I'm getting closer to thinking about the avionics for my -14A. I am leaning heavily towards Garmin G3X and know that I can get everything at Aircraft Spruce, but I am wondering what, if any, other purchase options exist in Canada? Are the best deals still with US suppliers?
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Best place to buy avionics in Canada
- Thread starter stigaro
- Start date
I was delighted with the products and the service I received from Advanced Flight Systems in Oregon. I would highly recommend their products. Also, they were able to supply other manufacturers' products, including a G5, an Avidyne IFD410 and an Archer antenna. In fact, the price on the IFD410 was exceptional - much lower than other suppliers.
I have been buying from Stein for close to 20 years. Never had an issue with anything shipped across the border.
rv8bldr
Well Known Member
+1 on what Troy said. I live just west of Ottawa and bought my dual G3X touch panel stuff from Stein. I did my own wiring. I had everything shipped to the UPS Store just across the border in New York state and picked it up myself and just paid the GST owing at the border on the way home. It was way cheaper than buying from Spruce Canada....
The short answer is yes, the best deals are still with the US suppliers. In the US there are enough of them that there is still competition. In Canada it seems like they're paying the same prices you would to buy components from the US, and then adding their markup.
mc607
Well Known Member
They’re in Minnesota, but +1 for Steinair. One thing to consider is customer support when picking your avionics shop. I just spent a week going back and forth with Stein and Nick finalizing my G3X order. One comment that came up frequently is “if you’re gonna do that, you’ll need these”. When you’re a first time panel builder, as I am, this level of support is invaluable. And pricing is competitive.
dan.gagnon85
Member
Anyone putting together an avionics package right now, are you considering diversity transponder requirements?
Excellent point. I'm also a 1st timer, so this type of support would indeed be invaluable. Thanks.
No good answers
Two years ago I would have said TC and NAV Canada won't be able to agree on anything, so I installed a GNX375 and love it - ADSB, UAT all nicely integrated in one box. I put the antenna well towards the tail to give the best upwards visibility, and crossing my fingers that a TSO compliant installation with antenna on the bottom, and passing the satellite test will meet the requirements.
I'm redoing another panel and we have the reg update - but I'm not sure if we have more clarity - other than it looks like TC and NAV Canada are agreeing.
https://www.navcanada.ca/en/aiceng202326.pdf
https://tc.canada.ca/en/corporate-services/acts-regulations/list-regulations/canadian-aviation-regulations-sor-96-433/standards/airworthiness-chapter-551-aircraft-equipment-installation-canadian-aviation-regulations-cars#551_103
The reg specifies generically that performance requirements will be guiding but I've not seen good guidance on how to test both for ground based and satellite based for a given installation, and we have of reports of installations having challenges getting enough hits on the satellites.
I think you are safe if you spend a tonne of money on a dual antenna setup, or use a tail beacon (or other TSOed device with an antenna that points out and down) based on the AC but I'm not happy with the trade off on integration with tail beacon or the dollars of dual antenna. I figure worst case in 3-5 years I may have to sell my 375 to a happy US customer and do something else using whatever options are available then.
Lots of things can happen between now and then. Someone may create an antenna that generically points up and down, NAV Canada may decide they need more time to put more satellites, NAV Canada may decide to put in ground stations, tailbeacon may integrate to Garmin, not to mention whatever new avionics show up at OSH over those years.
Updating an existing panel to ADS-B out, tailbeacon would be the easy choice for me - fixes flying to the US and Canada at the same time and use something else for IN (I have a GDL52 that I move between planes for XM and ADS that covers that), but for trying to design a new 10 year panel with no add-on boxes, I don't think there are any good answers yet.
Still have my fingers crossed that my current setup will be enough for Class C. We will see.
Derek
edit: There is also https://tc.canada.ca/sites/default/files/2022-05/AC_500-029_ISSUE_01.pdf where TC essentially says you have to meet the NAV Canada requirements, whatever they may be - if you are certifying a new device/plane. "To
receive space-based ADS-B surveillance services, the applicant must ensure that the installation
meets the performance standards required by the air navigation service provider.
