DA42 G1000 WAAS/EGNOS Upgrade - 26K€

[hkavasch]

Hi,

we are getting new Centurion engines for our bird in 6 weeks from now. Installing WAAS/EGNOS while it is in the shop sounded like a good option... but two things are irretating us:
- Sky Rocket high price: 26K€
- The message, that only few "old units" are left, that can be installed. Once they are gone, it will take some years for another solution to be certified.. Seems like Garmin stopped producing these units.... and newer ones are not yet certified

Our plane is a 2005 DA42 with 2.0 Centurion...

Could any of you guys give advice:
- Will there be a future WAAS/EGNOS solution, that is better and hopefully also cheaper... is it worth to wait?
- Is there really a risk, that there will be NO solution.. and hence upgrading only possible while there are still odler units around?

many thx

Hans

[CFIDave]

Does your WAAS upgrade include anything more than replacing the pair of GIA63 units with GIA63W units, with their associated new GPS antennas?

While Garmin is no longer producing the original older G1000 displays (replaced by brighter, more powerful NXi PFDs/MFDs), they're still shipping GIA63W units in new G1000 NXi aircraft. So I'm curious which "old units" are being installed in your DA42.

[hkavasch]

There are different Versions of the GIA63W Units... only few left on the old ones..

Current Situation
- Urbe hold a STC to install the older GIA63W units in G1000+KAP140 Thielert DA42's (comes also with a new version of the G1000 software, including capturing of Flight data on SD Card)
- Urbe is working on a new STC for the new GIA63W units for G1000+KAP140+Thielert+DA42/40.. therer are about 400-500 aircraft out there.. so small market... The new STC will be available at the earliest in 2-3 years, because Garmin ist the bottle neck in adjusting software
- on the long run their might be an upgradt o G1000NXi.. but totally unclear if this will ever exist and what the costs will be

If have secured one set of the older units.. but uncertain what to do... Spend 26K€ on old stuff... Wait and maybe get something better later... hope for an NXi upgrade on the long run?

any thoughts?

[ememic99]

400-500 aircraft out there.. so small market...

500 is not small market.

The new STC will be available at the earliest in 2-3 years, because Garmin ist the bottle neck in adjusting software

Unlike Diamond, the other manufacturer who cares about their customers would engage more in supporting new versions of software at least.

[hkavasch]

agree on the Diamond comment... although also other Cirrus and Piper are not very supportive in upgrading their older planes... however Diamond is not in the game here... the STC for the old GIA units belongs to Urbe. And also the STC for the newer GIA units will be under Urbe... According to Urbe, Garmin is the bottleneck now.. For them 400-500 Aircraft is a small market...

The situation is at it is... how are you guys thinking..? I have 3 options
1.) Upgrade to WAAS/EGNOS now, utilizing the older GIA units (26K€)
2.) Upgrade to WAAS/EGNOS later, hoping for an STC on the new GIA units (~26K€)
3.) hope for an entirely new solution.. like an G1000NXi for DA42 aftermarket.. (50-60K€)

If I invest now in option 1.) it is very unlikely that I will invest again in other options
If I wait there might be other optons coming up.. potentially also adressing my ADS-B in/out problem.. but 400-500 planes is a small market.. it could take forever.. or even happen not at all..
For which options would you guys go?

[ememic99]

None It simply isn't worth that money. And the value that you'll get with WAAS is marginal. And in case of selling the aircraft you actually will not get much in return.