High-level fleet and regulatory fit

• To confirm operational fit, which aircraft types and approximate fleet count are you evaluating?
• Is a regulatory mandate or airworthiness deadline driving this upgrade? Options: Yes — regulatory deadline (please specify below), Yes — operational driver only, No, Unsure
• What is the maximum acceptable installation downtime per aircraft? Options: Under 8 hours, 8 to 24 hours, 1 to 3 days, More than 3 days, Unsure

Budget

• Is there an allocated budget range per aircraft for avionics upgrades? Options: Under $50,000, $50,000 to $150,000, $150,000 to $350,000, Over $350,000, No budget allocated yet

Decision authority

• Who will approve a purchase like this and who will influence the decision? Options: Chief Pilot, Director of Avionics or Engineering, Head of Maintenance/MRO, Head of Finance, Fleet or Operations Manager, Other (please specify below)

Timeline

• What is your target go live date or the deadline that would make a discovery urgent? Options: Within 3 months, 3 to 6 months, 6 to 12 months, 12+ months, No firm date / exploratory
• Would you be open to a focused discovery meeting to validate installation windows, measurable success criteria, and a high-level commercial range? Options: Yes, please schedule discovery, Maybe, need internal alignment first, Not at this time

Starting Point: Your Fleet and Mission Snapshot

• Tell me about the aircraft types in your fleet and the mission profiles you run most weeks.
• How many aircraft are in scope for this retrofit evaluation, and how many more do you expect to include over the next 36 months? Options: 1-3, 4-10, 11-25, 26-50, 51+
• Which models in the fleet currently have the oldest cockpit displays or navigation equipment? Options: Narrowbody transport, Regional turboprop, Business jet, Fractional jet, Mixed types
• Describe your typical maintenance window you can allocate for a retrofit, expressed in hours of downtime per aircraft. Options: <24 hours, 24-48 hours, 48-72 hours, 72-120 hours, >120 hours
• Who on your team currently owns total cost of ownership modeling for avionics decisions? Options: Chief Pilot / Flight Ops, Director of Engineering, Maintenance Lead / MRO, Head of Fleet Technology, Finance / Procurement
• Has leadership provided a target budget range for avionics upgrades this fiscal year? Options: Yes, a firm range, A loose target range, No specific budget yet, Budget pending executive approval

Where Day-to-Day Friction Actually Shows Up

• When an avionics issue delays operations, what single failure or limitation typically causes the largest operational cost or schedule impact?
• How often do unscheduled avionics-related AOG events occur per quarter at your operation? Options: None, 1-2, 3-5, 6-10, 10+
• Walk me through the last time a display or navigation fault required an out-of-sequence maintenance action, who made the recovery decision, and what the ripple effects were.
• Which operational limit, for example minimum equipment list items or maintenance slot availability, creates the biggest installation scheduling bottleneck for you? Options: MEL constraints, Line maintenance capacity, Base maintenance availability, Parts lead time, Crew scheduling
• What downstream processes break when pilot retraining slips beyond the planned timeline? Options: Flight crew currency, Route availability, Dispatch reliability, Insurance or regulatory reporting, Other
• If addressing these frictions required additional downtime beyond current slots, how likely would you be to reallocate other maintenance to make room? Options: Very likely, Somewhat likely, Unsure, Unlikely

Regulatory and Safety Triggers That Matter

• If a regulator required a new surveillance or navigation capability inside 18 months, which aircraft would you restrict or ground until upgrades are complete?
• How many active regulatory exposures are you tracking today, and which have the shortest compliance windows? Options: None, 1-2, 3-5, 6+
• Who owns the regulatory approval and STC interaction process, and what are their main concerns about approval timelines?
• Describe any prior program where an STC or airworthiness approval took longer than planned, and what specific causes led to the delay.
• What acceptance criteria does your compliance or safety team require before allowing an aircraft back to revenue service after a modification? Options: Full flight test and logbook entry, Operational check flights only, Formal STC and paperwork, Pilot acceptance and training completion, Other
• How would a missed regulatory milestone affect your decision to proceed with a vendor selection today? Options: Stop the program, Delay until resolved, Proceed with contingency plan, Depends on cost and schedule impact

