Narrowing down avionics to look for in Comanche

[Arthur Gunn]

Hi all,

So my aircraft partner and I are looking at options. What we want is a Comanche that is a fully functional IFR bird. We are looking for a Garmin 530 or 430, WAAS, coupled to an autopilot. It seems the best route is to only look at birds with autopilots (must have) and preferably the Garmin installed.

We are flying newer pipers with twin 430W coupled with S TEC 55x autopilots. Suggestions what we should look for as a lot of Comanches don't have the 55x installed? Ideally besides heading and nav functions coupled to the GPS, at a minimum we want altitude hold. It would be nice if we could dial in vs for climbs and descents. And, we don't have a printing press in the basement for presidential flash cards.

Suggestions?

Thanks

[N3322G]

Hi Arthur,

A coupled Century 2000 will give you all but the dial in altitude for climbs and descents. It will also fly approaches. It will also intercept and with a GPSS do holds etc. We have this set-up in my Twin with a 530W as of 2007.

It is certainly your choice to seek to find a Comanche with that specific set-up but as always, there are trade-offs and like shopping for a particular set of features in an existing home, you limit your pool of opportunity.

[Don Nelson]

Pat wrote:
A coupled Century 2000 will give you all but the dial in altitude for climbs and descents.

Huh?
My latest C-2000 installation included the optional "altitude pre-select". Anymore, I would not be without it!

Don

[N3322G]

Don,

Good to know - my C2000 does not have altitude pre-select.