540 Install Considerations

I take it you have one KX 155A with glideslope and one without.  And you are keeping the one with glideslope and using it with the KI 209.

Since your stack is being rewired anyways I'd consider replacing the KMA 24 and PCA 400 with a more modern panel with built-in intercom.  You could probably find a used PMA 8000 series at a good price, maybe even with Bluetooth.

If you still have money left and you want to spend it you could add a GPSS roll steering converter.  The Icarus SAM and the DAC GDC-31 support the 300A.  I don't know if the DAC has an STC or if you even need one.

+1 on the audio component clean up, and NOW is the time. The 8000BT used is a great idea. Otherwise, there is the 450 or Avidyne's 240 which is a rebadged and slightly redesigned 8000BT. The *armin 340 is a good unit, but more pricey, and there is always the concern that they might make it somehow incompatible in a future firmware upgrade.

Edited by oskrypuch - 12 Feb 2015 at 9:21am

Noted Orest's comments about audio panel. That will be a tough decision, as I'm really stretched now with the addition of the AXP340 to replace the GTX330.

For your consideration, here is a snippet from the revised Installation Manual that is coming out as part of Release 10.0.3.0:

10.1.0.0  (spring time release)

I have a King KCS-55A HSI with a 28V 400Hz synchro module, which is a separate module and not part of the system.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synchro

As a result, I can pass the XYZ signals into the IFD540.  As such the 540 will know, and can display, my magnetic heading instead of just ground track.



Edited by roltman - 12 Feb 2015 at 2:35pm

The GDC-31 has been installed in planes without the STC.  There is no STC for the KAP 140 autopilot which is in our plane.  I looked around on the Internet and found a 182 with a KAP 140 and a GDC-31.  If we decided to install the GDC-31 I would have contacted the owner of the plane to see if I could get a copy of their 337.

DAC might also know of someone who has installed the GDC-31 with a 300A.  Or you can ask in the Cessna Pilot's Association or Cessna Owner Organization forums.

bneub111 wrote: ... to connect the IFD540 standby COM monitoring feature to an unused button on a non-Avidyne audio panel?

Edited by oskrypuch - 16 Feb 2015 at 4:41pm

AviJake wrote:   I think your real question is can you wire it that way and then press the COM1 and COM1 MIC and COM3 buttons to hear and talk on COM1 and monitor COM3?   It's been too long since I've used a GMA340 so presuming that is your real question, maybe somebody else can chime in before I have a chance to test that in the lab.

That's exactly what I want to be able to do - Have COM1 "live" for normal two way communications and listen to COM3.  I understand that MIC3 would not have any function, but that is ok.

oskrypuch wrote: AviJake wrote: The IFD540 (as of a hardware mod that was made at the end of 2014) is always providing the audio signal of the #1 standby frequency out on a specific pin. Oh? I thought that that was not going to be available until the 10.1 firmware update? I do have that wire pair run to my audio panel (AUX switched input), but I've not heard any output there yet from the IFD540 standby freq. * Orest

So when I sent it in for the VHF and OBS fix a couple weeks ago did they apply all outstanding mods?

There's really nothing special about the AMX240 panel compared to anything else PS-Engineering makes other than the labels on the "MON" buttons.  In the rest of the PS-Engineering line, those buttons would would be labeled as "DME" and "ADF". 
Seriously that's it, just labels.  Now Avidyne did have PS-Engeering add another co-pilot volume knob, but other than that it's a PS-8000BT, with a reworked user interface.  Now if you get into the guts some items got moved to accommodate the second knob, but it's all PS-8000BT parts.

Yes, check out this new thread:  http://forums.avidyne.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=572&title=ifd540-hardware-mods-primer

I am in the third week of the new panel install and saw this forum here and decided to jump in.  We are completely gutting the panel. The only thing that will stay is the altimeter, airspeed, and attitude indicator and that is only because the SAI 340 is not certified yet.  They will be replaced when it is.  Coming in is:

PS Engineering PMA 450 audio panel
IFD 540
AXP 340 Mode S transponder w/ADS-B out.
Garmin GNC 255 Nav/Com
Aspen 1000 Pro PFD
S-Tec System 30 autopilot
JPI EDM 900 primary engine monitor
ACK E-04 406mhz ELT

They are wiring for the MLB100 data link computer and will install when certified. Hopefully the SAI 340 will be certified by December and will be installed then. Gulf Coast Avionics is doing the install.  I  have two iPads running Foreflight and they will be mounted on RAM Mount balls that will be mounted on the four corners of the panel. I can finally get away from the glass suction mounts. They are wiring a 3.5mm jack on the left side for my iPad and it will connect to the ADF input so that I can get audio alerts from the Foreflight software through the headphones. I am having a 12 volt receptacle mounted in the bottom left and right corners of the panel to power the iPads.  That is also where they are placing the conventional and Lemo plugs for headsets. We are adding two pair of Lightspeed Zulu PFX headsets to round out the upgrade.

Given the equipment list above, is there anything to watch out for or make sure gets done to get the most interoperability from this install? I know that the 406mhz ELT will get GPS data from the IFD 540. The IFD 540 and JPI EDM 900 send data both ways. The IFD 540 sends data to the Aspen.

I read on another thread in this forum that someone was hoping that the IFD 540 would send traffic and weather data to the Aspen. Since Aspen has a product for that and charges for their updates, it seems unlikely to me that this will happen. One can always hope. Since I will already be committed for around $1K a year to Jeppeson for data for the IFD 540 I didn't want to incur any more ongoing expenses so opted to limit my Aspen purchase to the PFD only.  I hope to add another panel to the Aspen soon for redundancy.

It sure would be nice if they certified the MLB100 in the next week and I could get it installed now instead of having to make another 6 hour flight to Lakeland but I think that ship has sailed since we are so close to finishing now.