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BUSINESS AVIATION JOE STANLEY is the parts sales manager for Elliott Aviation. He has spent over 30 years in the aviation industry sourcing aircraft parts for customers around the world. He is an aviation enthusiast and a commercial, multi-engine, IFR pilot with light-sport, tail-dragger endorsements. He has over 1,000 hours and continues to fly today. He manages over 20 employees and over 20,000 active part numbers. He is a member of AEA, NBAA, AOPA, and EAA. 10 APRIL 2017 AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY aircraft that operates in controlled airspace in the USA over 10,000 feet will need to be ADS-B Out compliant by Dec. 31, 2019. This impacts over 100,000 airplanes and can be incredibly difficult to price, as it is depen- dent on the current equipment in the aircraft. While the standard avionics OEM ADS-B path to upgrade can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, in many cases, there are options that can work within a given avionics suite by swapping transponders. These options can be much more cost effective and take less than five days to complete. In addition, many ADS-B Out solutions give you the ability to not only meet the mandate, they give you valuable ADS-B IN options as well, like graphical weather, traffic, and more. You can also save your customer money and down- time of having to move their airplane for an ADS-B upgrade by purchasing an STC. STCs are available for many different airframe and avionics suite combinations and many are available that include kits that consist of all parts and instructions needed for the upgrade. WHEN IS IT TIME TO UPGRADE AN AVIONICS SUITE? When a new avionics suite becomes certified, there are always hold outs that don't want to take advantage of the new features and capabilities. As the product gains popularity in the marketplace, and the industry starts to fully understand the advantages and values these upgrades add to an aircraft the available slots in the shops start to dwindle. Waiting can be costly and depending on your mission, it can have ground- ing consequences. The upgrading option is inevitable, but the timing is always a judgment call by the DOM/ owner. While supporting and keeping the aircraft fly- ing is always at the forefront of our mission, the tim- ing for avionics upgrades is an opinion. Wait, gamble, or get a slot and get it done, the latter would be my recommendation. KING AIR OPERATORS The popularity of the King Air G1000 is a great example of making a cost-benefit analysis. During a five-year period, a traditional upgrade could look like this: • WAAS/LPV - $95,000 • ADS-B - $75,000 • RVSM - $83,000 • Yearly Avionics Maintenance - $20,000 (Times Five Years = $100,000) • Total - $353,000 • Value Increase to Aircraft - $0 With the average cost of a King Air G1000 instal- lation at $335,000, it adds an average value increase to the airplane of $275,000, so owners typically get a very good return on their investment. This example, of course, assumes no prior traditional upgrades and it may not make sense for your customer to make an upgrade depending on their mission, length of time they plan on owning the airplane, and current equip- ment needs. That is where aftermarket avionics options, including stocking spare sets may make more sense. Regardless of their decision, the more you know, the better relationship you are going to build with your customer to keep them coming back for service. IT'S ALL ABOUT OPTIONS Understanding all of your options can lead to a huge cost savings for you and your customer. When an air- craft part inevitably breaks, with a little bit of research you can find several options that can help your cus- tomer make a more informed decision about what to do. Doing so will not only help move your project forward, but will ultimately solidify your reputation with the customer.