And she's changing to glass

[gkey]

It all started last month somewhere on my way to Edmonton, when ATC told me they could not see me on the radar any more. I recycled my transponder, idented and still they could not identify me. Then I smacked the transponder (my friend calls it a callibrating tap) and we were back on the radar. Then, the next day, I lost transmission capabilities on com #1. Then a week later while we were flying a turbulent patch, we smelled electrical smoke and the autopilot kicked off line. Granted, the Silver Crown centre stack I have has been in this plane for a good 25 years or more, so it was time. High time.

I took the plunge in a big way. I got GKEY ferried over to Victoria Avionics and we started talking new units over the phone. My new centre stack will now be (from top to bottom): Garmin 437 audio panel, Garmin 530W, SL30 NavCom, S-Tec 55 (currently in the stack), DME (currently in stack), Garmin GTX 330 S transponder, ADF (currently in stack). The S-Tec 55 has been sent back to the factory to see what went wrong and if it can be repaired, otherwise we buy a 55x.

I am also removing the left and right panel and have new ones cut. The left one is planned and configured to take the Aspen PFD and MFD's. I am throwing out almost all of the current steam gauges and will install the 2" Mid-Continent back-up trio gauges. The right panel will house the new Xerion AuRACLE 2120 engine monitor, and because of all the new electronics I'll have to have a second breaker box. This will be made electrolumiscent and dimmable, and will house all the avionics related breakers.

So far I am over $50K just on hardware alone, but I realize that. To me it is a favor returned to the best girlfriend I've ever had - beloved my 337G.