Low Time Engine vs. Updated Panel

[bgreenhaw]

When considering an aircraft purchase, would you rather go with a lower time engine (< 200hr SMOH on a 2000hr TBO) with an OK panel and avionics package OR a middle-of-the-road time engine (700-900hr SMOH on a 2000hr TBO) and a more kick-a$$ panel? Both about the same $ purchase price.

 

[Jim Logajan]

When considering an aircraft purchase, would you rather go with a lower time engine (< 200hr SMOH on a 2000hr TBO) with an OK panel and avionics package OR a middle-of-the-road time engine (700-900hr SMOH on a 2000hr TBO) and a more kick-a$$ panel? Both about the same $ purchase price.

How long do you realistically expect to own the aircraft? How many engine hours do you think you'll be putting on it? If you intend to own it past year 2020 (and probably even as few as 5 years from now) you'll find you'll almost certainly have to put ADS-B in it if it doesn't already have it. And I expect no matter how fancy the avionics is now it is probable that the kick-*** avionics plane will not have ADS-B installed, so you'll need to have it installed.

Most aircraft owners are going to find they have to install ADS-B to fly where they like, and therefore will have to install a GPS receiver, into their airplane by 2020 (only 7 years away.)

If it were me and I intended to hold onto the aircraft past 7 years, I'd pick whatever looked cheaper to install ADS-B into. If the kick-*** avionics isn't kicky enough there is a possibility of finding yourself with an expensive redundancy in the GPS department. Can the existing GPS be tied to an ADS-B transceiver to lower its install cost a bit?

One other mid to long term affect on value/cost is the Small Airplane Revitalization Act of 2013 (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr1848/text) which passed the U.S. house in July. Have no idea where it is at in the senate. It would allegedly require the FAA to change small aircraft certification in Part 23 to consensus standards like those used for LSAs and performance-based regulations. In theory firms like Dynon that only cater to the experimental market would find it less burdensome to move into the certified market. And therefore new and used avionics would decline in dollar value.