Piper Aerostar

This customer’s photos (click for larger image window):

Piper PA-60-602P Aerostar
N83WD
Owner: Arthur Gartland

About Me

I bought N83WD in May 1995 primarily to commute in it between NYC, where I have worked for the past 36 years, and Savannah, GA, where my wife and I decided to make our home in 1995. Since then, I have flown N83WD over 3,100 hours in all sorts of weather and have equipped it with the best avionics available at the time to ensure that instrument flying could be done safely. Every one of those hours has been a joy (except for the expense, of course). My background included seven years flying various jets in the USMC (1968-1975/just over 1,400 hours total in primarily A-4E and A-6A, the first truly all-weather attack aircraft) so I have always had an appreciation for great instrument systems.

My Panel (Before and After)

The “solid-state” revolution that has occurred with avionics in the last 20 years continues to delight and amaze me, with the EFD1000 Pro upgraded to include SV being the most recent example. It is an amazing piece of equipment, especially for the price. Coupled with my other avionics, the EFD1000 Pro is just amazing. The “magic” Aspen’s digital/analog adapter (EA100) does for legacy autopilots like my KFC200 is wonderful. N83WD now flies coupled LPV approaches (including 90 degree turns) as if it were on rails.

My Aspen Experience

I should perhaps note that my current unit is actually my third EFD1000 - the first two suffered from “developmental growing pains”, but Aspen’s and Ken Gleason’s (Precision Avionics - KPOU) combined customer support was fantastic with all problems resolved quickly.