EAA Sport Aviation - November 2010

The same is true for advanced avionics where Aspen, Garmin, Avidyne, and others make flat glass primary flight displays that are certified for nearly every piston airplane and are cost-effective compared to the total value of the airplane. The fully integrated systems that are common in new production pistons have some advantages over most retrofit installations, particularly in how the autopilot functions are automated, but still a huge percentage of any avionics advance is available to install in older piston airplanes.

Some types of piston airplane technology cannot be retrofitted, such as composite airframe construction. The ballistic recovery system parachutes are also a costly and somewhat complex retrofit. And, of course, many find more recently designed piston singles to be more sleek and modern looking than those that trace their roots back decades.

While some may find it unsatisfying that there have been only incremental gains in piston airplane performance and capability, for airplane owners, or those shopping for a used piston, this is nothing but good news. Because an airplane can fly on almost forever with proper maintenance, the only absolute threat to existing airplanes is large improvement in new models that make the older airplanes economically obsolete. That hasn’t happened in piston airplanes, and in my opinion, it can’t. So the existing fleet will continue to hold its value, which then supports the sale of new airplanes because they depreciate more slowly, and then level off at a pretty high value support level.

When we all know that the value of our piston airplanes is stable, it encourages us to invest in new-capability avionics, or even engines. And it ensures that there is a market for the airplane when it’s time to sell. Sometimes slow progress is a good thing, and that is evident when you look at used piston values.

Powerful and precise, with ultra-easy installation.

Cobham Avionics
Communications
6400 Wilkinson Drive
Prescott, AZ 86301 USA
1-928-708-1550
sales.prescott@cobham.com
www.cobham.com/avionics

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