Makes Active Collision Avoidance 'Even More Affordable'
One of the attractions we expect to see in just a few days, as
Oshkosh ramps up, are some new traffic avoidance systems from
Avidyne. Two new TSO C147-certified Traffic Advisory Systems (TAS),
the TAS605 and TAS615, are cost-effective cousins to their
entry-level TAS600. This gives Avidyne four different TAS
models-TAS600, TAS605, TAS615, TAS620-each designed to meet the
needs of specific aircraft types and mission profiles.
"Since the introduction of the TAS600 Series back in 2005,
Avidyne has been at the forefront in providing affordable,
active-surveillance collision avoidance products, and with the
addition of the TAS605 and TAS615 models, we are adding additional
features and setting lower price points," said Patrick Herguth,
Chief Operating Officer. "Avidyne was the first to offer
active-surveillance traffic systems for under $10,000, and having
recently shipped our 10,000th traffic system, we have demonstrated
our leadership in safety systems and also in providing value to our
customers."
"Avidyne continues its commitment of making flying simpler and
safer through strategic investments in safety systems and by
improving the traffic system value proposition for light general
aviation aircraft owners," said Dan Schwinn, Avidyne President and
CEO.
With the TAS600 Series, Avidyne claims to offer the 'smallest,
lightest, and most affordable' active traffic systems available for
GA aircraft. Avidyne's dual-antenna TAS600 Series now comprises
four models-the TAS600, TAS605, TAS615, and TAS620-each of which
can actively interrogate other transponder-equipped aircraft, and
independently compute range, bearing, and closure rate of these
aircraft in order to provide pilots with an accurate display of
nearby traffic and timely audible and visual alerts of conflicting
traffic.
The table below shows each of the four models and the
key differentiators, which include surveillance volume (in terms of
range and relative altitude) as well as service ceiling. Like the
TAS620, the new lower-cost TAS605 and TAS615 can accept a heading
input, which is especially helpful in helicopter installations
where high-rate turns are more likely.
Avidyne TAS Systems |
TAS600 |
TAS605 |
TAS615 |
TAS620 |
List Price |
$8,490 |
$10,990 |
$14,990 |
$20,990 |
Range |
7nm |
13nm |
17nm |
21nm |
Rel. Alt. |
±3,500ft |
±5,500ft |
±10,000ft |
±10,000ft |
Service Ceiling |
18,500ft |
55,000ft |
55,000ft |
55,000ft |
Heading |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Each of Avidyne's TAS600-Series models includes innovative
features such as Ground mode and Approach mode-which are designed
to eliminate 'nuisance' alerts, the ability to decode and display
squawk code and N-number of Mode S-equipped targets, and patented
top and bottom-mounted directional antennas for improved target
acquisition and tracking. In addition, all TAS600 systems have the
Avidyne-pioneered Heads Up Audible Position Alerting™
feature, which provides ATC-like aural annunciations of threat
aircraft.
All TAS600-Series models provide traffic information about any
transponder-equipped airplane that is nearby, independent of
whether the target aircraft has ADS-B equipment installed, and the
TAS600-Series are fully upgradeable to ADS-B. With the addition of
an ADS-B "In" signal, TAS600 customers have the ability to show
ADS-B-equipped traffic with better accuracy on their existing
TAS-compatible displays, in addition to any transponder-equipped
traffic that may not be participating in ADS-B.