Used Avionics: Caveat Emptor

For as long as we can remember there has always been demand for used avionics, and while it might have slowed with an improved supply of new equipment, there are still plenty of buyers who set out to save a buck or two on used gear. You can save if you buy the right equipment from the right seller, pick the right shop to support the project, and accept limitations of equipment that might be several avionics generations old. It’s all about traceability, repair history, and supportability. Here are five basic tips for shopping.

Cooking Your Eggs

If you want an avionics shop to install the used equipment you source elsewhere, be mindful of shop etiquette and policies. Some shops, particularly high-volume larger ones, downright refuse to install any major equipment that it doesn’t provide. Others, perhaps smaller and hungry ones, don’t have a problem with it, and even better if the sale brings in a new customer. But installing used gear can be more work, and that bogs down the schedule.

And there’s the old sarcasm around the shop floor that goes something like “this is the customer who wants to bring his eggs for us to cook.” Yes, it’s obvious the shop loses profit if it isn’t selling the equipment. But that doesn’t mean it can’t make it back in labor and small parts, so don’t be surprised if the shop agrees to install your used gear and pads some to the bottom line. Inevitably there will be installation supplies and small components that might be needed once the airplane is all over the floor, adding more to the bill. The risk of washing any savings you got in the first place is real. Many have actually spent more on used avionics interfaces than if they bought new, while paying for the shop to troubleshoot an installation that turned out to be faulty used equipment. It can go sideways, killing business relationships.

The good news is that shops might have used equipment removed from previous projects for sale. This is often a win-win scenario because it saves you the time and risk of shopping for the equipment, the selling shop likely has everything it needs to install the gear (more on that in a minute), and it can function test/repair the equipment and provide the regulatory paperwork required to sign off the install. And the profit the shop makes on the used equipment will likely be a lot more than it can make on new gear. There’s something to be said about one-stop shopping, plus the shop has motivation.

And even if the shop doesn’t have the equipment you want, it likely knows where to find it and it could be the difference between getting quality used gear with traceability and a good service history. This includes regular software and hardware updates. In the end, the installing shop is your best resource when it comes to sourcing used gear for your application so it can support it.

Installation Kits

This can be a big problem with some used avionics that might be even recently out of production. The scenario might go something like this: A hangar neighbor has a total panel refurb done and the shop hands him back the removed gear in a big fat box. In the box is an old Garmin GNS 430, a King KX155 radio, and a Garmin GMA 340 audio panel. Missing is the connector backplates for the GNS 430 and GMA 340 units, plus the Molex connectors and pins for the King radio.

Your neighbor buddy unloads the stuff on you for a few grand and you hand-carry it to your own shop for installation. The manager rummages through the box and finds it’s missing major install hardware. Because Garmin no longer supplies the kits, someone has to shop around for it. Busy shops might say they don’t have time for that, but it’s easier than ever given the number of internet sources. Our quick search located a couple of new kits for around $800 each.

Consider antennas, too. Used GPS navigators might come with an antenna, but it might not be one you want to install on your pretty paint job because it’s faded and weathered. Factor in the cost of a new antenna and consider letting the shop sell it to you.

But be prepared for the installation when you show up at the shop for the job. Ask the seller if it’s providing everything you need to have it installed. Some sellers might know, so run it by the installing shop before making any deal. The shop will know exactly what’s required for installation and if the system isn’t complete, it can tell you what you’ll have to pay for the missing parts. Negotiate with seller.

Who Needs Paperwork?

Back in the bad old days of used avionics sales, the Yellow Tag was a cherished piece of supporting paperwork and it meant the unit was in Serviceable condition. This marketing jargon still exists to some degree, but for installing equipment on certified aircraft, the paperwork that means the most to the installer and the aircraft records is the FAA Form 8130-3. While the part’s status might vary (some equipment might have been bench tested for functionality and others might have major repairs), the 8130-3 authorized release certificate is an airworthiness approval tag, with an FAA repair station or mechanic using it as proof the component he installed is indeed airworthy. It also chases a shop work order for future reference (it generally goes in the aircraft maintenance logs) and documents a unit’s part number, serial number, mod status, and other supporting data as shown in the document here.

