TKM Avionics expands radio lineup

The Scottsdale, Arizona-based company has shipped more than 37,000 replacement radios since 1968, building a product line that appeals to owners seeking a lower-cost path to radio upgrades that bring new features and functions to legacy aircraft. The KX155/165 replacement was announced at the Sun ‘n Fun International Fly-In and Expo in Lakeland, Florida.

The radios “feature all-digital technology and are software-based so they can be easily upgraded as well,” said TKM CEO Ken Beckemeyer, in a news release. “We’ve engineered numerous features and upgrades into this unit that will significantly improve and expand on the performance of the radio it replaces. We’re taking orders now for deliveries that will begin this summer.”

The company has not set a price for the latest addition to the model line, though existing models range in price from $1,750 (for the MX11 COMM radio, a replacement for the Narco COM 11 and similar models) to $3,500 for the MX12 NAV/COMM, another Narco replacement. The MX170C NAV/COMM, a BendixKing KX170 replacement, is priced at $2,975 on the company website.

Designed to be installed by the owner, each TKM slide-in replacement radio is designed to interface with existing equipment with “plug and play” ease, the company said in a news release. Beckemeyer said FAA regulations allow an owner/operator to complete the installation.

“Operators can literally remove the old unit and plug in the new ones themselves, make a quick notation in the logbook, and get back into the air in a matter of minutes,” Beckemeyer said.