Avionics News October 2014 - 76

TOUCHY-FEELY AVIONICS
Continued from page 75

Garmin's
GTN 650/750

Avidyne's
IFD540

AVIDYNE: A TOUCH OF EVOLUTION ...
IFD540/440 - R9 JUNIOR-PLUS
Start	with	the	intuitive	interface	of	Entegra	Release	9,	strip	out	
the	attitude	and	air-data	sensors,	squeeze	a	large-format	display	
into	the	space	of	a	popular	all-in-one	-	and	ice	it	with	a	touchsensitive	high-resolution	color	screen	as	the	tactile	half	of	its	
input	options.	Yes,	they	left	buttons.	The	operator	gets	to	choose.	
Otherwise,	with	the	exception	of	the	new	zoom	and	pan	
options	and	overall	control-input-by-touchscreen	option,	the	
IFD540	and	its	sibling	IFD440	mimic	almost	completely	the	
operational	interface	of	Entegra	R9.	That	includes	the	focus	on	
keeping	it	easy	to	stay	oriented	in	the	system.	
Avidyne's	"Page	&	Tab"	interface	lets	users	find	any	page	in	
the	system	within	two	clicks.	The	dedicated	knobs	and	buttons	
retain	what	many	pilots	prefer	for	frequent	use,	but	the	hybrid	
touch	duality	lets	pilots	execute	virtually	all	the	same	functions	
using	the	touchscreen	interface.
The	direct	control	options	only	scratch	the	surface.	Both	
the	540	and	440	accommodate	MultiTouch	actions,	including	
graphical	flight	plan	editing,	map	panning	and	pinch-to-zoom	
capability,	beyond	providing	the	option	to	switch	between	bezelmounted	buttons	and	knobs	and	the	touchscreen	input.	
GARMIN INTERNATIONAL:
TOUCHING MANY LEVELS
At	the	2009	NBAA	Convention,	avionics	maker	Garmin	
International	unveiled	the	G3000,	the	first	of	two	new	
integrated	cockpit	systems	in	the	pipeline.	A	major	expansion	
of	the	company's	integrated-panel	G1000,	this	Part	23-targeted	
package	adapted	full-color-display	touch-sensitive	control	
heads	to	manage	the	PFD	and	multifunction	displays.
A	year	later	at	the	2010	NBAA	gathering,	Garmin	
unwrapped	its	first	foray	into	Part	25	equipment	with	the	
G5000	system,	with	16X9-ratio	displays	in	14-	and	12-inch	
classes	-	with	a	color,	touch-sensitive	controller	dedicated	to	
each	display	screen.	
Meanwhile,	back	in	the	Part	23	realm	of	individual	
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october

2014

avionics	components,	many	wondered	whether	Garmin	
would	follow	up	on	the	unparalleled	success	of	its	groundbreaking	all-in-one	panel	twins,	the	GNS	530	and	its	smaller	
sibling,	the	GNS	430.
These	circa-1997	units	pioneered	the	combination	of	a	
TSO	C129a,	Class	A1	GPS	for	IFR	en	route,	terminal	and	
nonprecision	approaches,	along	with	a	760-channel	comm	
radio	(capable	of	more),	a	200-channel	VOR	receiver,	and	the	
full	ILS	ability	common	to	the	VHF-only	nav/comms	of	the	
day.	Further,	Garmin	developed	enhancements	that	allowed	
upgrading	them	to	WAAS	GPS	and	terrain	awareness	warning	
systems.
Until	recently,	the	GNS	twins	faced	no	competition	in	the	
all-in-one	market;	but	with	age	20	looming,	so	much	potential	
remained	unfulfilled.	So	Garmin	put	its	years	of	GNS	and	
G1000	user	experience	into	two	all-new	replacement	units:	the	
GTN	650	and	GTN	750.
Both	models	sport	screens	larger	than	their	predecessors	and	
integral	WAAS	GPS	navigators.	But	the	most-obvious	change	
is	on	the	outside:	a	larger,	full-color,	touch-sensitive	display	
and	input	screen.
No	question,	Garmin's	moves	toward	touch-control	systems	
help	keep	the	company	a	contender	in	integrated	avionics	
for	all	aircraft	levels,	whether	the	business-turbine,	Part	
25-oriented	G5000	or	the	Part	23	options:	G3000,	GTN	650	
and	GTN	750	for	piston	and	light-turbine	panels.
BENDIXKING BY HONEYWELL:
A LONG RIDE TO TOUCHDOWN
The	BendixKing	KSN	770;	it's	been	a	long	time	coming,	
but	it	finally	won	its	wings	early	enough	to	bask	in	the	glow	
of	AirVenture	2014	in	Oshkosh	last	July.	The	KSN	770	
crossed	the	finish	line	after	several	years	of	collaboration	and	
coordination	with	developmental	partner	Aspen	Avionics,	
pioneers	in	low-cost,	easily	installed	glass-cockpit	systems.
The	all-in-one	KSN	770	and	its	various	systems	-	both	
WAAS	GPS	and	VHF	hardware	-	are	tightly	integrated	
to	allow	the	navigator/MFD	to	work	collaboratively	with	
Aspen's	PFD	and	MFD	systems.
Additionally,	Aspen's	Connected	Cockpit	hardware	allows
Avionics News October 2014

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