Homebuilts & Avionics Shops
I'm working on a magazine article that seeks the reasons why most avionics shops do not actively sellf goods and services to homebuilders. I'm looking for your experiences, good or bad, and what good and services you'd like to get from your local avionics shops. When replying, please include the airplane you're building, of have built, and where you live. I won't be sourcing anyone by name; instead I'll quote a buildiner working on an RV (or what have you) in Idaho.
Thanks for your help!
Scott Spangler
Experimental Avionics Shops
There seems to be 2 types of shops, those who don't get experimentals and don't want anything to do with them, and those who realize the great potential there is in amateur built airplanes and go after it.
The local shop at Chino (KCNO) Airport works on certified and experimentals with equal enthusiams and seems to do a pretty good job. My personal favorite is Aerotronics Inc. out of Billings, MT. They have helped me with all 3 of the planes I have built and will do pre-wired harnesses or complete panels for experimental builders. There is a lot of business there. I can't imagine why some shops would want to turn their backs on it.
Kings Avionics, IXD airport in Kansas---never a problem.
They do the transponder checks on my RV-6---even sold me the Air Gizmo 496 dock I installed in the panel. Great people to deal with.