Page 32 - March 20 TNT

Garmin’s G5000 integrated flight deck upgrade, available on the entire XL series, received FAA STC approval in mid-2019.
cost of operation, while also solving a broad range of global airspace mod- ernization initiatives and on-going maintenance challenges.” I tend to agree with them. In my opinion, this upgrade is going to revitalize the fleet, extending the life of this reliable and versatile mid-size cabin workhorse for many years
While different maintenance fa- cilities offering the STC upgrade are quoting installation costs anywhere in the high $400,000 to mid-$500,000 range, be sure to read the fine print and get a quote for your specific air- plane. There are also many addition- al options you can include as part of the upgrade, including Flight Stream 510, SurfaceWatch, synthetic vision, underspeed protection, FANS com- pliance and ChartView. Want to save a few extra dollars? Find an aircraft that already has ADS-B installed using the Garmin GTX 3000 smart transponder STC and the shop will likely give you a credit towards your G5000 installation.
What Should You Do
Well, I’m actually really good at spending other people’s money. In fact, it’s what I do for a living, and that’s why my longtime clients keep coming back. I treat their money like it’s my money, and I’m always looking for what’s going to maximize their return. So, here’s my opinion, but keep in mind, it’s just an opinion.
ALL Excels and XLSs have a lot of life left in them, even those with high time. Consider for a moment the average person doesn’t ask (or care) how much time is on an air- frame when they climb aboard for a flight. What they DO care about is the aesthetics, creature comforts (like WiFi) and age of the airplane. This is especially true for airplanes used for charter. Furthermore, you can typically buy a higher-time air- frame for much less than a normal or low-time aircraft.
So, then the question becomes one of resale value. How much value
30 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2020 Jet Journal