The installer normally makes about 25% of the end user price, as the dealer margin. That’s just for supplying the hardware.
An installer won’t make anywhere near 25%. The margin is not only for just supplying the hardware, but also for demonstration units, advertising/promo, special tools and training.
I was writing in the context of my post above, Jesse.
I know an authorised dealer has to buy a load of stuff from the manufacturer, to become an authorised dealer for that manufacturer. I have seen the stuff for e.g. the KFC225. As a result almost nobody in the UK has the stuff for the KFC225 e.g. the fixtures for the servo clutch slipping torque.
Demo units are eventually sold to customers. For example one Sandel dealer I spoke to has sold and installed his demo units.
the GDL88 also takes the TAS or TCAS output and merges the two into a single traffic presentation to a MFD or GPS.
Is this limited to display products from Garmin, or would it work with the IFD540 for example?
the GDL88 also takes the TAS or TCAS output and merges the two into a single traffic presentation to a MFD or GPS.
(bumping this Q)
Can the GDL88 merge traffic from a TAS605 box and from some suitable ADS-B receiver and feed the combined stream to an IFD540?
If not, is there some other solution? Avidyne may never add ADS-B IN to their TAS boxes, despite promising it for years.
I have asked in the USA but the lack of response perhaps suggests a low number of IFD540 installations to date.
The output from the GDL88 is proprietary and feeds the GNS430W/530W, GTN series, and G500/600. Soon the WAAS G1000 systems will be able to be supported. The MX20/GMX200 are not currently supported by the Garmin GDL88, because they use the Capstone interface also known as the GDL90 interface. The original proof of concept was in Alaska and called the Capstone project. It used the GDL90 as the ADS-B Out/In and the MX20 as the MFD. Garmin continued the support in the GMX200. The GDL90 is obsolete (replaced by the GDL88) and will not be upgraded to be compliant with the US mandate. This left the MX220 and GMX200 as orphans. The ADSB competition, unable to get Garmin to disclose the GDL88 interface, settled on using the Capstone/GDL90 interface because it was public as the project was funded by the FAA. So all the non Garmin vendors can display traffic and weather on the MX20/GMX200, but as of yet Garmin can’t. Garmin has let it be known they plan to offer a legacy GDL90 output from their GDL88 to support the MX20/GMX200. A byproduct of this is that there is no technical reason why the result won’t also play on the Aspen, Avidyne, HBK display/GPS systems.
So to answer your question, it is a definite maybe. :)
Here is Garmin’s formal announcement:
http://newsroom.garmin.com/press-release/aviation/garmin-expands-ads-b-display-compatibility
Aspen but not Avidyne. I wonder why 
They use the same interface as it is an industry standard. It will be in Avidyne’s interest to demonstrate they work with the GDL88. An STC is not required. There are quite a few devices that are not specifically listed on the Garmin STC, but they may still be used.
Is there any likelihood that Avidyne will offer an update for their TAS60x boxes to accept ADS-B IN and, if so, what form is the receiver likely to take?
If not already mentioned. The FAA 2020 mandate is for ADS-B out only….you must also have a WAAS/GPS receiver that is permanently mounted in the aircraft and has an external antennae. For SLSA you can use a non TSO’d GPS and Mode S xpndr (with 1090es squitter) and ADS-B module.
