No one should be surprised at the situation. Garmin has been whispering about this possibility for a handful of years.

Unfortunately, the verbiage of the advisory was a typical chalk-dry narrative written in legalese, so some folks cut to the wrong chase.  

As an operator of the affected equipment, this development is near and dear to my heart. But don’t take my word for it, listen to colleague Larry Anglisano at our sister publication, The Aviation Consumer. 

After reengaging with GA as an airplane owner and airline guy a few years back, I was ecstatic that drawing a line with a No. 2 pencil on a sectional chart would no longer be in my future. I could now just follow a magenta line. Wow.

• READ MORE: One Year After Debut, Bose A30 Headset Well Received

The reason for curtailing support of the GNS 430 and GNS 530 simply became a parts supply issue. It is no longer viable for vendors to produce the parts for 25-year-old technology when the market has a dramatically increased demand for the new technology. Essentially, the old units would have to be redesigned with new innards, so what’s the point?  

That said, Garmin hoarded what remained of the supply.

The GNS 430 is most affected because the nuts and bolts module that drives the display are no longer available. The cover glass or lens of the display, however, is still replaceable. The bezel, buttons, knobs, etc. can still be replaced along with the repair of other functionality issues—at least as long as supplies last. So far, the GNS 530 display can be replaced in addition to the items mentioned above. Garmin will also continue to support the data bases.

If your G430 or G530 is repairable, a flat fee starting at $2,000 will be charged. If the unit is not repairable, you’re given the option of having it returned as a doorstop for an assessment fee of $500. Or you can tell Garmin to keep it, and the company will give you a $650 credit toward the new units. 

• READ MORE: Garmin GNS 430: Throwaway or Keeper?

The good news is that sending in a unit with an operable display grants you an opportunity to trade it in on Garmin’s new products with a rebate that ranges from $1,000 to $1,750. 

Food for thought: eBay lists GNS 430’s from around $3,000 to $7,500, depending upon whether it is WAAS equipped. The GNS 530 lists in the range of $4,500 to $10,000. It’s hard to say exactly the price that these units are actually selling for, or if they’re actually marketable, considering the support circumstances.

Legacy Unit Gamble

Last week while attending the Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Expo, I spoke with Garmin sales manager Jim Laster, who said the company’s concern is the gamble of airplane owners waiting until their legacy unit breaks. Is it repairable or does it become junk?

Although Garmin’s new replacement products can be available to ship the next day, the real concern is how long does that airplane owner have to wait for the avionics shop to schedule an installation? Some shops are six to nine months out.

What are the options? If you simply want to replace the functionality of losing the G530 or the G430, purchasing a GPS 175 Navigator together with a GNC 215 Nav/Com might be the easiest solution. Both units combine on your panel to an area only about three-quarter of an inch taller than a G430, with one a GPS and the other a radio. The combined sticker price is $11,190.

But wait, there’s more. Although the model units mentioned above are new technology with touchscreens and high-resolution displays, forking over $13,795 will buy you a GTN 650xi, which includes features not available on the GTN 175 and GNC 215. The features are too numerous to mention, but suffice it to say, you have to determine if the extra $2,605 is worth it.

The final option is to go all out and buy the GTN 750xi for $19,995. The unit has a larger display screen and is about 3 inches taller than a G530. Decisions. Decisions.

At the end of the day, maybe your current budget is to wait until the G530 or G430 completely breaks. That’s my plan, but it could certainly change. At least Garmin has options. Unfortunately, none of them are cheap.

The post Garmin Options Start with Not Ditching Your G430 or G530 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Recently, we cheered on Stephen Mercer as Gardner Lowe Aviation Services in Peachtree City, Georgia, put the finishing touches on his family’s 1982 Piper PA-32R-301T Saratoga. Now, it is time for the pull-offs from that job to find a new life in Corey Sampson’s Cessna 172. We have been tracking this story from the beginning with Sampson’s decision to incorporate used-serviceable material (USM) in his retrofit. 

