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Garmin G600 retrofit glass for production aircraft
 Garmin tipped its hand again, announcing its intent to deliver a retrofit glass cockpit solution for production aircraft in the second quarter of 2007. The G600 puts a primary flight display and multifunction display side by side in a common bezel and sized to fit the dimensions of most existing instrument six-packs in single- and light-twin-engine aircraft (10 inches wide by 6.7 inches high). The package will come with the displays, a single AHRS (attitude and heading reference system) and an air data computer, a magnetometer, and a temperature probe. The G600 requires a WAAS-compliant Garmin GPS navigator such as the GNS 430W, 530W, or 480 to be installed in the aircraft — certainly even more incentive for both Garmin to get these 430 and 530 units to market (projected for the third quarter of this year) and for owners to upgrade to WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) when they do. Functionality remains similar to that of the G1000 with a couple of minor tweaks. Expected list price for the G600, not including installation, is $29,772.
Mercury's VistaNav now has 3D traffic
Mercury Computer Systems' VistaNav, an electronic flight bag (EFB) with synthetic vision and 3D terrain depiction, now displays a unique 3D view of traffic and approach information. Traffic information is shown on a sphere for more immediate pilot understanding of traffic azimuth and altitude. The system components include an inertial navigation unit with solid-state gyros and WAAS-enabled GPS, a Motion Computing LS800 tablet PC, and an XM WX satellite weather interface. The company's booth has been hosting demos all week. IS&S offers glass cockpit retrofit for PC-12
 Innovative Solutions & Support displayed its latest STC (supplemental type certificate) — a glass cockpit solution for the Pilatus PC-12 turboprop. The two-screen system utilizes 15-inch displays in the PC-12's panel, dual AHRS (attitude and heading reference system), and integration with all standard avionics in the airplane, including the new Honeywell Bendix/King KFC 325 autopilot. The package can be installed by one of two dealers, Western Aircraft in Boise, Idaho, and Epps Aviation in Atlanta; total cost is well under $200,000, according to an IS&S spokesperson. The company has completed STCs on several transport-category and military aircraft. Forward Vision discounts FLIR to 100 buyers
Forward Vision, which produces a forward-looking infrared camera system for general aviation aircraft, announced at the show its offer to discount its system by $5,000 to the first 100 buyers. The FLIR's price? $9,995. Patrick Farrell, president of Forward Vision, said the investment by the company, which amounts to $500,000, is intended to help early adopters and owners of production aircraft, who will still have to go through a field-approval process to install the system. The pod-mounted camera delivers a high-contrast picture, day and night and in reduced visibility, to a liquid-crystal display in the cockpit. G900X retrofit for kitbuilt aircraft
Garmin expressed its interest in serving all facets of the general aviation market with the announcement today of its G900X glass cockpit solution for experimental aircraft. The G900X has the same basic profile as the G1000 system: A primary flight display and multifunction display, but with an autopilot interface that will support Garmin's digital autopilot but also those autopilots popular within the experimental market, such as TruTrak's. The G900X's initial rollout is for a select line of kits: the Lancair IV and IV-P, ES and ES-P; and Van's RV-10, RV-9/9A, and RV-7/7A; and with certain engines for those models. A small group of dealers will be tapped for delivery and inspection of the G900X, which is expected to retail for $66,745 and first deliver in the beginning of 2007. G1000 retrofit for King Air C90
Garmin and Executive Beechcraft, of Kansas City, Missouri, are teaming up to offer the first supplemental type certificate (STC) to retrofit the G1000 integrated flight system into cockpits of the Beechcraft King Air C90. The package will feature two 10.4-inch primary flight displays and a centrally located 15-inch multifunction display, plus dual audio panels, digital autopilot (the GMC 710), and a keypad. A mock-up of the panel went on display this week at Oshkosh. Initial STC development is for aircraft serial numbers that run roughly from 1988 C90s through the present-day C90GTs. The first STCed aircraft will be complete in spring 2007; no price had been fixed for the upgrade, though Garmin representatives guessed it to be in the $325,000 to $375,000 range. Back to AirVenture Main Page |
