AD 2020-16-08 Prompted By An Automatic Reset Occurring When The Display Internal Monitor Detects A Potential Fault

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Aspen Avionics, Inc., Evolution Flight Display (EFD) EFD1000 Emergency Backup Display, EFD1000 MultiFunction Display, and EFD1000 Primary Flight Display systems installed on various airplanes.

This AD imposes operating restrictions on these display systems by revising the Limitations section of the airplane flight manual (AFM). This AD was prompted by an automatic reset occurring when the display internal monitor detects a potential fault, causing intermittent loss of airspeed, attitude, and altitude information during flight. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. This AD is effective August 17, 2020.

Supplementary Information: On February 25, 2020, Aspen Avionics, Inc. (Aspen), notified the FAA of 35 instances of software interacting with a graphics processing chip defect and causing an automatic reset to occur on Aspen EFD1000 Emergency Backup Display, EFD1000 Multi-Function Display, and EFD1000 Primary Flight Display systems. The reset occurs when the display internal monitor detects a potential fault. The display will go black and then it will restart, which lasts about 50 seconds. In installations where multiple Aspen EFDs serve as the primary and backup attitude, altitude, and airspeed displays instead of independent instruments; this repeat resetting may affect both Aspen units, resulting in loss of all attitude, altitude, and airspeed information during the reset period. Loss of all airspeed, attitude, and altitude information during flight may cause a loss of control of the airplane in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) or at night. The actions required by this AD will restrict operations to flight under visual flight rules (VFR) and prohibit night operations to allow safe operation in the event of a loss of flight display functionality.

FMI: www.regulations.gov