Im happy I got my system early on; 25K installed. Now thats what I call an investment.
Saw the guys at TKS and of course busted their shoes regarding the windshield pump. Why? Cause its a crappy design that breaks within 6 months. The seals leak and the motor gets glycol into it. Procedure is to take it apart clean it and it works for a while. Holly’sanswer to me over the years was to buy a new one. I asked him did you redesign it? No, is his answer. So I asked him why on earth would I spend $600 for a pump that is crap?
Hes all about money. Lucky for him someone smarter and more ethical started the whole system.
So I was told Holly has made an exit and the new guy might help. Well we will see.
Did you talk to CAV, they were at the show too?
Not this year. I did speak to them last year and was promised lots of info, none of which ever arrived.
What is the exact issue? A long lead time?
Spot on. I was told that one owner had put down a (non-refundable) deposit over a year ago and still no sign of the kit arriving. AirPlus pointed out that since the deposit is non-refundable their leverage to get kits delivered is small. The only reason CAV get away with it is that the TKS system is so good.
And it seems that one reason why the kits for the European market are so pricey is that they have to cross the Atlantic twice. After manufacture in the UK they are shipped to the USA for inspection/release and then shipped back to Europe!!
And it seems that one reason why the kits for the European market are so pricey is that they have to cross the Atlantic twice. After manufacture in the UK they are shipped to the USA for inspection/release and then shipped back to Europe!!
Possibly, buying the kit in the USA and having a friend ship it to Europe might offer two advantages:
Even allowing for volumetric shipping charges (the package not heavy enough for its size, so you pay a surcharge) it still won’t be much more.
was promised lots of info, none of which ever arrived.
That is, by all accounts, CAV’s standard operating procedure. One has to go one step beyond that and harrass them properly. That is how people extracted the €7000 price for the prop-TKS pump, for example.
As I’ve said before, the one thing which concerns me most is the claimed speed loss. If it really is 7kt, that is very bad.
CAV only allows select dealers to procure and install the kit. I tried to get it but with another shop in Germany and they would have to get certified by CAV which neither party had any interest in.
As I’ve said before, the one thing which concerns me most is the claimed speed loss. If it really is 7kt, that is very bad.
From various reports, it seems that non-TKS SR22s cruise about 5 knots faster than those with the equipment. And as you know, the Cirrus is very very sensitive to aerodynamic imperfections. So I would guess it would be less on a TB20. Three knots, maybe just two. But one can’t be sure.
How much of the €40k or whatever is the gear and how much is the installation?
With avionics, one can always find a dealer who will just pass on the kit to make the dealer discount – theoretical severe penalties (by e.g. Garmin) notwithstanding.
Here’s the quote I got in 2012:
TKS Kit Cessna R182 $ 23.600
Installation 11.400 €
Material as required (ca. 1750€)
Delivery ca. 90 days, installation ca 3 weeks. Before ordering a downpayment of 5000 € is due (non refundable).
I was told that one owner had put down a (non-refundable) deposit over a year ago and still no sign of the kit arriving. AirPlus pointed out that since the deposit is non-refundable their leverage to get kits delivered is small.
Before ordering a downpayment of 5000 € is due (non refundable).
If they quote a delivery time (which they must unless they are totally taking the p1ss) then you can get what in the UK is called a county court judgement (CCJ) for a refund of the deposit if they fail to meet the deadline. You can do that online, nowadays. But only against a UK business. International litigation is almost impossible, for relatively trivial amounts like 5k.
If they don’t quote a delivery time then the whole deal is equivalent to legal theft, and only a mug would hand over the money. In fact I would be amazed if one could not sue after a “reasonable time”.
The gotcha might be if the aircraft is company owned (as most privately owned IFR tourers are; mine used to be 2002-2006) and then consumer rights don’t apply. But there still needs to be a consideration both ways and if you give them €5k and they fail to deliver, no contract arose (IMHO, IANAL, usual disclaimers).
So I think that if somebody wants TKS, they should not be put off by pilot forum reports that somebody was still waiting a year after paying the deposit. The report is I am sure 100% true but nobody should take that sort of treatment lying down.
In case somebody here thinks I sue people all the time, I don’t 
In my business we have got several CCJs against several outright p1sstakers who knew how to play the system up to that point. That was 1991-present. The key is to make a credible threat.
TKS Kit Cessna R182 $ 23.600
Installation 11.400 €
Material as required (ca. 1750€)
Those prices are much lower than those mentioned earlier. It is nearer to the GBP 25k I recall from c. 2005.
€11k for the installation is however outrageous.
Is this all plus VAT?
Plus VAT and 2012 prices.
Back in 2012, 5000 € non refundable for 90 days was some serious interest to run your company with
Back in 2012, 5000 € non refundable for 90 days was some serious interest to run your company with
Avidyne, anybody? 