The Other Options You're Actively Weighing

• Name the conditions under which you would decide to keep your current avionics approach instead of selecting an external retrofit partner.
• List the retrofit approaches, internal projects, or external vendors you are evaluating today. Options: OEM forward-fit path, Aftermarket STC supplier, In-house upgrade, MRO-led retrofit, No active alternative
• Has anyone on your team proposed solving the upgrade internally, and what skills, approvals, or tooling would that require? Options: Yes, engineering lead proposed, Yes, maintenance proposed, No internal plan, Under discussion
• Identify one operational metric that, if unchanged by this program, would justify staying with the incumbent approach. Options: Dispatch reliability, Cost per flight hour, Fleet availability, Pilot training hours, Other
• Estimate the number of operator reference visits or simulator sessions you expect before shortlisting a supplier. Options: 0, 1, 2-3, 4-6, 7+
• How much weight do reference operator visits and simulator validation carry in your decision compared with price or schedule? Options: Reference visits most important, Simulator validation most important, Price most important, Schedule most important, Even weighting

Installation Realities and Hidden Blockers

• Name the single integration dependency that, if unavailable on schedule, would force you to pause the program.
• Do you have access to avionics interface control drawings, wiring diagrams, and software interface specifications for the aircraft in scope? Options: All available and up to date, Partially available, Limited or outdated, Not available
• Please identify the role that currently owns the interface control drawings and whether they can commit time to weekly integration meetings. Options: Engineering lead can commit, MRO contact can commit, No dedicated owner, Owner needs approval
• How clean and accessible are your navigation logs, flight data recorder extracts, and avionics fault reports for validation testing? Options: Clean and ready, Partially usable, Require significant cleanup, Not available
• Are there existing vendor agreements, parts approvals, or STC restrictions that limit which suppliers can perform work on your aircraft? Options: Yes, specific restrictions, Some contractual limits, No restrictions known, Unknown
• Identify the operational constraint that would prevent scheduling extended maintenance windows when an installation needs longer than average. Options: Crew availability, Route or seasonality, Base maintenance capacity, Regulatory limits, Other

Numbers That Decide This, Not Feelings

• Point to the one financial metric that, when improved by this retrofit, would get your finance team to approve the project this quarter.
• How do you currently model pilot retraining costs and how many simulator hours per pilot does your baseline assume? Options: 0-4 hours, 5-8 hours, 9-16 hours, 17+ hours
• Estimate the total lifecycle cost you allocate per primary display over a 15-year period today. Options: <$10k, $10k-$25k, $25k-$50k, $50k-$100k, >$100k
• List the cost categories your finance team views as non-negotiable, for example downtime, spares pool size, or warranty terms. Options: Downtime costs, Spares pool funding, Warranty length, AOG support level, Installation labor rates
• State the maximum acceptable installation downtime per aircraft before the procurement plan is reconsidered. Options: <24 hours, 24-48 hours, 48-72 hours, >72 hours
• Would you still proceed if warranty terms were shorter but the initial price was significantly lower? Options: Yes, Maybe with spares plan, No

Who Signs, Who Delays, and What They Need

• Please list the leader who can veto this project with a single objection, and describe the objection that would trigger a veto.
• How long does your procurement cycle typically take from final technical sign-off to contract signature? Options: <2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 1-2 months, 2-4 months, >4 months
• Provide the committees or stakeholder groups that require a technical validation or ROI case, and state their typical decision timelines.
• Specify the core documentation the approval body requires to sign off on an STC or purchase, for example flight test reports, maintenance instructions, or cost models. Options: Flight test reports, Maintenance and installation instructions, Cost and ROI model, Pilot training plan, All of the above
• Can procurement approvals be completed within 30 days after a successful flight validation, based on your current internal timelines? Options: Yes, Possibly with expedited review, No, unlikely
• Please name the role responsible for post-installation acceptance testing and signing the final go or no-go for returning aircraft to revenue service. Options: Chief Pilot, Director of Engineering, Maintenance Authority, Safety Manager, Other

