In each issue of WAVELINK, we publish a customer's experience with a product or service as reported to us. In this issue we review a truly amazing installation job.

Take a factory new, year 2000 Jaguar Edition Baron 58 and an owner who is willing to invest a half million dollars or more installing what he wants in his aircraft. Add a list of avionics and equipment that would make you gasp (see sidebar). Mix in one of the top ten avionics facilities in the nation, and you have all the essential ingredients for cooking up the world's best equipped Baron ­ arguably, the best equipped light piston-twin that ever flew.

Meet Rick Boswell, a "closet techie," as he describes his computer and electronics engineering orientation. Mr. Boswell is actually co-founder of St. Paul Venture Capital in Boston, a company that invests in small, private companies with high growth potential all over the nation ­ primarily in information technology.

Boswell focuses his interests on companies where his knowledge and skills in computers and electronics can help his firm leverage investment success.

"We've been a little bit good and a lot lucky, and our firm has grown significantly," Boswell said. "Today, we're one of the largest firms in our industry, managing about $3 billion in capital and investments throughout the United States."

As a child, Boswell wanted a career in aviation, but his uncorrected eyesight eliminated a future with the airlines and military. So he chose a different career path, which appears to be just one of many really good decisions he has made, considering his present circumstances.

But, as we all know, the desire to be an aviator doesn't go away easily. Mr. Boswell has been involved in general aviation since 1967, earning a commercial certificate SMEL and instruments. He is finishing up work on his instructor's rating and starting to work on his ATP. He recently took his aerobatics refresher in an Extra 300, and by the way, he also has a sailplane rating. No question about it, this man's interest in aviation did not go away.

The answer to why is quite simple, according to Rick Boswell. "I wanted the benefit of today's technology, and I knew that all the equipment could now be made to talk to each other through architecture using a variation of the ARINC 429 bus. The installations left a very clean panel with seven display screens and not a lot of interface switches, boxes and other stuff you usually see on complex installations."

How did it happen? "I interviewed three different dealers with advanced avionics facilities around the country. The others didn't even 'move the meter.' But Dan Frahm, the head of avionics at Elliott, put on a presentation that moved it clear to the top."

Raytheon sent Boswell's green Baron to Elliott for the installations, which also required earning an STC for the new KFC-225 autopilot with EFIS. Then the Baron went back to the factory for completion.

"I never enjoyed working with a group of people on a project as much as I enjoyed Todd Jackson, Dan Frahm and Mark Wilkin at Elliott Aviation. They bent over backwards to accommodate what I wanted to do. This was a huge project, but they made it all happen very close to the original schedule and right on the original budget," Boswell reported.

"In today's business climate, I find it's unusual when an organization sells me something that meets my expectations. This installation job at Elliott Aviation not only met them, it exceeded them."

• Garmin GMA-340 audio/marker panel
• Dual Garmin 530s
• Two tube EFIS-40 System, ED-461 EHSI, ED-462 EADI
• KFC-225 Autopilot
• BFGoodrich GH-3000 electronic standby instrument system
• BFGoodrich PS-835D standby power supply with control panel
• Garmin GTX-327 transponder
• AlliedSignal KDM-706A DME
• AlliedSignal KRA-405B radar altimeter
• Allied Signal RDR-2000 vertical profile radar system
• BFGoodrich Skywatch system with WX-1000 indicator
• BFGoodrich WX-500 Stormscope
• Shadin ADC-2000 fuel AirData computer
• Shadin Microflo-L fuel flow computer
• Alpine CHA-1204 12 disc CD changer
• Dual JP Instruments EDM-800 engine monitors
• Honeywell KMD-850 MFD
• Honeywell KGP-560 GA EGPWS
• Com ground power switch
• Advanced Aero  "Low Thrust Detector System"
• PAI-700 vertical compass card
• Six place Bose Series X Headset Interface
• Rosen 3 axis sun visors
• Tanis engine heater system
• VG's
• Stainless steel cowl fasteners

######