Hi folks, hope it’s OK to ask for recommendations in a separate thread even though there are few similar threads already.
Our parachuting club’s 50 year old C206 jump plane has a mishmash avionics stack and a few failing instruments. We’re considering how to get some upgrades in, possible this winter. It needs to be worth the investment in terms of a capable solution for the foreseeable future.
We currently have:
- Some Bendinx/King GPS display which really is more of a backup if tablet+skydemon fails
- GMA 340 audio panel which must live a pretty boring life, given we have only one headset connection and two radios.
- Icom IC-A220 COM which is pretty unusable in the air – my guess is it’s not the unit but the general state of wiring (it’s been sent back to Icom once and they said all-ok)
- Bendix/King COM – works ok, but 25kHz only
- Totally unused DME
- Mode C transponder.
Additionally our turn coordinator is INOP (ball works, but the plane thingie is stuck), and our directional gyro is INOP. So at the moment it’s VFR Day only, a sad state of affair for a C206.
Here’s my thoughts on what we could aim for:
- 2 × 8.33kHz COM
- GPS with reasonably big display
- Mode-S + ADS-B out
- Remove vacuum instruments, replace with GI 275s or similar? At least need to achieve night-VFR capabilities.
- Maybe IFR GPS-only capable?
It being a jump plane we don’t need IFR capabilities day-to-day. And the three of us who fly it the most aren’t IR certified either. But if it’s possible to get GPS-only IFR capabilities without paying a ton extra, that could potentially help in some ferry scenarios.
Although I’m not a big fan of Garmin it does feel like we maybe should pay some Garmin Tax to get a relatively integrated setup without too many different suppliers that the maintenance shop will blame for everything they’ve done wrong.
Also: Thoughts on buying components for this used? (Where to look?)
Current setup:
Did jump planes ever need any avionics? 
Seriously, the cost (both in terms of one-off, but also the running costs) of an IFR capable plane will always be noticeably higher than a bare-bones VFR panel. So I would ask myself if it will really be used for any IFR flight. For IFR training, a 206 is too expensive. For IFR travelling, it is too slow….
Any real IFR requires a good GPS/Comm ($$$) as well as as second comm, and very decent flight instruments. Plus, real-life (non-training) IFR needs an autopilot.
You’re right, IFR capability is not a must and might not make sense (way too low ROI). Hence the “maybe” and the question mark in my list – only if there is some kind of cheapo solution for it. The answer is probably “nope!”.
If it is stricly to get it IFR legal (yet not very practical), you can of course stick in a GPS175 (6k€ for the unit and several k€ for the install) and be done (well, also need a proper transponder at 3k€). But much cheaper than that won’t be possible. Oh, and a proper CDI instrument will be needed, at the least. Plus a few k for proper flight instruments…
I would change only stuff which packs up, if necessary with avionics from Ebay etc. I am not sure where this concession stands right now, but somebody will know.
Any comprehensive refit will cost tens of thousands, and will expose you to failures of new avionics, and to potential installer incompetence.
With this plane you want minimal downtime. It’s not a hangar queen, like so many are (one thing I notice is that the people who spent the most money on avionics do the least amount of flying).
That colour Skymap (I used to have the monochrome Skymap 2, c. 2001) database cannot be updated anymore, but that may not matter for local flying and there isn’t an alternative panel mounted / mountable solution, other than some kind of tablet running some satnav app. The Aera 660 is the sort of thing I am thinking of (I have a yoke mounted one and really like the Safetaxi feature) but it is smaller than the Skymap.
If you fly in IMC sometimes then you need reliable gyro instruments.
Well it’s far getter equipped than any paradropping aircraft I have ever flown.
My old boss would off marked the DI inop and told me to use the compass.
Overhaul the DI and Turn Co-ordinator, fix the 8.33 radio and fly up and down in cloud all day.
For a paradrop plane which works mostly on it’s airfield, you really only need a legally working COM. Practically you will also need a Mode S transponder.
First of all, sort out the cabling for the ICOM. Then you have a workable and legal COM. of course, if you do something else, then get the cabling replaced altogether and keep the ICOM either as COM 1 or COM 2 depending.
For the rest, it is VERY easy and VERY tempting to get carried away with avionics. Some claim that Eve and the snake was nothing in comparison to a visit to the avionic shop unsupervised 
alge wrote:
- GPS with reasonably big display
- Mode-S + ADS-B out
The cheapest way to get ADS-B and Mode S will probably be the Trig combo:
https://www.trig-avionics.com/product/ads-b-tn72-bundle/
Seeing that you have the venable KT 76A in there, get a TT31 as a slide in replacement plus the TN72 GPS receiver with the appropriate antennas.If you want a GPS with a reasonably big display (such as the one you have) you are talking a GTN750 or Avidyne 540. In both cases you can connect them to any ADS-B capable transponder and have everything.
As the plane is VFR, you might want to think of a VFR Aspen or a G5 to replace your DI and TC, the overhaul cost for both will probably be more than half of the price of that unit. Pal of mine did that to his Jodel, after he was quoted the price for new DG/ADI as his went south.
I am with MD. You already have a decent-size VFR GPS.
oh yea, and if the DME works, KEEP IT.
You will get as many opinions as there are pilots on this forum.