Speaking of paperwork, part of what you’ll pay for during the installation is the shop’s time for preparing the aircraft’s return-to-service paperwork. Maybe it’s generating a flight manual supplement, doing an update to the equipment list and weight and balance, and even before all that, covering itself from liability by making sure the equipment is fit for installation. If you fly away and hit the dirt in the process, the shop will have questions to answer. Plus, shops don’t like installing junk.

“You oughta see the stuff some customers carry. wearing layers of dust and even corrosion from sitting in damp hangar for years at a time,” one tech told us. Unless the stuff came from a good source and is in good condition, his shop passes on the deal.

A fresh 8130-3 carries at least some confidence. If you hand-carry a unit to the installer without one, the shop (or a third party) will have to provide it. This generates bench labor (around $150 per hour) if the shop even has the capability to completely test the unit per the manufacturer’s maintenance manuals. If it can’t fully test the equipment, or make repairs to anything it finds during the bench test, it could mean a trip to the manufacturer or a specialty shop to make it right. If that’s the case, hopefully you bought the stuff right.

It’s Flat-Rated at How Much …

That’s a question every buyer should be asking because it’s the safest way to gauge if you’re getting a worthwhile deal or not. It takes some effort because to determine if the used avionics buy is worth it, you need to get an accurate proposal for installing new units, whatever they are—GPSs, flight displays, transponders. Compare it to the final cost of the project using used gear, including any extra parts that are needed and any premium the shop will add for cooking your own eggs. Then, add in the flat-rate outside repair. As one example, vintage Garmin navigators are flat-rated at around $2,500, not counting any shop labor and freight costs to the factory. You might be surprised to find a slim price delta between new and less-featured used equipment.

Even stone simple units sourced for a song could get expensive, including the venerable King KX155 VHF radio—they’re all over the used market and you need a good eye to sort through them. Some have internal glideslope receiver boards, and some are VOR/Loc only. Some work in 14-volt electrical systems and others are for 28 volts. These navcomms (common for backing up a new navigator) were given a lease on life some years back, but for a cost. When BendixKing couldn’t source gas displays for existing KX155/165 radios it came up with a simple mod for a replacement LED that was more than four times the cost of the old drop-in gas discharge display. If the one in your radio goes south, whatever you paid for a used unit is probably too much. Saying that, there are a handful of good shops who can support the older BendixKing gear, including Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics.

Of course one way to protect yourself from the sting of flat-rate repair costs is to simply buy used equipment that’s had recent quality repairs and ones that didn’t live tough lives. You’ll pay a premium, but you might end up with a unit that has better cosmetics if the flat-rate repair included new bezel glass and keys, as one example. And having traceability is important because some manufacturers won’t work on equipment that’s been in a wreck. On the other hand, many reputable aircraft salvage dealers make a good business from selling the latest avionics from wrecked planes. They have them function tested by avionics shops that generate 8130-3 paperwork, but it pays to do some research and get the full history as you do when buying a used vehicle. We would avoid any avionics that have gotten wet, sat in a harsh climate for long periods, or anything that has taken a direct impact. 

Used Autopilots? Not Usually Worth It

That’s because autopilot components are tightly designed around the specific airframe STC. Servo mounting brackets, specific computer gains, wiring harnesses, and other considerations generally make buying a used autopilot more trouble and expense than it’s worth. The installer might even have to pay for a new STC to legally install the system in a different airframe than intended.

Plus, who removes good-performing modern autopilots? Not many. With exception, the majority of removed systems are ones with limited if any field support because parts might not be available to keep them going. But maybe you have a system with a faulty servo and simply need a replacement and don’t want to pay the high price for a new one. You’ll likely find one that someone removed, and while it’s tempting (especially if the seller says it was working when removed), you could be faced with the same problem over the short term and stuck with not only lots of removal and reinstallation labor, but having to buy a new or overhauled servo anyway.

Is It a Keeper?

Think long term when buying any used equipment. It’s easy to convince yourself that the used gear is only temporary until you drop real money on a total avionics refurb, only to find yourself throwing good money after bad just months after having it installed. Work with the shop and ask if the manufacturer fully supports the product through field and factory repairs and parts supply.

And whatever you do, use caution when buying equipment sight unseen. Social media and owner groups are a great source for decent used gear, but we’re seen buyers get taken—hard. You don’t want to get stuck with stolen equipment, either.

Last, there’s also a lively market for used headsets and other accessories like portable ADS-B receivers. We’ll cover them in a future report in AvBrief’s Smart Aviator.