Agreement-Ready Obstacles and Next Steps

• Point to the internal obstacle that would still stop you from signing this quarter, even if technical and financial targets are met.
• Provide the legal, export, or corporate risk reviews required and their typical review timelines.
• Are there export, ITAR, or national security approvals that could add latency to delivery for any aircraft in scope? Options: Yes, some aircraft affected, Yes, program-wide impact, No known approvals required, Unknown
• State the minimum warranty period and the AOG support level your operations team requires to accept a vendor's proposal. Options: 12 months, business hours support, 24 months, 24/7 AOG with 48 hour response, 36 months, 24/7 AOG with 24 hour response, Custom agreement required
• Explain the fallback plan and who activates it if a key approval or integration milestone fails to clear.
• Realistically, what is the earliest practical date you could commit to starting a pilot installation if the technical validation passes? Options: Immediate, Within 1 month, 1-3 months, 3-6 months, Later than 6 months

• Solution Experience Session

• Confirm the current state and its cost
• You confirm that the demonstrated pilot workflow eliminates the manual workarounds and meaningfully reduces pilot workload.
• The buyer to provide a prioritized list of three fleet-specific missions or routes to validate in the simulator, including typical crew profiles and any regulatory checkpoints.
• You agree that the presented installation timeline fits your maintenance windows and that the captured acceptance criteria are sufficient for operational sign-off.
• Map priority fleet scenarios and regulatory outcomes
• The seller to deliver a tailored simulator scenario run and the scenario performance log for the demonstrated mission within 5 business days.
• Simulated pilot workflow walkthrough
• You identify the remaining evidence required before technical validation, and commit to the next validation activities and owners.
• The seller to draft a preliminary installation timeline aligned to the provided maintenance windows and include estimated aircraft downtime per configuration.
• Installation, timeline, and acceptance criteria validation
• The buyer to confirm the internal attendees required for technical validation (operations, training, engineering, finance) and their availability for the follow-up workshop.
• Reference evidence and gaps
• The seller to prepare a concise acceptance-criteria checklist template for regulatory and operational sign-off to be completed during Technical Validation.
• Confirm this matches your needs
• Agree next steps and owners

• Solution Experience Session
• Solution Experience Deck
• Solution Brief

• meeting
• slides
• document

• desired_state
• current_state
• stakeholders
• gaps
• success_criteria
• decision_readiness
• desired_state
• decision_readiness
• current_state
• success_criteria
• gaps
• stakeholders
• desired_state
• success_criteria
• stakeholders
• gaps
• current_state
• decision_readiness
• decision_readiness
• decision_readiness
• decision_readiness
• decision_readiness

• Install Primary Flight Displays
• Install Multifunction Displays
• Install Flight Management System
• Install GPS/SBAS Navigation Receiver
• Install Data-Link Communications Unit
• Install Traffic and Terrain Awareness System
• Install Weather Radar and Integration
• STC-Certified Retrofit Kit Delivery and Installation
• Forward-Fit Avionics Integration Package
• Pilot Interface Software Configuration and Customization
• Pilot Transition Training and Simulation Sessions
• Provide Spares Pool and Exchange Program
• 24/7 AOG Field Support and Dispatch
• Worldwide Authorized Repair Station Support

Install Primary Flight Displays

• How many aircraft require primary flight display (PFD) replacement or retrofit and which serial number ranges are included?
• Specify the maximum aircraft downtime (hours) you can allocate per PFD installation event including pre- and post-flight checks Options: Under 4 hours, 4-8 hours, 8-24 hours, More than 24 hours
• Which cockpit electrical and data buses must the new PFD interface with (select all that apply) and indicate primary channels Options: ARINC 429, ARINC 664 / AFDX (Ethernet), Discrete I/O, Analogue pitot/static, Other
• Identify any instrument panel cutout or bezel constraints (panel depth in mm, glare shield clearance, backup instrument relocations) that affect PFD fit
• Estimate the additional instrument-panel electrical load and cooling requirements the PFD will introduce (watts and airflow if known)
• Who in your organization will complete the logbook or maintenance release sign-off after PFD installation (your maintenance authority, authorized repair station, or other)? Options: Your maintenance org, Authorized repair station, Third-party MRO, TBD

