How Avionics Shops Can Maximize the Value of Used Avionics

Every avionics shop has them.

A shelf, cabinet or storage room filled with equipment removed during upgrades. Some of it came out last week. Some of it has been sitting there for years. Some units have detailed paperwork attached, while others have a piece of masking tape that says, “INOP”

Used avionics can represent tens of thousands—or even hundreds of thousands—of dollars in recoverable value for your shop or your customers. But that value can disappear surprisingly quickly.

At Skyman Avionics, we deal with used avionics every day. Here are some of the biggest things shops can do to protect their equipment, increase buyer confidence and ultimately get more money out of their used inventory.

1. Traceability Adds Value

When it comes to used avionics, history matters.

A unit with a known aircraft, removal date, reason for removal and operating condition is considerably easier to evaluate and market than an identical unit sitting loose on a shelf with no information.

When equipment is removed, record as much information as reasonably possible:

Aircraft make and model

Tail number or other traceability information

Date removed

Reason for removal

Condition at removal

Any known discrepancies

Relevant work-order or maintenance information

This doesn't mean every used radio needs a binder full of paperwork. Even a simple removal tag can preserve information that may become impossible to recover six months later.

The key is to document it while the information is still available.

Example of traceability tag

2. Clearly Mark the Condition of Every Unit

One of the easiest ways to protect the value of used avionics is also one of the simplest: label it.

When a unit comes out of an airplane, don't put it on the shelf and assume everyone will remember its condition.

Mark it immediately.

Was it fully operational?

Was the display getting dim?

Did one knob occasionally skip?

Was the unit intermittent?

Did it fail completely?

Was it removed strictly because of an upgrade?

There is a huge difference between:

“Removed working during panel upgrade.”

and:

“Unknown condition.”

There is an even bigger difference between both of those and a unit that had a known problem that was never documented.

Known issues don't necessarily make equipment worthless. In fact, accurately documenting a problem can make a unit easier to sell because the buyer knows exactly what they're purchasing.

What destroys confidence is uncertainty.

3. Handle Used Equipment Like It Still Has Value

A $3,000 piece of avionics shouldn't become a $500 piece of avionics because it spent six months bouncing around the bottom of a cardboard box.

Once equipment is removed, protect it.

Install connector covers when available. Protect exposed pins. Avoid stacking heavy equipment on displays, knobs, connectors or bezels. Keep units somewhere dry and reasonably clean.

This is especially important with displays and equipment with exposed connectors.

Cosmetic condition matters in the used market, too. Buyers will generally pay more for equipment that looks like it was professionally removed and cared for.

A unit may technically work perfectly, but scratched screens, bent knobs, damaged connectors or missing hardware can significantly affect its resale value.

4. Shipping Matters More Than You Think

We've seen expensive avionics shipped in ways that would make any avionics technician nervous.

A few pieces of loose bubble wrap inside an oversized box aren't enough.

Avionics should be packaged so the unit cannot move inside the box. Protect displays, knobs, connectors and other protruding components. Use adequate padding on every side of the equipment and a strong box appropriate for its weight.

For particularly valuable equipment, double-boxing is inexpensive insurance.

Also remember that accessories need protection. Connector kits, racks, backplates, configuration modules, and other components shouldn't be allowed to bounce against the main unit during shipment.

Good packaging doesn't increase the value of a unit but bad packaging can destroy it in one trip across the country.

That said, don't let shipping scare you out of selling your avionics. We ship thousands of avionics every year and have had very little issues with items being damaged when packaged correctly.

5. Don't Let Equipment Sit Until It's Worthless

This may be the biggest mistake we see.

Avionics are technology - and technology depreciates.

A unit worth $4,000 today may be worth $2,500 a couple of years from now. Eventually, manufacturer support may disappear, replacement products may enter the market or demand may simply dry up.

Meanwhile, that equipment is sitting on a shelf generating exactly $0.

If an aircraft owner doesn't have a reason to keep removed equipment as a spare, there is usually little advantage to waiting years to sell it.

When a major panel upgrade is completed, consider making disposition of the removed equipment part of the process.

Remove it. Document it. Sell it.

Turning unused equipment into cash today is often better than discovering several years later that the market has moved on.

6. Don't Throw Away the Accessories

Sometimes the small pieces are worth more than people realize.

When removing equipment, keep track of:

Installation racks

Backplates

Connectors

Connector shells

Configuration modules

Mounting hardware

Antennas

Manuals or paperwork

Remote components

Sensors and associated modules

Whenever possible, keep related components together and/or clearly identify what belongs to which unit.

