STEC 60 -2 Nav mode

Folk,

Helping a friend purchase a 1977 PA28R-201 and the one he is looking at has an STEC 60 -2 installed. Unfortunately, the Nav mode is inoperative! The switch between Nav1 / Nav2 is installed, but the owner said that it has no effect and you cannot track any Nav. The altitude hold and direction tracking are functional, and he says it is probably a 'loose wire'!

Anyway, the STEC-60 is factored into the price, and I was wondering if anyone has had a similar experience with an inoperative STEC 60 -2? Should my friend consider the entire unit inoperative and negotiate accordingly? Meanwhile what can he expect to get the problem fixed - assume it isn't a loose wire, how much to refurbish the electronics in these units?

While on the topic, how much is a functioning NONE WAAS Garmin 430 worth on a used aircraft - I have told my friend that it is pretty much worthless and shouldn't be factored into the price!

Thanks,

Claude

Comments

  • Hi Claude,
    First of all, a Non-WAAS GNS-430 is still a very desirable unit and is worth $4-5000 in good working condition on the used market and can be upgraded to a WAAS for about $3200. You'll have a hard time suggesting to the seller that it has no value. The nav interface to the 60-2 is relatively simple. What is the seller saying about the nav interface?
    Is it, in fact connected to to the nav radios? It's a desirable autopilot and again, you can't discount it's value that easily. Certainly, you will have a pre-purchase inspection done prior to purchase and that should include the avionics. An evaluation of the autopilot should identify the issue between the autopilot and nav radios and that repair is a negociating point. Bob Hart www.AvionixHelp.com
  • I have the same unit in mine with a 430W. It will track NAV only when you are directly on the magenta line and the heading bug is set pretty close to the heading. On speaking with an avionics guy, it sounds like the STEC is getting all it's directional info from the heading bug. To get it to fly to the magenta line and track it, GPSS would have to be installed.

    I am by no means an expert but this is what I was told. Hope it helps.
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