Install Multifunction Displays

• How many multifunction displays (MFDs) per cockpit are you specifying and do you require a common bezel layout with the PFDs? Options: 1 MFD, 2 MFDs, 3+ MFDs, Require common bezel, Do not require common bezel
• List the navigation, terrain, traffic, and weather feeds the MFD must display (e.g., FMS route, TAWS terrain, traffic target list, enhanced weather overlay)
• Indicate required interface protocols for MFD integration (examples: ARINC 429 label list, Ethernet message sets, video input standards) Options: ARINC 429 label mapping, Ethernet / A664 message sets, Mil-STD-1553, Video input (LVDS/SDI), Other
• Provide any human factors constraints for MFD placement (required pilot sightlines, control reach, or tactile bezel controls)
• Estimate whether cockpit harness modifications are needed for MFD cabling and whether existing wire bundles will be reused or replaced Options: Reuse existing harness, Partial harness replacement, Full harness replacement, Unknown
• Are there any certification or maintenance task card impacts you expect from MFD installation (additional daily checks, new MEL entries, or inspection intervals)? Options: Yes, No

Install Flight Management System

• Which FMS functions must be supported out of the box (RNAV/RNP, SID/STAR VNAV procedures, performance takeoff, required navigation performance) and which are optional? Options: RNAV/RNP, SID/STAR VNAV, VNAV performance, FMS LNAV only, Other
• Identify required data interfaces between the FMS and other avionics (e.g., GPS position, IRS/ADIRU, cockpit displays, FMS-to-FMS data link)
• Specify your preferred navigation database cycle and provider type for FMS database updates (e.g., 28-day Jeppesen-style cycle or other) Options: 28-day cycle, Monthly custom cycle, Quarterly, Customer-supplied updates
• Estimate any required changes to performance data inputs used for takeoff/landing computations (engine derates, runway slope, airport elevation overrides)
• Indicate whether the FMS installation must comply with a particular certification baseline (e.g., DO-178C level guidance for software, company SOP alignment) Options: DO-178C considerations, Company SOP alignment, Standard avionics certification only, Unknown
• Who will own the FMS acceptance flight test and data collection for performance validation (your flight ops, third-party test pilots, authorized field team)? Options: Your flight ops, Third-party test pilot, Authorized field team, TBD

Install GPS/SBAS Navigation Receiver

• Which navigation capabilities are required from the GPS/SBAS receiver (LPV/WAAS approaches, SBAS lateral/vertical guidance, ADS-B Out position source)? Options: LPV/WAAS, SBAS lateral/vertical, ADS-B Out position source, Basic GPS only
• Specify antenna locations and any additional coaxial runs or bulkhead penetrations available for the GPS antenna installation
• Indicate required receiver interfaces to the flight deck (ARINC 429 position outputs, serial/NMEA to FMS, time-of-day sync to other avionics) Options: ARINC 429, NMEA/serial, Ethernet, Discrete timing sync
• Estimate whether the receiver will be used as the primary position source for mandated functions (e.g., ADS-B, RNP procedures) and note any redundancy expectations Options: Primary position source, Secondary/redundant source, Not used for mandated functions, Unknown
• List any known interference or masking issues (radome obstruction, composite structures, HF antenna proximity) that affect GPS performance on your airframes
• State preferred maintenance access and replacement interval for the receiver (on-wing exchange, bench repair, recommended MTBUR) Options: On-wing exchange, Bench repair only, Field repair authorized, Unknown

Install Data-Link Communications Unit

• Which data-link services must the unit support (CPDLC, FANS, ACARS, VHF datalink, SATCOM uplink) and which are mandatory for your operations? Options: CPDLC, FANS, ACARS, VHF datalink, SATCOM
• Identify required network interfaces and antenna installations for the data-link unit (VHF blade, SATCOM dome, L-band), including antenna placement constraints
• Indicate whether the data-link must integrate with your existing airline operational control systems or a third-party flight ops platform Options: Integrate with airline ops platform, Integrate with third-party provider, Standalone only, Unknown
• Specify required security and encryption standards for data-link traffic and whether your communications are subject to operator-specific cryptographic policy
• Estimate downtime tolerance for installing and commissioning the data-link unit including antenna alignment and ground-end connectivity tests Options: Under 8 hours, 8-24 hours, Over 24 hours, Phased activation
• Who is responsible for coordinating frequency/ground network provisioning and ground-end testing for the data-link service? Options: You coordinate, We coordinate, Third-party provider, Joint coordination

