Warning: That avionics panel you think will take 2 hours might take 8

I finally broke down and replaced the old autopilot controller in a 172 last week. Figured it'd be a quick swap, maybe 3 hours tops. But the wiring bundle was a total rat's nest from three previous owners and I spent 5 hours just chasing down a bad ground that wasn't in the manual. Has anyone else had a simple panel job totally blow up on them like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

jake_kelly2410d ago

Man that's just how it goes with anything that's been messed with before. It's like when you try to fix a leaky faucet and realize the last guy used the wrong pipe size. The real time sink is always the stuff you can't see until you start digging.

hayden_rodriguez10d ago

Hold on though, I gotta push back a little. Half the time when someone says "the last guy messed it up" it's just an excuse to make the job sound harder than it is. Maybe the original install was fine and you just don't want to admit you're in over your head. Not every hidden surprise is sabotage, sometimes it's just normal wear and tear or someone making a reasonable choice twenty years ago. You act like every prior owner is out to get you but most people are just trying to fix things the best they can with what they got. Why assume the worst instead of just solving the problem in front of you?