I'm surely in the minority, but I'm not seeing the value in getting rid of original engine gauges when we are speaking of a limited budget. I always aim for low hanging fruit first. If the tach isn't reading right, I think a few hundred bucks max can get it overhauled. $4k plus install for an engine monitor seems a bit unnecessary to me. The o-200 is pretty lightly loaded and not stressed. Many go 3000+hours with no engine monitors, so what are you gaining?
And I still see vacuum gyro overhauls for under $300-500? We're talking about keeping a small trainer plane flying as cost effectively as possible. Why drop 50% of the plane value in a panel?
Back to the original question of this thread, a R-443b can be had for $100 or less off ebay. The plane may already have a CDI/Glideslope indicator installed. He has a compatible MX300. The only unknown here is wiring and man-hours required to install a r443b for being able to shoot ILS approaches. Maybe an entire bundle of wires from another c150 can be found and it's almost plug and play (thus getting 5-10man hours install?) That seems like a pretty good value preposition with a good gain of function (assuming you have some ILS approaches around the home field).
Next gain of function is IFR GPS......which I've discussed a lot in some other threads (search my posts).
After the IFR GPS, then I'd attack elimination of vacuum gyros. Again, this is all in the perspective of we are talking about a c150 that has 2.5hours of endurance lol
Last edited by Jay K; 10/22/24 07:35 PM.