Install Traffic and Terrain Awareness System

• Which TAWS/TCAS functions are required (advisory terrain, enhanced TAWS Class A/B, TCAS II surveillance and resolution advisory) for your fleet? Options: Advisory terrain, TAWS Class A/B, TCAS II, Traffic display only
• List the avionics and sensor interfaces the system must use for traffic and terrain inputs (e.g., ADS-B In, transponder Mode S, GPS-derived position)
• Specify whether terrain and traffic alerts must be displayed on the MFD, PFD, or a dedicated panel and note any pilot workload constraints Options: MFD, PFD, Dedicated panel, Multiple displays
• Estimate installation locations for sensors and antennas for terrain and traffic systems and identify any structural or access constraints
• Indicate required certification baselines or operational approvals tied to terrain and traffic functions (FAA advisory guidelines, operator SOPs, MEL impact)
• Are there existing traffic or terrain systems on the aircraft that must be interfaced or removed during installation? Options: Interface to existing system, Remove existing system, No prior system, Unknown

Install Weather Radar and Integration

• Which weather radar features do you require (turbulence detection, ground mapping, predictive windshear, lightning detection) for operations? Options: Turbulence detection, Ground mapping, Predictive windshear, Lightning detection, Other
• Identify required radome size limits and any aerodynamic or weight constraints for nose or belly-mounted weather radar installations
• Specify how radar outputs should integrate into cockpit displays (raw video overlay, processed weather tiles, alerting thresholds) and which display modules will present them Options: Raw video overlay, Processed tiles, Alerting thresholds only, Other
• Estimate structural shop visit needs for radome installation and whether belly fairing removal or nose access panels are available within scheduled maintenance windows Options: Shop visit required, Line installation possible, Major disassembly required, Unknown
• Provide any electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) or interference concerns in the aircraft nose area that could affect radar performance
• Who will coordinate radar frequency licensing or regulatory filings if required in your operating countries? Options: You coordinate, We coordinate, Local MRO, Unknown

STC-Certified Retrofit Kit Delivery and Installation

• Which Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) baseline applies to your airframe and serials and do you require any STC boundary extensions?
• List the kit contents you expect delivered under the STC (PFD/MFD units, harnesses, rack hardware, interface units, installation drawings)
• Specify installation ownership for tasks inside and outside the STC boundary (who will perform structural work, avionics wiring, and system functional tests) Options: We perform installation, You perform installation, Authorized MRO, Joint responsibility
• Provide the measurable acceptance criteria and evidence that will validate STC installation compliance (for example: completed FAA/EASA form 337 or equivalent, bench test logs, flight test report)
• Estimate your preferred delivery cadence for retrofit kits against your maintenance schedule (all kits delivered up front, staged per aircraft, or on-demand) Options: All kits up front, Staged deliveries, On-demand per aircraft, Unknown
• Are there airframe-specific MEL or placard modifications expected from the STC that we should include in scope? Options: Yes, No, Unknown

Forward-Fit Avionics Integration Package

• Which aircraft production phase must the forward-fit avionics package be integrated into (final assembly line, avionics bench-fit, or delivery retrofit before handover)? Options: Final assembly line, Avionics bench-fit, Pre-delivery retrofit, Other
• Identify required suppliers or airframe interface control documents (ICDs) we must honor for harnessing and rack space allocation
• Indicate any production test points or shop-floor functional checks to be added to the aircraft build plan for the avionics package
• Specify whether software baselines must be frozen at a particular flight control release or whether updates can be provisioned post-delivery Options: Freeze baseline, Allow post-delivery updates, Phased updates, Unknown
• Estimate spare parts and depot stocking levels required at aircraft delivery for initial operations (LRUs per aircraft, common spares pool size)
• Who will own final production acceptance tests for avionics integration at handover (your quality team, OEM final inspection, third-party inspector)? Options: Your quality team, OEM final inspection, Third-party inspector, TBD

