Garmin G500, Other Upgrades Installed By Kitchener Aero
Avionics
A unique cockpit/avionics update has been made to a special
Canadian aircraft ... the Vintage Wings of Canada museum’s
(VWoC) Canadair Sabre 5 (F86 Sabre), aka the Discovery Air
“Hawk One.”
Kitchener Aero Avionics (KAAV) has just completed an extensive
upgrade of the cockpit of this unique and valuable piece of
Canadian aviation history. This centerpiece of the installation is
a Garmin G500 Integrated Flight Display System. The modification
program was started in February 2011 and took six weeks to
complete.
Even though this aircraft has been operational for many years,
the avionics package was extremely dated and becoming increasingly
unreliable. As the aircraft has become such an important part of
aviation events across the country it became clear to the operators
that an update to the avionics
systems would be beneficial and a worthwhile investment.
“When first approached by Vintage Wings regarding the
upgrade, one of my first calls was to Garmin,” said Barry
Aylward. “I spoke with Jim Alpiser, Director of Aviation
Aftermarket Sales at Garmin, and they knew of this particular
aircraft and agreed that the G500 would be a great compliment to
aid in modernizing the avionics. They immediately expressed an
interest in working with us to make this project happen.”
"Hawk One" Cockpit Before
The heart of Hawk One’s new avionics suite is the Garmin
G-500 Flight Display System – a significant part of the
“glass cockpit” revolution. It offers most of the
advantages and features of this revolutionary glass technology
– like SVT Synthetic Vision. The G500 System includes digital
AHRS attitude/heading reference & AirData capability, replacing
the old Gyro Systems. In Hawk One the installation of the Garmin
G500 Integrated Flight Display System includes a Garmin radio
package featuring a GNS 430W and Nav/Com/GPS. In all 28 older
avionics items plus wiring and support structure were removed
from the aircraft in the nose, main panel and avionics bay. The new
package is smaller, lighter, and more reliable, and has far more
features and capability.
"Hawk One" Cockpit After
“It was becoming increasing frustrating to operate Hawk
One with antique avionics package,” explained VWoC’s
President Rob Fleck. “Dispatch reliability is key to any
aviation operation and we needed to improve Hawk
One’s.” When the decision was finally made to upgrade
Hawk One’s avionics systems, the team turned to KAAV.
“I have been working with Kitchener Aero for more than 25
years and it was clear that they had the knowledge and the passion
to complete this very unusual project. There was no one else we
would trust with our jet.” Further, the installation of
modern avionics has permitted VWoC to work with Nav Canada to
develop a programme that will permit more efficient flight profiles
when transiting Hawk One from show to show, yielding significant
fuel savings. “We are privileged to have had the
opportunity work with VWoC and Garmin on an upgrade to this
wonderful aircraft. It was an honour, and we are all thrilled with
the result,” said Aylward.
This aircraft is a tribute to the very special men and women of
our nation’s armed forces past, present, and future and
brings back many memories for all who see it.
ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (06.29.25)
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