The Dynon Certified HDX and the ten-thousand-dollar glass cockpit that broke the retrofit ceiling

The Dynon SkyView HDX Certified has fundamentally changed the economics of retrofitting legacy piston singles with glass cockpits. With hardware starting around $7,500–$10,000 for a single ten-inch screen and all-in installation costs of $20,000–$30,000, Dynon is delivering a complete integrated system—primary flight display, engine monitoring, and autopilot—at roughly half the price of a comparable Garmin setup. For the roughly 140,000 piston singles flying in the United States with aging steam-gauge panels, this is the most significant avionics development in a generation.

How Did Dynon Get Into Certified Aircraft?

Dynon built its reputation as the dominant avionics provider in the experimental and kit-built aircraft market. The SkyView HDX became the standard glass cockpit for homebuilts—big, bright displays with synthetic vision, engine monitoring, and autopilot integration at aggressive price points.

Certified aircraft, however, require Technical Standard Order (TSO) approval and a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for every installed component. That process is expensive and slow, which historically locked smaller companies out. Dynon spent years navigating FAA certification, began delivering certified HDX units in 2023, and by 2025 had expanded STC coverage to over 100 aircraft models.

What Does the Dynon HDX Certified Include?

The system packs a remarkable amount of capability into a single integrated platform:

• Display: A 10-inch screen at 700 nits of brightness, large enough to split into multiple panels—PFD on the left, moving map on the right, engine instruments along the bottom—without sacrificing readability.
• Synthetic vision: Included at no extra cost. It renders terrain, obstacles, runways, and traffic in a 3D view that dramatically improves situational awareness, especially on IFR approaches into unfamiliar fields.
• Engine monitoring: Fully integrated into the SkyView system. EGT, CHT, fuel flow, fuel quantity, oil pressure, oil temperature—all on the same screen with lean-of-peak analysis built in. No separate JPI or Electronics International box required.
• Autopilot: The SV-AP is a two-axis digital autopilot with GPS steering, altitude hold, vertical speed, and approach coupling, all controlled through the same touchscreen interface.

A dual-screen setup with full engine monitoring runs $18,000–$20,000 for hardware. With installation, expect $20,000–$30,000 total.

How Does It Compare to Garmin?

This is not a discount Garmin G1000 clone. It is a different product with a different philosophy, and the trade-offs matter.

Where Dynon wins: Price, integration, and simplicity. Dynon consolidates what used to be three or four separate instruments and boxes into one system. The engine monitoring integration alone eliminates a separate purchase. Installation is simpler—fewer boxes, fewer connectors, less wiring—with shop turnaround times of two to four weeks compared to three to six months at busy Garmin shops.

Where Garmin wins: IFR navigation depth. The Garmin GTN 750/650 Xi ecosystem offers LPV approaches, WAAS precision, and seamless autopilot coupling for approaches down to minimums. The Dynon SkyView is a primary flight display with a moving map—it pairs with external GPS navigators for approach capability but is not a standalone IFR navigator. If you need a fully integrated IFR suite and do not already have a working GPS navigator, Garmin remains the more complete solution.

One 1978 Cessna 182 owner reported a total project cost of $22,000 for dual 10-inch screens, engine monitoring, the SV-AP autopilot, installation, and STC. His Garmin quote was over $55,000. His assessment: the Dynon does 90% of what the Garmin does for 40% of the price, and the missing 10% he does not need.

Which Aircraft Are Covered?

STC coverage is strongest for Cessna 172s, 182s, 182 RGs, and various Piper Cherokees, Archers, and Arrows. As of 2025, over 100 models are approved.

Notable gaps remain. Beechcraft Bonanza and Mooney owners are still waiting. Always check Dynon’s published STC list before committing.

What Does Installation Actually Involve?

Any certified avionics installation requires an Inspection Authorization (IA) holder or a certified repair station to sign off the work. While the Dynon install is simpler than a Garmin panel swap, plan for 40–80 hours of shop labor depending on the scope of work and the state of your existing panel.

Owners who have completed the transition report a shorter learning curve than expected. If you are comfortable with an iPad and ForeFlight, the SkyView’s touchscreen logic feels familiar. Most pilots report being fully comfortable with the new panel after 5–10 hours of flying.

What Does This Mean for the Avionics Market?

Garmin held an effective monopoly on certified glass avionics for general aviation for nearly two decades. Aspen Avionics was acquired. L3’s Trilogy never gained traction. The uAvionix AV-30-C cracked the door open as a single-instrument replacement, but Dynon is the first company to offer a complete integrated system at a price that genuinely threatens Garmin’s dominance.

Garmin has responded. The G3X Touch, originally experimental-only, is now being certified for legacy aircraft through an STC program modeled on Dynon’s approach, with lower pricing and an expanded feature set. Competition is compressing prices across the board.

For flight schools, flying clubs, and individual owners who bought a Cherokee for $60,000 and could never justify spending the airplane’s purchase price on avionics, a $20,000 glass cockpit retrofit instead of a $50,000 one changes the equation entirely.

Who Should Consider the Dynon HDX Certified?

The system makes the most sense for:

• VFR pilots upgrading from steam gauges who want modern situational awareness at a reasonable cost
• IFR pilots who already have a working GPS navigator and want everything else—PFD, engine monitoring, autopilot—in glass
• Owners of Cessna or Piper singles on Dynon’s STC list facing aging panels with failing gyros or vacuum pumps

It is less ideal for pilots who need a fully integrated IFR suite with WAAS LPV approaches and do not already have a compatible navigator, or anyone flying a type Dynon does not yet cover.

Key Takeaways

• The Dynon SkyView HDX Certified delivers a full glass cockpit retrofit for $20,000–$30,000 installed—roughly half the cost of comparable Garmin systems.
• Engine monitoring, synthetic vision, and autopilot are fully integrated into a single system, eliminating the need for separate boxes.
• STC coverage spans 100+ aircraft models with the strongest support for Cessna and Piper singles, though Beechcraft and Mooney owners are still waiting.
• The system is not a standalone IFR navigator—it pairs with external GPS sources, so pilots needing a complete IFR suite without an existing navigator should evaluate Garmin.
• Garmin is responding with competitive pricing on the G3X Touch, meaning the overall market for certified glass retrofits is more affordable than at any point in history.