Pilot Interface Software Configuration and Customization

• Which pilot interface presets do you require out of the box (map symbology, terrain color scales, default flight plan page order) versus custom presets? Options: Standard presets, Custom presets required, Combination, Unknown
• List any standard operating procedure (SOP) constraints or airline checklists that the pilot interface must reflect (example: single-pilot procedures, dual-display modes)
• Specify required languages and units (altitude in feet/meters, speed in knots/kmh) to be configured in the display software Options: Feet / Knots, Meters / kmh, Mixed per crew, Other
• Indicate whether you need tailored alerting thresholds or customization for terrain and traffic alerts to match company SOPs Options: Yes, No, Limited customization
• Provide any operator-specific datums or symbology (company runway overlays, preferred waypoint naming) that must be incorporated into the interface
• Describe the expected software change control process for interface updates after delivery (number of minor releases per year, approval workflow)

• Purchase Agreement
• Master Services Agreement (MSA)
• Statement of Work (SOW)
• Installation & Acceptance Schedule
• Warranty & Support Agreement
• Acceptance Test Protocol (ATP) and Sign-off
• Spares and Exchange Agreement
• Change Order Agreement
• Payment Schedule & Invoice Terms
• Airworthiness & STC Validation Addendum

• Go‑Live Health Check (weeks 1-4)
• First Outcome Measurement (weeks 4-10)
• 90‑Day Realization Review
• Quarterly Operational Review (ongoing)

• Schedule targeted refresher training sessions if pilot recurrent training acceptance rate declines below the Solution Scope threshold.
• 90-day aggregated metrics and trend analysis
• Confirm whether 90-day metrics meet or are trending toward the verification criteria recorded in Solution Scope or require additional remediation.
• All high-priority remediation items are either closed or have firm dates and owners for completion.
• Maintenance spares and repair SLAs are validated and owner responsibilities are documented for recurring issues.
• Publish the 90-day metric pack with trend charts and a remediation closure log.
• Create a spare-parts reorder and repair escalation checklist with target MTTR commitments.
• Document any required SOP updates and schedule pilot refresher sessions if proficiency targets are not met.
• Operational metrics dashboard
• Confirm quarterly performance for the named metrics and decide whether current performance meets Solution Scope expectations.
• Ensure persistent issues are reducing, with a clear burn-down plan for remaining tickets.
• Maintain a prioritized list of enhancement requests and an agreed lightweight process for handling low-risk changes.
• Publish the quarterly metric report and update the shared issue/enhancement tracker with new priorities.
• Close all resolved tickets in the tracker and confirm any remaining high-impact tickets have owners and dates.
• Re-confirm success criteria and owners
• All critical go-live defects are identified, owners named, and target resolution dates set.
• Deployment checklist items from Solution Scope are either validated complete or have an explicit remediation plan.
• Training completion gaps and immediate adoption blockers are documented with owners and timelines.
• Publish the go-live defect register with owners and dates for each item.
• Schedule hands-on follow-up sessions for any pilots or maintainers who failed initial training competency checks.
• Confirm escalation path and 24/7 AOG contact list for operational support during the first 30 days.
• Confirm the incumbent system wind-down status and any remaining steps to prevent dual-system usage.
• Deliver a short remediation plan mapping each metric gap to specific tasks, owners, and deadlines.
• Present first-window operational data
• Measure the two primary metrics, in-service aircraft availability and avionics fault rate per 1,000 flight hours, and document their status versus Solution Scope targets.
• Agree the remediation actions and timelines required to meet Solution Scope targets or mitigate operational impact.
• Archive legacy-system data or confirm read-only access and publish the archive location and retention policy.
• Provide an extract of avionics fault logs and maintenance actions for the 4- to 10-week window for further analysis.
• Deployment/migration validation
• Open issues and ticket burn-down
• Remediation closure review
• Gap diagnosis and root-cause discussion
• Remediation plan and acceptance timeline
• Maintenance and spares process validation
• Enhancement requests and shared channel review
• Early adoption signals and usage patterns
• Short list of required operational changes
• Blockers and open issues
• Incumbent wind-down checkpoint
• Pilot proficiency and operational procedures check
• Agree immediate remediation actions
• Agree stabilization actions and next checkpoints