Aspen PFD or Garmin 430W or ATP Rating

I was sitting around wondering what I would do if I found myslef with an extra 15K to spend on aviation. I often wonder about such things, it seems every two years though I do something about it.

I really would like an HSI in 58V. A KCS 55A HSI used is around 8K and figure another 4 or so to put it in. When Aspen released their PFD that capability comes in a Glass Primary Flgiht Display along with a glass attitude gyro for 12K.

But 58V doesnt have WAAS and its all the rage. The LPV approach while not so prevalent in the New England Region has surpassed the wauntity of ILS approaces in the US already so here it comes.

A new Garmin 430W solves that but they run around 13K installed. I could probably get some money off for trading in one of my KX155's and KI209 Indicator as well as my KLN 89B and its KI209A indicator.

Which one makes the airplane worth more? Neither to anyone other than me I suspect.

The ratings are a different story. They don't sell with the airplane and 15K will pay for a lot of avgas and instructor time. Schools like AllATPS will do the ME MEII dor about 7 grand the ATP for a few more.

Good thing I dont have that kind of money or I'd be real confused

Our First Airplane - Tigra

Building time came slowly with my first solo on 4/1/1986. I passed my Private Pilot Practical exam on 9/9/1987 two days after my 27^th birthday.

We  rented planes and I was working on my Instrument rating,  flying at Oxford Airport doing a trade off with the flight school writing them a point of sale application for their computer systems in exchange for money on account to rent their airplanes and pay instructors with.  The owner of the flight school reneged on our deal once the system was delivered and it was time to start doing the flying.  It was at that point I vowed to Judy I would never kiss anyone’s ass again to fly. I started looking at trade-a-plane and decided on a Grumman Tiger. We purchased a 1977 Grumman Tiger AA5B in April 1989 2 months after my deal fell through.

I flew commercial to Orlando with my instructor Dan to pick up the plane which I purchased from a broker in Ocala. A friend from High School picked us up @MCO  and drove us to Ocala so we could pick up the Tiger and fly it back to Danbury.

We flew the tiger home over two days since it had some issues with pitch trim that we had to stop in Keystone Heights Florida for better than a half day having them fix it.

28331 was in reasonably good shape but had poor radios and an engine that needed a top overhaul  and all new hoses at our first annual. It had a new paint job but required a new oil cooler, windshield, brake cylinders, prior to that and we were crushed by the maintenance and tie down as well as the loan payment. Nonetheless we flew ‘Tigra’ 125 times in the 21 months she was ‘ours’ including a trip to Detroit Metro in 1989 and Sun and Fun in 1990

The Tiger was sold in January of 1991 to a guy based out of Stowe Mass who still owns it today. She now lives in Florida.