Avidyne First To Certify XM Satellite Weather Interface For The Piston-Single Through Very-Light-Jet Market

Avidyne has announced they have received Technical Standard Order (TSO) approval for the XM WX Satellite Weather and Heads Up Technologies XM receiver interface for their FlightMax® Entegra display systems.

TSO approval for the XM weather interface was awarded to Avidyne on September 22.

Adding support for XM weather continues the company’s trend of innovation and industry leadership. Avidyne started the multifunction display revolution with its FlightMax MFD line, and was first to certify an all-glass integrated flight deck system for single engine piston aircraft  with the FlightMax Entegra system.

“We are very pleased to be the first to provide the choice of XM weather capability for the single engine through very light jet market,” said Mark Sandeen, Avidyne’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Heads Up has proven to be an excellent partner and we are happy to be working with them to bring XM weather to market.”

“We're proud to work with Avidyne to provide the XM weather receiver for FlightMax products,” said Rob Harshaw, President and CEO of Heads Up Technologies. “This TSO approval demonstrates Avidyne’s commitment to continuous innovation and market leadership.”

“We are very excited about working with Avidyne and Heads Up,” said Roderick MacKenzie, XM Satellite Radio’s Director of Advanced Applications. “The XM service allows pilots to make better-informed decisions in all weather conditions.”

The addition of XM Satellite Weather means Avidyne’s FlightMax customers will have access to high-speed updates of high resolution NEXRAD, graphical and plain English METARs, AIRMETs, SIGMETs, and TFRs. In addition, the service provides lightning data from the National Lightning Detection Network while operating over the continental United States.  FlightMax customers on the Aviator Lite service will be able to display NEXRADs, graphical & textual METARs and TFRs. FlightMax customers on the XM WX’s Aviator plan will be able to display NEXRADs, graphical & textual METARs, AIRMETs, SIGMETs, TFRs, and Lightning.

Avidyne’s FlightMax EX500, EX5000, and Entegra systems are being offered with XM WX as an option, and existing systems are fully upgradeable for those customers who wish to add the XM WX broadcast weather. XM WX subscription services are available at $49.99 for the Aviator Service and $29.99 for Aviator Lite.

FMI: www.avidyne.com, www.heads-up.com, www.xmradio.com/weather