TailbeaconX and AV-30

Go to Home Depot an get an electric wire puller... I use one to pull my wires from the rear to the cockpit.

When the previous owner flew my plane down from New Hampshire to Ocean City, NJ, he had to snake his way around since there was no transponder or ADSB. I plan to fly from my home outside of Philadelphia to my summer place in Ocean City which unfortunately has PHL, Northeast Philly, Atlantic City, NJ and Trenton Mercer airports all in between. There is a corridor I can slide through, but not worth it. Last thing I wanted to do was spend $5k but it’s the right thing to do. If you have a working transponder, then the TailBeacon alone is only around $2,000.

My problem was I needed transponder and ADSB and my vacuum system is toast. So this combination of instruments handles it all for me. And I lose a good 10+ lbs by removing vacuum ones.

I've been trying to decide if I actually need a transponder/encoder/ADSB out.  My airplane is hangared outside the Twin Cities Mode C veil.  I can circle around it to visit friends and family. The only time I might need ADSB is if I fly to Fort Myers, Florida to visit in-laws.  Looks to be a narrow gap between Orlando's Mode C and Tampa's Mode C, above the 1,600 ceiling of Bartow Executive's Class D airspace, where a guy could fly the Coupe without any electronics or permissions at all.  Am I reading that right?  If so, maybe I'll put a few thousand into gas instead of avionics.  What's the consensus?   

 

I will be sure to update this thread. It's a great combination of products for those without transponders. And pricing is reasonable.

Greg, please share what you learn about TailbeaconX - AV30 installation cost.  I bought an Ercoupe over the weekend and mine doesn't have a transponder either (I do have a tail light and it does work).