Designed For Certified GA Planes

Aspen Avionics is evolving... and so is its product line. On Monday at AirVenture 2007, the Albuquerque, NM-based avionics manufacturer introduced its Evolution Flight Display system, intended exclusively for certified general aviation (GA) aircraft.

Aspen tells ANN the Evolution system is modular, expandable and upgradable; it's easy to afford, easy to install and easy to own. Comprised of three models of Primary Flight Display (PFD) starting at $5,995, and two models of Multi-Function Display (MFD) starting at $4,995, the Evolution system enables aircraft owners to upgrade their primary flight instrument "six pack" to glass cockpit technology all at once, or in stages. Easy and inexpensive software upgrades add new features and capabilities, while future-proofing the system and protecting owners' investments.

"At Aspen Avionics, we believe that installing the latest avionics technologies and safety advances in GA aircraft shouldn't have to mean emptying your bank account," says Doug Cayne, Vice President of Marketing. "And you shouldn't have to throw out the old every time you want to add something new."

Starting with a common hardware platform containing a miniature solid-state air data, attitude and heading reference system (ADAHRS), the EFD1000 slides easily into existing 3-inch instrument panel cutouts for quick and easy replacement of old analog gauges, with little to no panel modification, or mounting heavy remote boxes. This stunningly innovative, patent-pending design leads to greater capability, and lower purchase and installation costs, than anything else on the certified market today.

The EFD system is intended for the majority of the existing GA fleet. Different software loads turn each EFD1000 into one of three levels of PFD or an MFD. The first EFD1000 is typically installed as a Primary Flight Display, replacing the old attitude indicator and directional gyro (DG) or HSI. A second EFD1000 may replace the altimeter and VSI and be configured as a Multi-Function Display. Together, these two tubes deliver all the great features of glass cockpit systems costing several times the Evolution's price.

Add a second MFD to round out the six pack replacement, and gain even more capability. Because of its common hardware platform, the EFD1000 MFD has the same ADAHRS as the PFD, providing full sensor redundancy for backup -- a capability unavailable in other GA glass cockpit systems at any price. In the unlikely event the PFD fails, the MFD can revert to PFD mode without skipping a beat. That's a capability other GA glass cockpit systems also offer... but Aspen says Evolution goes beyond by also offering a backup, in case of an ADAHRS sensor failure -- a feature typically found only on large, turbine aircraft, and at a much higher prices.

The Evolution Flight Display 1000 can be configured as one of three models of PFD, each upgradable to the next level through software. The EFD1000 Pilot PFD is the entry-level product, designed for the largely VFR pilot. Costing little more than the overhaul of the analog gauges it replaces (the attitude indicator and directional gyro), the Pilot delivers the primary benefits of glass cockpit technology at a breakthrough price. The integral ADAHRS provides digital accuracy and reliability while adding many new capabilities. Airspeed and altitude tapes on the attitude indicator put all primary flight information in one place right in front of the pilot.

The slaved directional gyro with heading bug eliminates the need to keep manually resetting the heading indicator to correct for gyroscopic precession. The Pilot has many more capabilities than analog gauges could ever deliver. For example, a built-in altitude pre-select and alerter; graphical display of GPS flight plan legs and waypoints right on top of the DG; an air data computer to show true airspeed and real-time winds and temperatures aloft; and an integral backup battery and emergency GPS, to help the pilot keep flying right even in the event of a total electrical system failure. The EFD1000 Pilot PFD lists for $5,995, and will be available in Fall 2007.

The EFD1000 Pro PFD adds professional-grade navigation and integration on top of all the Pilot features and capabilities. A full electronic HSI, with Course Selector and dual Bearing Pointers, and an Arc mode optimized for the moving map provides the same navigation instrumentation the pros fly on the biggest iron. A full Attitude Director Indicator, with singlecue flight director, lateral and vertical deviation indicators for precision approaches, and dedicated approach minimums setting and alerting, tighten a pilot's instrument scan for flying instrument approaches more easily and safely.

The Pro integrates with whatever is already in the panel, supporting dual ARINC 429 GPS, dual RS-232 GPS and dual VHF navigation radios. It also integrates with the vast majority of GA autopilots and flight directors in the fleet today. Additionally, the Pro includes integral GPS Steering, enabling modern GPS to fly from leg to leg, and to fly curved flight paths (like course reversals and holding patterns) without pilot intervention. And optional software enables the Pro to overlay datalink weather, traffic and terrain on the HSI in its map mode. The EFD1000 Pro PFD lists for $9,995, and will be available in Fall 2007. The EFD1000 Pilot PFD can be upgraded to the Pro model by means of a software upgrade that lists for $3,995. The EFD1000 ATP PFD is Aspen's ultimate PFD, adding many MFD capabilities to the PFD. In addition to all Pro features, the ATP supports sectional-style moving maps on the nav display (in HSI or Arc modes), and includes all hazard awareness interfaces (datalink, weather, traffic and terrain) standard. It lists for $12,995, and will be available in Fall 2008.

The Pilot can be upgraded to the ATP model through a software upgrade that lists for $3,995. Two MFD Models The EFD1000 MFD delivers all the great features of a Multi-Function Display, along with a duplicate set of ADAHRS sensors for full redundancy and backup capabilities. It includes flexible screen layouts to suit each pilot's preference, and to present multiple information sources simultaneously in different regions of the screen. Keep a large sectional-style moving map in view to help situational awareness, while using smaller tile windows to constantly monitor the backup attitude solution and traffic or other hazards, or a 3D terrain visualization display.

And should the PFD ever fail, whether a failure of its display screen or of its sensor set, the MFD can revert to assume all the PFD capabilities at the touch of a button. So the backup instruments will be identical to—and right next to—the primary instruments -- no more partial panel!

The EFD1000 MFD lists for $7,995, and will be available in Spring 2008. The EFD500 MFD is a lower cost version of the EFD1000 MFD. It delivers all the same great MFD features and functions at a lower price, but without the backup set of ADAHRS sensors. It is ideal to add as a third EFD tube to round out a six-pack replacement, and can be installed as a slave display off the first EFD1000 MFD with just a simple Ethernet connection, making installation a snap. The EFD500 MFD lists for $4,995, and will be available in Spring 2008, according to the company.

FMI: www.aspenavionics.com