Nick,
This time you are wrong on at least two counts.
The Air Log machines that first got delivered were "green" and had only the basic flight instruments and a standby attitude indicator. The completions were done at Heli-Dyne in Ft. Worth and IFR kit was installed there. Air Log pilots had to fly the aircraft without SAS or a proper set of instruments when the company ran into a backlog at the Heli-Dyne completion center.
This was in the days when Sikorsky was selling the 76 with the organic in-house SAS system and Air Log wanted the Sperry system. You do remember the phase I, II, and III SAS system configurations.
The aircraft were sold that way at the request of the customer.
Vice what you suggest, I am not "attacking" Sikorsky or you. Simple fact remains that manufacturers will sell the aircraft as the customer demands. From what you have reported in the past, Sikorsky has taken steps to add some items as basic standard fit and thus customers have to buy the kit.
The Sperry system far exceeded the in-house system in function and thus was the preferred SAS/Autopilot system.