time.

7.

For custom installations that involve deviations from an
AML/STC (and on heavy airplanes, where every install
is a custom job), your avionics shop must get the certification people involved early. If you finish the airplane
before contacting them, you’re setting yourself up for a
long delay.

8.

Training the flight crew on glass is more than just a fiveminute conversation and handing them the manual.
Make sure the operator has a training plan.

9.

to add a dash of new and more-reliable redundancy to the ship by eliminating the much-maligned
vacuum pump used to drive the attitude indicator
and directional gyro compass in most planes.
Many pilots consider suction-powered instruments and the vacuum pumps untrustworthy, and
a search for suction redundancy spurred a cottage industry grown up around providing alternative sources to drive the air-driven instruments.
To add a degree of redundancy, the aircraft
industry made the third gyro in the stack, either
a turn coordinator or a turn-and-bank indicator,
electrically powered.
This is curious, since the idea of splitting instrument power between electricity and suction came
about because of concerns with the reliability of
both the instruments and their power sources.
Of course, spinning-mass mechanical gyroscopic instruments were, at one time, the only solution, and their manufacture and reliability levels
had appreciably increased over the years. Ditto
for the much-maligned suction pump, a device
so sensitive to the reverse rotation of an engine
backfire that many pilots found their pumps failed
within a couple of flight hours after a rotationreversing backfire or spurious detonation.
There are few crises greater for the instrument
pilot than facing failed gyros because of the suction pump’s failure – or the parallel crisis of losing
electrical power.
Going glass in an airplane opens the opportunity to add electrical redundancy to a stack that,
in most cases, will no longer carry any suctionpowered instruments.
Remember, if the panel’s all glass, it’s also allelectric. Losing an alternator or the main bus can
mean flying with blank screens.
Aspen covers the prospect of an electricalsystem failure within most of its Evolution 1000
lineup: an integral backup battery capable of powering its host box for about 30 minutes.
Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics offers
a line of standby power modules under its True
Blue Power badge that can work to keep alive a
variety of panel products, PFDs and MFDs, radios
and navigators.
Some pilots have embraced field-approved
alternatives that incorporate a second charging

Planning is key. Even for what you think will be a simple
install, perform an electrical load analysis, a complete
inventory of avionics actually in the airplane (not just
what’s in the records) and do a flight test to verify the
autopilot works.

2.

Continued from page 35

Ask yourself: What’s your Plan B? These installs
involve much more than just pulling a radio and
replacing it. If your avionics shop finds corrosion in
the airframe, or discovers major issues in existing wiring that lead to a lengthy delay, what’s the impact on
the operator? q

Continued on page 38...

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Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014

From the Publisher
Interested in AEA Membership?
AEA Staff/Board of Directors
New Avionics Products for 2013
What's Up With Backup Instruments?
Going Glass
Before & After
Aircraft as Antenna Farm
Cockpit Innovations
Understanding Autopilot Upgrades
ADS-B Circa 2013
Portable Powerhouses, GPS and VHF
Minimal Panels
NextGen Status Report
Repair Stations
Manufacturers/Distributors
Affiliates/Index
AEA Member Company Index
Advertiser Index
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - Intro
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - Cover1
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - Cover2
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 1
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 2
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 3
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - Interested in AEA Membership?
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 5
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - AEA Staff/Board of Directors
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 7
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - New Avionics Products for 2013
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 9
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 10
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 11
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 12
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 13
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 14
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 15
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 16
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 17
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 18
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 19
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 20
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 21
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 22
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 23
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 24
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 25
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 26
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 27
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 28
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 29
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - What's Up With Backup Instruments?
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 31
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 32
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 33
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - Going Glass
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 35
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 36
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 37
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 38
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 39
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 40
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 41
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - Before & After
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 43
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - Aircraft as Antenna Farm
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 45
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 46
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 47
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 48
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 49
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - Cockpit Innovations
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 51
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 52
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 53
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 54
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 55
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - Understanding Autopilot Upgrades
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 57
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 58
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 59
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - ADS-B Circa 2013
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 61
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 62
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 63
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 64
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 65
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - Portable Powerhouses, GPS and VHF
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 67
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 68
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 69
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 70
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 71
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 72
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 73
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 74
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 75
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 76
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 77
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 78
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 79
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - Minimal Panels
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 81
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 82
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 83
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - NextGen Status Report
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 85
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 86
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 87
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 88
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - Repair Stations
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 90
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 91
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 92
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 93
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 94
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 95
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 96
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 97
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 98
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 99
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 100
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 101
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 102
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 103
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 104
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 105
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 106
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 107
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 108
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 109
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 110
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 111
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 112
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 113
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 114
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 115
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 116
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 117
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 118
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 119
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 120
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 121
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 122
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 123
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 124
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 125
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 126
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 127
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 128
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 129
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 130
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 131
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 132
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - Manufacturers/Distributors
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 134
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 135
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 136
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 137
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 138
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 139
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 140
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 141
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 142
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 143
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 144
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - Affiliates/Index
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 146
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 147
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 148
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 149
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 150
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - AEA Member Company Index
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 152
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 153
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 154
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 155
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 156
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 157
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 158
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 159
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - Advertiser Index
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - Cover3
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - Cover4
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