I'm Back!!!!
After over ten years of looking up and wishing I was flying again, I'm back in the left seat again!
I purchased my second 58P Baron, completed the BPT School in Tulsa and I will be a building hours with a safety pilot in the right seat for several months.
The biggest change sent getting back in the left seat is the nagvigational improvements over the last ten years, my new to me 58P, has an old panel and the decision as to what is needed and what is wanted will cost thousands of dollars.
I have installed an EX500 to connect to a KLN 90B and purchased an ipad with on broad weather.
I have decided to make my next purchase a JPI 960 fuel management system and would like to know if any of my 58P Brothers can share their experience with me before I jump in the water?
Thanks in advance!!!!
Roy
N4269S / TJ-96

Welcome back Roy! I came back after being away 17 years, and also to a 58P. It's a great way to come back.

Re the engine monitor, I have the 760 mounted in a new panel (1985) 58P. I like the fact that it only takes up a 3" hole. That 960 looks like it takes a lot of space. And it costs a bunch. I would put the money saved on the 960 vs 760 on updated Nav, weather and stuff like that. But if all your engine gauges need work, then maybe it is worth it.

I put a JPI 960 into my 58P when I upgraded the panel. Paul is correct in that it is pricey and your dollars may well be better spent in other areas. That being said, I'm really happy with the JPI EDM 960. This, with GAMI's, allows safe LOP flying where my cruise fuel flow for 200 KTAS went from 19 gph/eng to 14.8 gph/eng.

If you get a 960, there are some things you may want to consider:

1. How are you going to track engine/airframe time? The JPI EDM 960 has its own Hobbs meter built in (electronically). If you want your time on your current mechanical Hobbs meter transferred to the JPI, you need to tell JPI that when you order the unit and they will code the JPI with that time. Otherwise, you will need to pull out your installed JPI and send it back to them to encode the time - either that or be stuck with a starting value of 0.0 hours. I decided to avoid the whole issue and chose to use my mechanical Hobbs meter as my master time keeper for my engines/airplane.

2. You will need to decide which legacy analog gauges to dispense with. I got rid of all my analog gauges, except for the Prop Amps, de-ice pressure, and the red dots.

3. The fuel quantity calibration is extremely important and the installation manual for the JPI doesn't give it enough weight or guidance. My install shop did it the first time, and used four data points. As you know, however, the analogue gauges are not linear on the 58P, so the tanks will read FULL until about 20 gallons is burned from each tank. Consequently, my fuel quantity readings on my JPI were off by as much as 15 gallons per tank. Subsequently, I paid my shop to redo the calibration, this time using about 30 data points for each tank. This resulted in very accurate quantity indications.

Bottom line, I'm happy with my JPI 960. Just my thoughts.

Doug