When the avionics supply chain tanked a few years ago, the used avionics market was turned upside down as buyers scrambled to find alternatives to new equipment on long backorders. It got so bad that shops often finished the wiring part of the install but didn’t have the boxes to slide into the connectors and deliver the aircraft. That drove prices of used current-production equipment higher than the list prices of new ones—if you could even find them.
Things are closer to normal now, but the takeaway is you won’t score any smoking deals on the latest equipment that everyone else wants. Moreover, most owners just aren’t going to remove newer equipment, so that means sifting through aging equipment and that’s where the risk comes in.
Cooking Your Eggs
A sure way to agitate your avionics installer is to drop a box of used equipment on the counter and ask him to install it—and also to gather installation kits and the right paperwork to support the installation. “We joke that it’s like carrying your own eggs into your favorite diner and asking them to cook them for you,” one shop manager told me.
The right way to proceed is to first talk with your shop about the possibility of installing used gear. Better yet, ask if they can source the equipment for you. That will likely cut into your savings because the shop will rightfully want to make a profit on the used gear just as they do with new equipment. But it can also ensure that you’ll get the right versions (maybe it’s the correct voltage) that are appropriate for your aircraft and the existing avionics that are installed. They can also make sure you get the right installation kits—which aren’t always included with used equipment and can drive the cost up in a hurry.
Support is Important
It’s no surprise that GPS navigators top the list of the most sought-after used avionics, but it’s easy to get stung with equipment that’s no longer supported. Garmin has discontinued repairs for its early-gen navigators including the GNC 300XL, GPS 155XL and GNC 250XL. There are a lot of these on the market and while they are generally good utilitarian boxes, I wouldn’t buy them for lack of support.
BendixKing’s KLN90 and 89B series GPS units aren’t easily supported, especially when displays fail. I would avoid them, and even the later KLN94 because it can’t be upgraded to WAAS—a big disadvantage today.
As we’ve covered in detail (see the latest report in the May 2024 issue of Aviation Consumer), Garmin can’t source displays for the long-discontinued GNS navigators. If you have one with a failed display (the lens is still available), consider it a wheel chock.
Resourceful Sources
Age-old sources including Barnstormers.com and Trade-A-Plane are still two popular online sources for used gear. They have search engines for narrowing your hunt, but you might have to ask lots of questions. Bennett Avionics (www.bennettavionics.com) in Connecticut is another good source that’s been around for years. There’s also the Aircraft Avionics Exchange group on Facebook, which has over 20,000 members and was created to buy and sell equipment. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s worth joining to keep tabs on used market pricing and which equipment is in demand. It’s a well-run and resourceful page.
Last, there’s nothing wrong with buying from established aircraft salvage dealers who sell non-damaged equipment that could be worth installing. But be careful with some brands, including Avidyne. It won’t service equipment that’s been in a crash because it says it can’t verify hidden damage. That could leave you with expensive used equipment that you can’t have installed because it doesn’t have the right supporting paperwork.
This article originally appeared in Aviation Consumer Magazine.
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