Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014 - 35

Yes, it offers all the standard
features of the basic MFD and
the ability to play with hazard
sensors of a wide variety.
Owners of aircraft at the lowSTEP 1 – PICKING THE PACKAGE:
er end of the value strata find
ASSESS NEED, BUDGET
this combination to be suitable
& PROCEED
for their beloved birds.
More options exist today than
ever before for upgrading to
For the pilot flying higher-valglass-panel technology with opue and more-capable aircraft,
tions suitable for the widest range
it’s a small step up to the Pro
of aircraft ever available.
Version 1000 PFD and 1000
The buy-in, consequently,
MFD.
ranges from bargain level to busiThe step brings with it nuness-turbine stratospheric, and
merous other useful features,
the prices tend to match well with
including a multiple-sensor acaircraft at each level.
commodating, full-function HSI,
For example, the driver of an
backup batteries in both units,
older Beech Musketeer, Cessna
and the ability to back up one
Skyhawk, Piper Cherokee or
another.
other entry-level single may find
Bendix/King’s Apex Edge
attractive options like the Aspen
Series KFD 840 and KSN 770
Avionics Evolution 1000 package.
all-in one offer another option
Aspen’s most-affordable primary
for PFD and MFD, and so does
Aspen Avionics’ EFD1000
flight display is the PFD 1000
Avidyne’s Entegra series and
Pilot.
Garmin’s G500 and G600 all-inThe aircraft gains all the benone-box PFD/MFD options.
efits inherent in all glass-panel packages, including
At the top end of the scale, options exist to install
solid-state PFD with its cutting-edge features, such as:
Avidyne’s Release 9 Entegra, Garmin’s G900 or G1000
•
Integral ADAHRS, backup battery and
integrated avionics packages or Esterline CMC’s
emergency GPS.
SmartDeck or other product.
•
Integral altitude alerter.
These combine PFD, MFD, WAAS GPS, VHF radios
•
GPS flight plan map views: 360 degrees and
and more – but command the sort of prices and utility
arc.
that make them viable options for pilots flying high-end
•
Slaved directional gyro with heading bug.
piston and propjet singles, older light jets and multienThese sorts of features are common among most
gine propjets like the entire King Air line from Hawker
PFD options and the antithesis of the old model of
Beechcraft.
round dials for spinning-mass gyro instruments and
The point is to recognize that the space between an
aneroid-driven air-data gauges.
airplane’s value and the cost of the glass will be a senAmong the useful operating functions indigenous to
sitive point for many owners – and not a concern at all
most PFDs is auto dimming of the display at night. Asfor others who covet the benefits of glass.
pen’s units also boast the ability to toggle airspeeds,
The variety exists now and will likely grow even
flexible, programmable hot keys and a simple menu
wider in the coming years.
system to help the pilot manage the package.
Aspen’s packages plays well with all modern naviSTEP TWO – POWER SHIFTING: ELIMINATE
gators, including VHF and WAAS GPS systems – as
SUCTION POWER FOR ELECTRON POWER
do the majority of the options available.
Going glass in the cockpit provides an opportunity
A companion could be the Evolution 500 multifunction display.
Continued on following page…
edge that failures are rare and with
backup capability to counter such
rare events.

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Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2013-2014
