Four Reasons to Upgrade Your Avionics
July 11, 2022
Thinking of modifying your aircraft’s avionics in the cockpit, cabin or both? Here are four reasons you should or might have to upgrade your avionics, and how the team at King Aerospace can help with your avionics installation.
- Mandates: The FAA and aviation regulators worldwide regularly order updates large and small, like the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has with ADS-B transponders, which drove change around the globe. The necessity of meeting a mandate varies based on model, age and generation of the aircraft. An older Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) might be affected, and a newer one might not. A trusted MRO can counsel on the requirements and installation approach for avionics upgrades and avionics modifications.
- Connectivity and comfort: The expectation today is the office in the sky won’t differ from one on the ground. The need is for high-powered Wi-Fi, video conferencing and receiving information in real time. Plus, who doesn’t like to stream movies and play games during downtime. Improving seats, lighting and other cabin features for work and play also can necessitate avionics upgrades.
- Operability and obsolescence: NextGen avionics installations like future air navigation systems (FANS) and controller-pilot data link communication (CPDLC). make aircraft safer and easier to operate. Newer systems also are easier to obtain service for when it’s needed. And if your well-loved, veteran aircraft still has steam gauges, a glass cockpit might be in order.
- Money: New avionics packages for the cabin and cockpit often come with less weight, meaning lower fuel use and operating costs. An operator shifting their aircraft from FAA Part 91 service to Part 135 charter service might need to invest in an avionics upgrade to satisfy FAA requirements and gain the ability to generate income. No matter the reason, modernization can boost the book value of the aircraft.
The King Experience
BBJs, Gulfstreams, Citations, Learjets and more. King Aerospace’s FAA-certified avionics technicians are experienced in all kinds of VVIP, VIP and business aircraft and the cockpit, inflight entertainment (IE) and cabin management systems (CMS) they carry. We’re certified by the FAA, EASA and authorities from Mexico, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.
King Aerospace performs the work at our Ardmore, OK, facility or can send a team to you and your aircraft. Often, avionics work dovetails with maintenance, or the paintwork we do. Or avionics projects are paired, as with a BBJ receiving a Gogo Biz 4G Wi-Fi system and SATCOM system upgrade. King Aerospace is a dealer for Gogo, Honeywell and Collins Aerospace, and we can connect operators to those and other providers to discuss options and plans.
The King Difference
Knowing BBJs and their 737 airframe inside and out comes from years of experience and close ties to Boeing. That knowledge goes hand in hand with problem-solving and quality in everything, two of our Cornerstone Principles.
“Our attention to detail and experience serving VVIP and VIP customers is valuable with avionics upgrades, as is the care we take when disassembling and reassembling the aircraft,” says Steve Sawyer, King Aerospace general manager of operations.
The care brings return business and loyalty.
“Some operators only want certain people to work on their aircraft, because they have used us many times and know the technicians treat their investment – the aircraft – like it’s their own,” says President Jarid King. “That’s gratifying to hear.”