Page 8 - Volume 18 Number 2

Century, Kansas, now a Butler National company. A Garmin G600 panel with synthetic vision went into the left side of the cockpit, supported by twin GNS430W’s, dual GTX330 transponders, and an S-TEC System 55X flight control system. The Bendix weather radar, King radar altimeter and WX10 Stormscope were retained. A pair of AuRACLE engine monitor displays replaced the old analog power gauges, but the earlierdigital JPI rpm and mp readouts were retained atop the glareshield, where they are in full view on the takeoff roll. A set of round flight instruments remain on the right side of the panel, backing up the backup gauges at the extreme left. A traditional turn-and-bank is still in the panel, simply to support the yaw damper. “What, no ADF?”, I teased. “No, but I can listen to the ball game on XM radio,” Stanley retorted.Once the new panel was complete, it was time for the interior and paint to be updated. Elliot Aviation’s Moline, Illinois completion center designed a flowing exterior scheme that was accented by a custom hot- rod-based chrome-illusion stripe, which changes color with different viewing angles. New deicer boots were installed with the paint job. Custom cabinetry in the interior includes a foldout worktable for the CEO’s chair and new refreshment and storage units. A Conquest-style two-seat couch is on the left side of the cabin, a belted toilet is in the rear and controllable-tint cabin windows automatically darken when the aircraft is parked.Cork sidewalls add sound deadening and suede-like nubuck leather seating is used throughout; the latter is an “aircraft maintainer’s challenge” to keep looking good,6 • TWIN & TURBINEFEBRUARY 2014