What the heck is going on there? About three years ago when I was building my S-6 I bought a non-TSO'd sensitive altimeter for around $180. Now they are all around $350. What they heck is going on? I just cancelled an order for an altimeter from Aircraft Spruce because it wouldn't be shipped until February. Is there an international altimeter shortage or something?

There is no shortage of altimeters.

Just go to the manufacturers website and purchase directly, and most times, for the same or less than Aircraft Spruce.

My last $500.00 order from Aircraft Spruce went something like this. Box was delivered with oil soaking through to the outside. Inside everything was covered in oil, including the incorrect oil filters which were not even in their boxes. To make it even better, the white packing peanuts had worked themselves inside of the filters and I could not get them out.

I called AS about them sending the incorrect filters, and the ones I was sending back should be destroyed as they were now compromised. They blamed the spilt oil on UPS and said they would check the filters.

While others may have had good luck with AS, I am now buying elsewhere.

svanarts wrote:What the heck is going on there? About three years ago when I was building my S-6 I bought a non-TSO'd sensitive altimeter for around $180. Now they are all around $350. What they heck is going on? I just cancelled an order for an altimeter from Aircraft Spruce because it wouldn't be shipped until February. Is there an international altimeter shortage or something?

Id blame it on speculators. Pork bellies, coffee and Gold have been running a little flat lately .

Really? I would have thought it was sun spots. They're increasing in activity ya' know.

Yeah, I've had mixed success with Aircraft $pruce. I bought a crossover exhaust for my RV-4 from them years ago. It didn't even come close to fitting. They were going to charge me a 30% restock fee on a $500 exhaust system. I asked the nice lady to speak with her manager so I could explain why they lost a customer forever. The nice manager came on and listened but ultimately I was going to have to pay the restock fee. I hung up unhappy but within an hour I received an email from Jim Irwin, owner at the time. He apologized and said I would get a full refund, no fees of any kind and they would pay the return shipping. They kept me as a customer that time.

Then they take my money for an altimeter that they are not going to ship until February with no explanation or followup saying that it would take that long. I had to call and ask. Yeah... nope. Cancelled the order today and bought an altimeter from Wag Aero instead.

I had to cancel my Wag Aero order today. The lady told me that most of the altimeters are manufactured in china and if there is a huge back log right now. Color me surprised.

Altimeters are dead simple to rework if you are the slightly intrepid type. The ones I've fixed or adjusted either had grit in the movement (possibly from moisture) or had a leaky case (fixed with fuel tank sealer).

Lots of manuals and resources out there. Here is just one:
http://www.liberatedmanuals.com/TM-55-6610-247-40.pdf

You can calibrate reasonably well if you have a calibrated altimeter and some Tupperware, hoses, and a shop vac.

All this is assuming you don't want a yellow tag...