Upgrading Your Skyhawk’s Engine? Why Not Also Upgrade its Panel?

Air Plains Services— a Kansas-based, FAA approved Certified Repair Station and supplier of aircraft modifications—is now offering an advanced instrument panel kit—the 172XPa—developed specifically for Cessna 172 owners planning to upgrade their aircraft with the company’s 180HP STC. The kit can also be retrofitted into 172s already upgraded with the aforementioned STC. 

The new avionics panel, like the engine upgrade, can be installed by Air Plains at its Kansas facility or shipped as a complete kit for local installation.

The 172XPa Instrument Panel Kit arrives wired, interfaced, plumbed (pitot-static), and configured for the Air Plains 172XP 180HP engine upgrades STC SA4428SW and STC SA2196CE—if applicable.

Air Plains tests the panel for instrumentation, powder-coats and laser engraves it, and drills pilot-holes for final fitment and installation.

The customer’s installer finishes the remaining installation items in the aircraft, including: antenna, magnetometer, coax-cabling, mic/phone jacks, radio & transponder rack, leveling, and return to service.

The 172XPa Advanced Instrument Panel Kit includes:

• Avidyne IFD540 GPS/Nav/Com*
• Avidyne AMX240 Bluetooth Audio Panel w/ 4 place Intercom
• Dual Dynon HDX 10” PFD & 7” MFD
• Dynon EFIS-D10A Backup Flight Instrument
• Dynon ADS-B In Traffic and Weather
• Dynon Mode S Transponder with 2020-Compliant ADS-B Out
• Dynon Com Radio
• Dynon Autopilot
• Dynon Engine Monitoring
• Air Plains Custom Pilot & Copilot Instrument Panels

* IFD540 may be substituted for IFD440 or IFD550.

Flight schools seeking to take advantage of the increased performance of the 180HP engine will realize added value with the 172XPa advanced instrument panel kit insomuch as it meets the FAA FAR 61.129(j) requirements for a Technically Advanced Aircraft (TAA)—thereby satisfying the training and check-ride requirements of students pursuing commercial pilot certification.

Katie Church, president of Air Plains states: “Over our 45-years in business, we’ve sold more than 2,500 180HP engine upgrades to customers worldwide, making it one of the most popular engine upgrades around. And with our new 172XPa Advanced Instrument Panel Kit, it just got better.”

FMI: www.airplains.com