ASPEN AVIONICS 1000 C

[Popeye]

Hello fellow commander pilots.  Anyone using aspen avionics...I am being offered a good deal to install one on my 680F tied with a Garmin 650 and Tx ADSB i/o. Not sure about the aspen, anyone with experience on the item, its the class 3 system. I have heard that the other had some mishaps, but want direct experienced info. Thanks, Ricardo.

[Bruce Byerly]

I have put about 35 hours on one.  I quite like it.  I really doubted I would fall I. Love with it since I haven’t had perfect luck with Aspens in the past. And it’s Not a G600 by any means.

The GPSS, Alt alerter, Baro min alert, selectable RMI type functions are nice.  The fact it’s nestled in the 6 pack with analog surrounding it makes it an easier transition if you are new to glass.

Don’t let them forget to install a cooling fan.

[Popeye]

Thanks Bruce.......Your input very valuable. I wanted to hear form actual experience. My RMI and HSI need to be repaired so I am considering just placing the aspen class 3 type, to replace them. it will cost me probably 60-70% more but would actually get a lot more. Yes I would be new to glass on this aircraft, new GPS (old trimble 2000), new transponder adsb i/o remote, and the G650 with new nav. the aspen is not needed but will certainly flow better and reduce workload.

[Rich]

Hi Ricardo,

I have a couple of years' experience using the Aspen on a Cessna 421. Overall, I would say it's a powerful piece of kit for the money.

Sometimes it can be a bit fiddly in flight due to having packed so many functions into such a small box (for instance, pressing the selector knob one too many times and watching the alt bug disappearing up the tape rather than the heading bug that you were meaning to change!), but nothing that would make me say no to it. It also integrates with a lot of different legacy avionics quite nicely.

The only problem we had so far was that one of the selector knobs failed after a couple of hundred hours, but it was replaced under warranty.

Hope that helps. Rich