Game-Changing Auto-Pilot System Finishes Cert Tests

ANN has been monitoring the progress toward the certification of what may, ultimately, become the most capable autopilot system in all of General Aviation... for now.

Well... as of November 19th, the Avidyne DFC100 TIA testing is complete and eventual certification is now in the hands of the FAA. According to Avidyne statements, the flights completed Friday were the final set of flight tests the FAA had to conduct prior to certification. All of the features and performance in the system were accepted without change and there is no more FAA evaluation of the system required.

Avidyne has promised to release details about rumored extra features to be included in DFC100 Release 1, very soon (possibly as early as later today). Avidyne states that, "We have been silent on the new features above/beyond R9 integration and VNAV until we were certain they would be approved by the FAA. Now that we are through TIA testing, all that is left before certification is issued is for the FAA to pour through the final TSO paperwork submitted by Avidyne. Technically, the FAA has 30 days to provide comments or findings against that paperwork. Typically, that takes a lot less time but we can not make any promises at this time. The good news is that it is strictly a paperwork exercise from here on out and there is no technical or certification risk. The bad news is that we can't tell if this is a 5 day exercise or 30 day exercise."

Avidyne R9 'SynVis' Obstacle Depiction

In the meantime, Avidyne's SR22 testbed has already been given over to its next test program... the certification of Entegra Release 9's long-awaited Synthetic Vision functionality -- 'SynVis.'

Avidyne R9 'SynVis' In Flight Test

Avidyne notes that "We've also got the FAA coming to our Massachusetts office on 30 Nov for a full review of our SynVis system. There are reps from the Small Aircraft Directorate, our local ACO, Human Factors experts and pilot reps from the FAA in that group."

Avidyne R9 'SynVis' Traffic Depiction

SynVis is part of the Avidyne Entegra Release 9.3 Upgrade expected in the First Quarter of 2011.

FMI: www.avidyne.com