• Part 1: Cessna 172 Skyhawk Avionics

It is one thing to pull out the Garmin catalog and order up everything new and quite another to retrofit using USM. One must decide what to keep and what to jettison. The situation is not always cut and dried. What if you install all this stuff, and it doesn’t work? 

Thankfully, Sampson is an A&P and can do much of his own work. 

Avionics Equipment Installation

Planning for a major maintenance event comes down to one key element: attention to detail. I have seen more than one maintenance evolution derailed by the smallest detail. I once found myself stalled on a job—a major engine overhaul—for one bolt. Guess what? The airplane needs all of the parts to fly, not just some of them. 

I caught up with Sampson recently to follow up on the installation. He said that although routing was challenging, he didn’t hit any real snags along the way. 

Sampson mapped out his maintenance, and FLYING was there during the initial phases of this evolution. He ensured a clean, comfortable space in which to accomplish his work. The environment is everything in aircraft maintenance. Why do you think line maintenance aircraft mechanics receive a premium? Other factors to consider are tooling and technical data. Sampson had each of these lined up before removing a single component.

Sampson said the downtime for his 172 during maintenance was five weeks for the removal and installation, and one week for pitot-static recertification. He also removed the automatic direction finder (ADF), as it is now obsolete, and therefore, he could save some weight. 

Fitment and Operational Check

Once Sampson finished everything, it was time for Oasis Aviation Avionics & Maintenance to do the pitot-static and transponder check. The company also built up the harness and mapped everything to assist him during installation.

• Part 2: Cessna 172 Skyhawk Avionics

Once Sampson installed everything, it was time to button her up and functionally test the new hardware. To keep from running the engine in the hangar, he procured an external power supply from Aircraft Spruce & Specialty. 

“These portable power supplies are an excellent way to power your avionics on the ground while you train or practice in the cockpit,” the company says. “Especially helpful in learning how to operate glass cockpit avionics and panel mount GPS units.”

They are also furnished with Cessna-style, three-pin plug configuration and manufactured in the U.S.

Next, Sampson programmed and calibrated the two Garmin G5 Electronic Flight Instruments. Once that was complete, it was time to test fly the airplane around the pattern in Peachtree City. After the pitot-static check, he flew to New Orleans with his co-conspirator, Elijah Lisyany, for breakfast.

Continued Airworthiness Action

According to the FAA, “continued airworthiness requires that safety concerns within the existing fleet be addressed, and the knowledge gained applied for the benefit of future fleets as well.” 

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) breaks it down even further, stating that continued airworthiness “means all of the processes ensuring that, at any time in its operating life, the aircraft complies with the airworthiness requirements in force and is in a condition for safe operation.”

• READ MORE: Getting the Most from Your Prepurchase Inspection

That means Sampson now has to shift his maintenance plan to accommodate his new equipment.

Earlier in the project, Sampson opted for a Garmin GNS 430. Once installed, Corey adjusted the contrast, and viola, it worked beautifully. 

In January, Garmin issued Service Advisory (SA) 23018 Rev B—does it affect the continued airworthiness of Sampson’s Cessna 172? 

It depends. 

First of all, service advisory alerts are just that—advice. The only thing mandatory under FAR Part 91 is an airworthiness directive (AD). 

The SA clearly states that “display repairs for the WAAS and Non-WAAS GPS 400, GNC 420, and GNS 430 are no longer available and have been discontinued.” It does not say the units have been discontinued. 

Additionally, if feasible, someone could create an alternate repair either by DER or 145 process specification. There is more than one way to stay compliant. And, of course, Sampson could replace the unit with another USM GNS 430 or upgrade to Avidyne IFD 440.

The post Testing the Hardware After a USM Retrofit appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

For a deep dive into the future of GNS support, and some tips for dealing with a dreaded failure, Aviation Consumer Magazine editor-in-chief Larry Anglisano sat down with Jim Alpiser, Garmin’s director of aftermarket sales, to set the record straight.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on The Aviation Consumer.

The post Garmin GNS 430: Throwaway or Keeper? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.