Innovative Avionics Suite Incorporates Touchscreen
Technology
ANN REALTIME UPDATE, 1212 EDT, 10.20.09: In
remarks associated with the introduction of the Garmin G3000 at
NBA2009, Piper officials surprised a number of folks attending with
the revelation that the company plans a 50% increase in production
numbers for 2010. Also; Piper's John Becker has confirmed that the
passive thrust corrective system (designed by Williams) has
resulted in a design that will not only not require any stability
augmentation but that the aircraft will keep a fixed stabilizer --
calling the current pitch/power issues 'as good as any of the
aircraft in the PA46 line.'
Original Report: Piper has announced that the
PiperJet will be among the first to deploy the new Garmin G3000 -
the world's first touchscreen-controlled integrated FlightDeck for
turbine aircraft.
"The PiperJet is an amazing aircraft with a unique blend of
capabilities that makes it the best-in-class choice for pilots
focused on performance, style, utility, capability and pricing,"
said Piper President John D. Becker, who led the engineering team
that brought the PiperJet from concept to first-flight and beyond.
"We have a long and rich relationship with Garmin, and our choice
builds on that legacy while incorporating avionics excellence equal
to the PiperJet's promise."
Designed specifically for Part 23 turbine aircraft, the G3000 is
Garmin's evolutionary leap forward in taking glass avionics to a
much higher level. It seamlessly integrates numerous
Garmin-designed system components into an easy-to-use FlightDeck,
the heart of which is the all new GTC 570 vehicle management
system: a 5.7-inch diagonal touchscreen controller that uses a
desktop-like menu interface with intuitive icons. The
console-mounted GTC 570 allows full control of radios, audio
management, flight management, weather systems management,
synoptics (graphical systems displays) and other key vehicle
systems.
"The PiperJet's revolutionary design and impressive performance
have positioned it to be another great Piper aircraft," said Gary
Kelley, Garmin's Vice President of Marketing. "We are proud to
continue playing a vital role on the PiperJet team with what we
believe will be one of the most intuitive and powerful FlightDeck
systems ever designed for Part 23 turbine aircraft."
The PiperJet team emphasized that the G3000's focus on being
intuitive is key to melding with the PiperJet's focus on avoiding
needless complexity and enhancing user-friendliness. With an
icon-driven interface that leverages the experience Garmin gained
by designing and delivering millions of automotive consumer
products, the G3000 will play an integral role in making the
PiperJet second to none.
By eliminating buttons, switches, and extraneous knobs, the
touchscreen G3000 relies on common sense functions that have been
the mainstay of cutting-edge smart-screen technology in consumer
electronics. In effect, the G3000 lets pilots quickly retrace their
steps or alternatively return to the home screen. The system has
gone to great lengths to ensure simplicity in operation.
"PiperJet pilots will have the ability to reach out and touch
real-time information," said Becker. "Gone will be the days of
looking for cursors and cryptic confusing menus that lead to heavy
pilot workloads."
The G3000 adds significantly to state-of-the-art safety measures
featured in the PiperJet's design. With its strong, smooth
all-metal body, the PiperJet is capable of reaching a cruising
speed of 360 knots and a maximum operating altitude of 35,000 feet.
The six passenger PiperJet - with an option for either a seventh
seat or enclosable lavatory - offers a range of 1,300 nautical
miles and a full-fuel payload of 800 lbs.
The PiperJet proof-of-concept aircraft continues to advance
through various stages of flight testing. To date the aircraft has
logged in excess of 230 hours of flight time and 160 flights.
From Flight Into Known Icing (FIKI) to FADEC, Piper says that
the PiperJet's focus is on optimal operational excellence,
user-friendliness, and safety. Configured to be flown by a single
pilot, the PiperJet will be certified in the Normal Category under
FAA Part 23 and applicable foreign certification standards. It will
also be RVSM certified. The PiperJet will be certified to a maximum
operating altitude well above the weather while combining
performance with the latest safety technologies and features.