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Reply-To: "Kirk Hammersmith" <kirkh@lancair.com>
Reply-To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
From: "Kirk Hammersmith" <kirkh@lancair.com>
To: <lancair.list@olsusa.com>
References: <ff.37e7c87.27dd36b2@aol.com>
Subject: Re: Garmin 530 boycott
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 07:37:01 -0800
Organization: Lancair Avionics, Inc.
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> In a message dated 3/10/01 10:28:57 PM, Curtis Krouse wrote:
>
> <<if ... an approved avionics shop ... is not allowed to act as an
> inspector to approve your work, then I would find another system to
> spend my hard earned money on.  That sounds a little too arrogant and
> presumptuous to me and I'd rather not support a company that goes along
> with that kind of policy.>>
>
> I would think that having an "approved shop" approve your work would go a
> long way towards avoiding the problems that the manufacturer is afraid of,
to
> wit, the installed box doesn't work but when you send it back to the
factory
> it checks out okay.  Brent Regan had a very nice discussion of this a
couple
> of years ago in this forum.  So yes, I'd agree with Curtis that this
approach
> should work out.  Don't know if you can find an avionics shop willing to
> support this approach.  (I won't put Kirk Hammersmith on the hot seat and
ask
> him in this forum....)
>
> It would be interesting to contemplate a Garmin boycott.  The problem is,
> they make far-and-away the best unit on the market.  I'd almost sell my
soul
> to get one.  (The main reasons I haven't are that nobody wants to buy it
and
> it's not worth enough anyway.....though I have been offered a used
ADF....)
>
> - Rob Wolf

***  I wasn't going to touch this one with a 10' pole...then I saw my name.
I guess I have to address this situation to the list.

IMHO, Garmin is not acting arrogantly by stipulating it's "installed by an
approved shop" policy.  I think this has been implemented by most high-end
avionics manufacturers to avoid runaway warranty costs/claims as well as an
increased level of performance/reliability from their product knowing that
the companies authorized to purchase Garmin abide by their installation
guidelines and have the proper training to not only install the unit, but
test it properly as well.  It is a fact that all Garmin dealers in the US
(including us at LAI) enter into a "dealer agreement" which prohibits the
sale of some Garmin products over-the-counter.  It MUST be installed by an
authorized dealer or the selling agent risks losing the Garmin line-up
entirely.

If someone wanted to wire their Garmin radio stack under the supervision of
the shop that sold it to him/her, I don't think there would be a problem.
The situation which Garmin undoubtedly wants to avoid has been taken care of
with the fact that when the radio leaves the shop, it has been tested and
works as intended.

As a note to those interested in by-passing such efforts & labor costs, you
can still purchase UPS/Apollo without installation...for the time being at
least.  I expect they will change too.

Happy Flying!

Kirk Hammersmith
Lancair Avionics, Inc.
541.923.2244

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