Cessna T210 Avionics Upgrade: Plan it Right

A successful avionics retrofit project starts by picking the right equipment, the right shop and staying involved in the project along the way. In this episode of Aviation Consumer's Panel Planner 101 Live, Editor in Chief Larry Anglisano sat down with Cessna T210 owner Scott Dyer for a candid discussion about what it really took to pull off a flagship Garmin glass upgrade in his airplane. Dyer had some good advice for anyone setting out on this difficult, lengthy and expensive modification process.

[@GlensHangar]

So I read the negative comments about "Why this layout", "Why doesn't everything line up", to this gem "they could have arranged the panel much nicer and put the G500txi, the 750xi, and the Txi EIS all at the same height" All of the comments made by people who apparently have zero idea that the instrument placement on this age of aircraft is dictated by the outdated Stationary Panel behind the 'Panel Face'. The stationary panel is part of the aircraft structure and it can't be cut or changed in a way that would allow modern square glass panels to be placed in any way other than happened here. There are a few STCs that allow for a complete replacement of the stationary panel - but none so far that are for this model of aircraft. Been there myself.

[@joshschwartz5663]

Really nice panel and setup!

[@TheGreekPhysique]

Love it

[@profiveoh]

That pfd being off-center from the yoke would drive my ocd into oblivion

[@stlflyguy]

There’s a used C172 in that panel conversion. But a beautiful overall airplane at the very least.

[@Kaipeternicolas]

I just don't understand why you'd still leave some of the old instruments in there or that old COM2. If you already spend that kind of money and cheap out on small items like that, I don't trust you enough to purchase that airplane from you. Also, they could have arranged the panel much nicer and put the G500txi, the 750xi, and the Txi EIS all at the same height. I don't blame the owner, I blame the shop.3x

[@SkylaneGuy]

Well when you're IMC and your fancy Garmin GPS does something weird, it sure is comforting to have an old analog nav dialed in for a cross-check. And it's pretty hard to miss-program a KX155. Those of us in our third or fourth decade of flying single-pilot IFR will understand. You might also in a few years. If you survive that long.

[@Kaipeternicolas]

@@SkylaneGuy Totally unnecessary statement there at the end. I have no problem with the extra NAV receiver and in 2 decades of flying hard IFR I never had a Garmin system go bad. The owner will learn the hard way that this panel is terribly arranged once he tries to sell it because I guarantee that whoever is gonna buy it wants to make these changes and get rid of the old useless weight.

[@Chris-ev7xo]

​@Kaipeternicolas I think three things would have gone great with that panel under the 750nxi put in a 650nxi that gives u two radio's and the transponder he has put the one by garminthat hides behind the panel and instead of the ps engineers audio panel again go with the garmin audio panel that hides behind the panel. I think that would clean it up nice . I don't know if garmin radar would go in the pod on the wing . Also just to add garmin radar is not cheap. It would get rid of the panel instrument he uses for the pod radar. The garmin would work on the 750 or 650 nxi. Just a new G500 install will run you about $20,000

[@Kaipeternicolas]

@@Chris-ev7xo Agreed!

[@danielreuter2565]

Jeez spending all that money and haphazardly placing the instruments and placards so nothing lines up....