From a couple new seats to a full interior makeover, the successful formula is quality shop plus an informed and assertive owner. The most expensive isn’t always the best.

By Jeff Van West

It’s the scope of aircraft interior work that’s hard for many owners to wrap their mind around. Imagine you want to spruce up your living room. You could spring for a couple slip covers for the tired couch and put down a new throw rug. Or you could strip out everything right down to the studs in the walls and build it up fresh with new wall boards, carpet, built-in bookshelves … you get the idea.

Looking at our recent reader survey, aircraft owners exercise the same range of

Before and after pictures of a Bonanza done by Air Mod. On this project, the shop moved the outside air temperature gauge, added a map light and pocket, and completely redesigned the the armrest. This level of makeover demonstrates what’s possible in a custom job and why prices vary so much.

upgrade options on their aircraft. With over 200 responses we saw everything from slip covers to cabin-class makeovers that cost more than…