Partners With Heads Up Technologies To Offer Wireless XM Capabilities

Representatives with Avidyne Corporation and Heads Up Technologies, Inc. told ANN Wednesday of a new option to add XM music, news, sports and entertainment audio programming to both new and existing Avidyne EX500 multi-function displays (MFDs) with XM WX Satellite Weather datalink.

By utilizing the Heads Up Technologies XMC050 Bluetooth wireless remote control and display, the XM audio option lets pilots and passengers select from more than 170 channels while keeping the MFD free for vital flight operations.

To add XM Audio in a new EX500 installation, buyers will purchase a Heads Up XMD076A combination weather/radio receiver. To add XM audio to an existing EX500 with XM WX Satellite Weather, buyers will purchase a XMR050 radio receiver, which can be daisy-chained to the antenna-out port on previously installed XMD076 weather receivers.

Both systems include the XMC050 Bluetooth wireless remote control with a display which shows the category/channel name, channel number, artist name, song title or program information, plus presets, signal and battery strength.

XM audio joins the other cost-effective options and MHAS6000 option packages available for the EX500, that help make it a popular upgrade for most general aviation aircraft. The EX500's 5.5-inch diagonal, high-resolution moving map display can show flight plan information and Avidyne's exclusive two-way MultiLink datalink weather service. Options include interfaces to 19 different airborne weather radar systems, TAWS display, lightning and active traffic including Avidyne's TAS600-series systems. Additional options are Avidyne's FlightCenter services for flight tracking and two-way text messaging capabilities, and CMax Electronic Approach Charts.

The MHAS6000 packages can save buyers up to $4,500 compared to purchasing the options separately.

"We find that pilots and passengers really like the utility of the Bluetooth remote," said David Groos, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Heads Up. "While the Avidyne EX500 provides vital weather and flight information, the XM Audio provides a lot of practical value for people who use their aircraft for business and personal travel. And both are very intuitive and easy to use."

"The Heads Up wireless remote adds a lot of convenience and flexibility for pilots who want to keep the EX500 display for flight information but provide in-flight audio entertainment," said Mark Sandeen, Avidyne vice president of sales and marketing. "Because it uses Bluetooth technology, the remote can be used anywhere in the aircraft and be easily shared between crew and passengers. It's great way to add a nice comfort feature to the aircraft, especially for those long cross-country flights, while taking advantage of important weather, traffic, terrain and other safety tools."

Avidyne says all new EX500s ship with Release 2.0 software, which includes the XM WX Satellite Weather interface. Pricing for the XMD076A with XM WX Satellite Weather and XM Audio for new EX500 installations is $5,120, which includes the XMC050 Bluetooth remote. Pricing for the XMR050 with XMC050 Bluetooth remote to add XM audio to an existing XM WX-only installation is $2,185.

Antenna costs and XM service charges are additional.

FMI: www.heads-up.com, www.avidyne.com