Seneca V Deployment Makes Piper the Only GA Company Offering
Advanced Glass Avionics in Every Segment
The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. tells ANN that that it will
offer Avidyne's FlightMax Entegra Integrated Flight Deck on the
Seneca V, one of the world's top-selling twin-engine piston
aircraft. The debut of the Entegra system in the Seneca V makes
Piper the only general aviation company to extend advanced glass
avionics from piston-engine singles to single-engine turboprops, to
twin-engine pistons.
"With the introduction of the Entegra system, the Seneca V sets
a new standard by providing an integrated flight deck as standard
equipment and the first multi-engine version of Avidyne's
EMax™ electronic Engine Instrumentation," said Piper
President and CEO James K. Bass. "This major product innovation in
the Seneca V marks Piper's commitment to bringing the latest and
best technology to our customers as soon as it is available."
The FlightMax Entegra system, designed and manufactured by the
Avidyne Corporation of Lincoln, MA, consists of systems more
commonly found on corporate jet aircraft. The Entegra system
centers on two 10.4-inch diagonal, high-resolution,
sunlight-readable displays, including an EXP5000 primary flight
display (PFD) with integrated solid-state air data and
attitude/heading reference system (ADAHRS) and primary engine
instruments.
The EX5000
multi-function display (MFD) in the Seneca V provides a
full-feature moving map and comes standard with the first
multi-engine implementation of EMax. The EX5000, also implemented
in the Piper Mirage and Piper Meridian, is the first large-format
MFD for general aviation that can display data from the RDR 2000
digital airborne weather radar system and from optional XM WX
satellite weather and Avidyne's MultiLink™ datalink services.
Additional options include Avidyne's FlightCenter™ services
for flight tracking and two-way text messaging capabilities, an
autopilot with integrated Flight Director, autopilot mode
annunciations and integrated altitude pre-selector on the EXP5000,
and CMax™ Jeppesen JeppView® electronic chart
display.
"Piper remains at the forefront of bringing new technology to
our customers," said Piper Vice Chairman Chuck Suma, who announced
the debut of the Entegra system in the Seneca V during a news
conference held here today. "By extending this advanced technology
to our premier twin-engine aircraft, we simplify our customer's
workload and provide them with the tools that allow for more
extensive missions and flight profiles. Pilots of these
high-performance aircraft expect a lot, and these integrated glass
systems deliver."
Avidyne President Dan Schwinn called the
introduction "another important industry first" and cited it as
another milestone in the partnership between Piper and Avidyne in
bringing the best to their customers. "It is," he said, " another
building block in the continuous innovation process that our
companies are pledged to maintain."
EMax displays manifold pressure, RPM, fuel flow, and oil
pressure on the PFD for each of the Seneca's 220 horsepower
turbocharged engines. On the MFD, the system also shows all six
cylinder head temperatures (CHT), turbine inlet temperatures (TIT),
oil pressure, outside air temperature (OAT), and electrical bus
voltages. EMax fuel management functions include fuel remaining,
nautical miles per gallon, fuel-to-waypoint and
fuel-to-destination. Power management tools include a lean assist
function and a percent horsepower display for accurate power
settings. EMax also provides data logging capability of critical
engine performance parameters, which are downloadable via the MFD
data port in a standard spreadsheet format for easy analysis.
CMax provides instant display of Jeppesen JeppView electronic
charts on the EX5000. On the ground, the aircraft position is
automatically shown on the airport diagram for positional awareness
while taxiing. In flight, the CMax system shows the aircraft
position and flight plan on the selected approach plate to give the
pilot excellent situational awareness. CMax simplifies and speeds
access to needed charts, including instrument departure and
terminal arrival procedures, while maintaining an organized cockpit
environment during high workload phases of flight.
Avidyne's exclusive MultiLink technology integrates Avidyne's
two-way, route-specific Narrowcast Datalink weather system with XM
WX broadband satellite download of weather conditions from across
the continental United States. XM WX satellite weather includes
full-color NEXRAD, graphical and textual METARs, AIRMETs, SIGMETs,
TFRs, winds aloft, and lightning strike data displayed on the
EX5000 multi-function display (MFD). MultiLink also provides access
to Avidyne's FlightCenter suite of datalink services including
flight tracking and two-way air-to-ground messaging.
The Seneca V has long enjoyed a reputation of being one of the
most sophisticated and luxurious aircraft in general aviation. With
its twin, turbocharged 220 hp engines, it is known for its
reliability and high performance. The Seneca V boasts cabin-class
luxury and power that delivers more than 200 knots cruise at 21,000
feet and a maximum operating altitude of 25,000 feet.
"The introduction of the Entegra system in the Seneca V shows
Piper's dedication to remaining one of general aviation's major
proponents of safety and value," said Molly Martin Pearce, New
Piper's Director of Dealer Relations & Sales. "This clearly
takes the Seneca V - an aircraft that has always been an
acknowledged leader in general aviation - to a new and
unprecedented level of sophistication and value."