A complete package is generally easier to sell than a bare unit and some seemingly insignificant components can be expensive or difficult for the next installer to source. Did you know that a new configuration module for a Garmin GTN 750 is around $500? An Aspen Pro Max configuration module? Around $2500. Those forgotten items can quickly eat into the value of a used system.

7. Provide Enough Information When Selling

If your shop decides to sell equipment directly, don't make buyers drag basic information out of you.

At minimum, provide the manufacturer, model, part number, serial number, condition, known issues, reason for removal and what's included.

Good photographs matter as well.

Show the front, rear, data tag, connectors and any cosmetic damage. If the unit powers up and you're representing it that way, a clear powered-on photo can also be helpful.

The objective isn't to write a novel about every radio.

It's to answer the questions a knowledgeable buyer is going to ask anyway.

Better information builds confidence, reduces repetitive questions, and helps prevent misunderstandings after the sale. Include a way for buyers to contact you for additional questions and be ready to respond in a reasonable timeframe or else they'll likely move on to the next seller.

8. Consider Whether Selling It Yourself Is Actually Worth It

Selling used avionics sounds simple until someone has to do it.

Equipment needs to be identified, researched, photographed, listed, priced, advertised, stored, packaged, and shipped.

Then come the emails:

What's your lowest price?

Will this work in my airplane?

Does it include the rack?

Can you send me a picture of the data tag?

Will you take half your asking price?

For shops focused on installations and maintenance, the employee time spent managing used equipment can quickly eat into the additional margin gained by selling it yourself.

That's where a third-party avionics reseller or consignment company can make sense.

At Skyman Avionics, we work with shops and aircraft owners to handle the sales process for used avionics. Instead of letting removed equipment pile up, or tying up shop employees selling it one piece at a time, equipment can be turned over to a company already set up to identify, market, sell, ship and support used avionics.

For many shops, the question isn't simply, “Can we sell this ourselves?”

It's:

“Is selling this ourselves the best use of our shop's time?”

Make Used Avionics Part of Your Upgrade Process

Used avionics shouldn't be an afterthought.

When equipment comes out of an aircraft, have a process:

Identify it.

Document its history and condition.

Keep all associated components together.

Protect it from damage.

Decide who is going to sell it.

Get it to market while it still has value.

A few minutes of attention when equipment is removed can make a significant difference in what that equipment is worth later.

And if your shelves are already full of radios, displays, transponders, navigators, indicators and miscellaneous avionics that you've been meaning to deal with?

There's a good chance you're not looking at a shelf full of old equipment.

You're looking at money that's been sitting on a shelf.

Have Used Avionics Taking Up Space?

Skyman Avionics works with avionics shops, installers, aircraft owners and other aviation businesses to turn used avionics into cash without adding another sales job to your workload.

Whether it's a few units from a panel upgrade or a larger collection of equipment that's accumulated over time, we can help determine what you have, what it's worth and the best way to get it sold.

Spend your time installing avionics. Let us handle selling the old ones.

Have a Large Amount of Equipment? We May Come to You...

For shops with a significant amount of used avionics to move, Skyman Avionics can also offer on-site travel services. If the inventory and potential value justify the trip, we'll travel to your facility to help evaluate, organize and offload the equipment directly. This can be especially useful for shops with years of accumulated inventory, large upgrade projects, business transitions or simply more equipment than is practical to box and ship. Send us an overview of what you have and we can determine whether an on-site visit makes sense.

Questions? Shoot us an email at info@skymanavionics.com or call us at 541-604-9573

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"If you have consigned avionics or removed avionics that you have been sitting on for years, contact Skyman Avionics. You will not be disappointed. Skylar made a trip to our shop, made detailed lists of the equipment he was interested in, boxed it up carefully, labeled and contacted the shipping company for pick up. Within a couple of weeks, we received our first check. Not only are we benefitting but so are our customers that have consigned equipment with us. Most of this equipment was not sellable for us. We listed on multiple sites and really had very little luck selling. That is not the case with Skyman Avionics. Skylar and Kelsey are amazing people to work with. Very professional and very organized. You will not be disappointed."

Aerotronics, Verified Seller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"I didn’t have the time or patience to list all of our removed equipment online and babysit it. Working with Skyman Avionics has been a wonderful business decision. Gone are the days of me sitting on equipment until it has lost all value. Skylar is so easy to work with and the process flows very smoothly. Communication is top notch. I would absolutely recommend this company to anyone. "

Muncie Aviation Company, Verified Seller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