"
Two years ago I would have said TC and NAV Canada won't be able to agree on anything, so I installed a GNX375 and love it - ADSB, UAT all nicely integrated in one box. I put the antenna well towards the tail to give the best upwards visibility, and crossing my fingers that a TSO compliant installation with antenna on the bottom, and passing the satellite test will meet the requirements.
I'm redoing another panel and we have the reg update - but I'm not sure if we have more clarity - other than it looks like TC and NAV Canada are agreeing.
https://www.navcanada.ca/en/aiceng202326.pdf
https://tc.canada.ca/en/corporate-services/acts-regulations/list-regulations/canadian-aviation-regulations-sor-96-433/standards/airworthiness-chapter-551-aircraft-equipment-installation-canadian-aviation-regulations-cars#551_103
The reg specifies generically that performance requirements will be guiding but I've not seen good guidance on how to test both for ground based and satellite based for a given installation, and we have of reports of installations having challenges getting enough hits on the satellites.
I think you are safe if you spend a tonne of money on a dual antenna setup, or use a tail beacon (or other TSOed device with an antenna that points out and down) based on the AC but I'm not happy with the trade off on integration with tail beacon or the dollars of dual antenna. I figure worst case in 3-5 years I may have to sell my 375 to a happy US customer and do something else using whatever options are available then.
Lots of things can happen between now and then. Someone may create an antenna that generically points up and down, NAV Canada may decide they need more time to put more satellites, NAV Canada may decide to put in ground stations, tailbeacon may integrate to Garmin, not to mention whatever new avionics show up at OSH over those years.
Updating an existing panel to ADS-B out, tailbeacon would be the easy choice for me - fixes flying to the US and Canada at the same time and use something else for IN (I have a GDL52 that I move between planes for XM and ADS that covers that), but for trying to design a new 10 year panel with no add-on boxes, I don't think there are any good answers yet.
Still have my fingers crossed that my current setup will be enough for Class C. We will see.
Derek
edit: There is also https://tc.canada.ca/sites/default/files/2022-05/AC_500-029_ISSUE_01.pdf where TC essentially says you have to meet the NAV Canada requirements, whatever they may be - if you are certifying a new device/plane. "To
receive space-based ADS-B surveillance services, the applicant must ensure that the installation
meets the performance standards required by the air navigation service provider.
"
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I find it baffling that Garmin and Dynon haven't come up with something for the Canadian ADS-B mandate. In May, 5 months away, no airplane, Canadian, US or otherwise, will be permitted in class B airspace in Canada.
Barring tons of airplanes from Canadian class B airspace because Garmin and Dynon haven't developed a product to meet the Canadian requirements.
Barring tons of airplanes from Canadian class B airspace because Garmin and Dynon haven't developed a product to meet the Canadian requirements.
RV8JD
Well Known Member
Hmmm ... I thought the GTX 335D and GTX 345D ADS-B Diversity Transponders meet the Canadian requirements. Not cheap though.
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Garmin has the GTX345D - which does the trick but at over 10k CAD just for the box, its is a hard lump to swallow even in airplane dollars, when the tailbeacon is a quarter of that, and a possible antenna solution might happen.
RV7 To Go
Well Known Member
I have been doing the VFR panel in my 8. I chose the AFS 6600 with the TailbeaconX since they interface and eliminate the need for a control head. This combo provides ADSB diversity at much less cost than buying an EFIS, ADSB, control head and transponder. Then you just need ADSB in if you wish. I purchased the Tailbeacon last year when ACS had it on sale for $600 off and bought the AFS direct through Dynon which also saved money over ACS (even after shipping and exchange). FWIW.
Someone needs to invest some time and money in testing a single antenna mounted on the top of the tailcone. That would easily cover the "sky" requirement, and I would be *very* surprised if the signal wasn't strong enough to reach the ground of any station that needed to see it, given how much closer it would be than the overhead satellites. AFAIK the only testing done with a single antenna was with it on the bottom of the fuselage, as that was the standard mounting location on aircraft until Aireon came along.
