I bit the bullet and put a Garmin GTX 345 in it. Did not need the GPS version. The original transponder was nearly 23 years old anyway. Traffic and weather is awesome.

I was not sure that NavWorx and the FAA would ever get together and even if NavWorx would survive the contest. As a result I cancelled my NavWorx order and got a refund.

I went with the FreeFlight 978 XVR. I was able to keep my current Transponder and get the WAAS GPS info from the GNS-430W I installed a few years ago.

FreeFlight purchased Trimble (anyone remember Trimble GPS units) and included some of their know-how into their new systems.

While the interface with a Garmin transponder, and Garmin 430W was not the most straight forward process it got done and I received an all green GARS report on the first flight.

I will have to say FreeFlight's customer support is outstanding. The folks there actually answer their phones and you are talking to the experts.

FreeFlight also participates in the ForeFlight "Connect" program so you can get weather and traffic on an iPad overlaid on the ForeFlight maps once your Foreflight recognizes the optional FreeFlight WiFi device.

Cheers,

Tom

I have scheduled the ADS-B install and reserved my rebate. The online site said my reservation had been made and that I would receive my confirmation soon by email. I never received the email. I sent the FAA help desk an email and they promptly sent me my reservation code but not the email. For those of you that have been through this process already, is there anything in the email that I need other than the code? Maybe someone could pm me their email with any pertinent info?
Thanks in advance!

Confirm code is all you need for now. You'll need it when you go online to request info from validation flight and to finally apply for rebate when you have the green lines on the validation flight.

I got my GAIRS report with all green, Included in the report was my "Incentive Code"

Took that along with my Reservation number and entered both at https://www.faa.gov/nextgen/equipadsb/rebate/

There was a long quiet period and I emailed ADSBRebateHelp@faa.gov and found my check was held up due to the unstated need for the 337 and sales receipt for the ADSB system.

I don't remember seeing either of these items being required but just days after sending in the documents I got notice my rebate was approved.

Series of big hoops and little hoops to jump through.

TD

That's something new. Didn't need it for mine or a friends as recent as Feb. 26.

Guess they decided they couldn't trust us. Perhaps it should be the other way around.

Had the Stratus ESG and Stratus 2S installed in my MT7-235. Couple of disappointments. The equipment was installed, took a test flight, after 30 minutes the transponder said "transmitter failure...reset." Was inside Washington DC SFRA so I advised ATC, turned Southbound to leave airspace ASAP and restarted the transponder. Every 15 seconds, transmitter failure. ATC verified transponder was off.

Shop that did install called Stratus who blamed installation, location of antenna, airplane etc. Shop relocated antenna. My original estimate was $6-7K. Bill was $7,500. Relocating antenna was an extra $500. Test flight, same result after 30 minutes. Back to shop. Shop replaced transponder, updated paperwork (new serial nos. etc.). New transponder worked perfectly. Passed GAIRS on first flight. Stratus told shop they have never seen this before; I'm angry that I spent at least an extra $500 because they were reluctant to take transponder back. I'm no radio expert, but I believe Stratus should have replaced the transponder the first time. $8000 seems like a lot for Stratus ESG plus Stratus 2S. Don't know what else I could do.

When it works (all the time since replacement), it is really good, especially in busy Washington DC airspace.

Martin
N814MG
MT7-235

Thanks for the info!

Sooner or later one is going to fail right out of the box. Disappointed mfg was such a pain about it. These being their first products they have no history.

Would love to know what others are paying for install. How many hours labor did they charge for? Just seems high.

Thanks for the info!

Would love to know what other members have paid for the Stratus install.

Stratus ESG with 2i goes for about $3500. Ten hours at $100 per hour would be a lot of labor to do install and paperwork. If you do IFR cert that is another $250 or so. Where else are the charges coming from?

Don't get me wrong, I love my ESG but I wouldn't for that price.

The $8K I spent did include some small fixes to the static system and the aircraft is IFR for the next two years. I got the impression that the Maule is not a really easy install. I'll find the receipts and let you know how many hours. They did have the airplane for two weeks (including all of the trips to test fly). Then we had 30K crosswinds for almost a week after it was finished.

Martin

That was a lot high on the install price. I had mine done for 2800 for the transponder and new encoder and miscellaneous parts the labor for the install was 12 hours at 60.00. I had alot of other radio work done at the same time and that may have helped on the price a bit. Anyone around NC or SC i would recomeend Shannon Rivers at PeeDee Avonics in Cheraw SC

The quote I got for the ESG and install is about 4K.

I looked at the UAT units, but those would be added weight and would require an extra antenna. I threw up my hands and scheduled the installation of a Garmin GTX 335 mode S transponder with extended squitter but w/o ADS-B in. I already have the in information from a Dual Electronics XGPS170 unit on the glare shield. The WAAS GPS data will come from my Garmin 430, and the new Mode S transponder will use my existing transponder's blade antenna. As a result, the installation is a wash in terms of weight and antenna drag. I got my rebate reservation from the FAA, but I have to wait until 4/24 for installation. There is a pretty long wait time at avionics shops these days. The good news is that somebody at the airport wanted to buy my Garmin GTX 327 Mode C transponder so that cuts my net cost a bit! The installation and new hardware still cost $4,500.