Avionics News July 2014 - 52

AVIDYNE'S IFD540

Continued from page 51

But for those who desire a
higher level of protection - or
who need a higher level of TAWS
performance - Avidyne offers
a future software option that
qualifies the IFD540's TAWS
capabilities at the B level, and for
far less than adding stand-alone
TAWS-B capabilities costs.
And there's far more to the
IFD540 than simply a new model to compete with other
all-in-ones produced by other manufacturers.
IFD540 from the beginning:
Twist, remove, replace, re-twist,
paperwork
To a (barely) patient order holder who visited with
a reporter at this year's Sun 'n Fun, the appeal of the
IFD540 was immediate and obvious.
"The screen's larger, the features set deeper, the price
competitive," this pilot explained, and the installation
difference was a major factor in his buying decision.
"I'll remove the old unit, slide in the 540, tighten the
fastener, and my dealer will still be completing the
paperwork."
Avidyne noted the IFD540 can play well with several
more accessories - more than 180 so far.
The aircraft owner also noted that other products
"require a bigger panel cut-out, re-wiring the connector
and some devices, and, of course, more work to hook up
the antennae and power."
The IFD540's display measures 4.75-by-3.5 inches
and 5.7 inches diagonally. The display can reproduce
more than 65,000 colors.
Screen sizes notwithstanding, the IFD540 measures
much larger where the features meet the pilot in
command.
R9 in a box
If Avidyne's Entegra Release 9 system set a new mark
for ease of use, the IFD540 starts at that point and raises
the bar further with its input options: knobs and buttons
performing set functions.
Two steps to go anywhere you need, and if the feature
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july

2014

exists in R9, it exists in the IFD540; plus a few not in
the R9 package.
The most obvious addition for the IFD540 is the
touchscreen technology that combines with familiar
dedicated buttons.
For pilots, adapting should be a snap. Avidyne
believes the basic operation of the IFD540 is both so
familiar and logical that pilots will be able to operate it
with no additional training - until they decide they want
to take the many shorter paths to a function.
And those not so versed? According to Steve
Jacobson, Avidyne's vice president of product
management, pilots starting cold turkey will need a
minimal amount of training.
But with its touchscreen control so greatly expanded
and simplified, it's unlikely that IFD540 pilots will
use bezel controls for long - or often. "When the air
is rough, the simplified interface still pays off in the
reduced number of steps required to perform any
function," Jacobson explained. "And only two steps to
get you back from anywhere."
Geo-fill, anticipation, it's R9 in a stack
The carryover to the IFD540 from the Entegra R9 GUI
(graphic user interface) is a bonus for any user coming
to the Avidyne line from any other company's products -
either integrated or panel-mounted.
Consider the following worthwhile features carried
over from the R9 package.
Flight-plan building
The IFD540 anticipates what you need as well as
what you're trying to do, rather than forcing users to
Continued on page 54
Avionics News July 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News July 2014
