Pilot Products

Bendix/King's brave new GPS

Bendix/King has been rightly criticized for being conservative almost to the point of distraction — for jumping on technology bandwagons late and, seemingly, with reluctance. Such a description, however, will not hold true very much longer. At the Helicopter Association International convention in Las Vegas in late January, Bendix/King representatives told us that the company will be fielding 18 new products in 1995.

Among the first out of the gates are the new KLN 89 and KLN 89B GPS receivers. (Though we did not fly with the KLN 89, we did spend considerable time at the Bendix/King booth twisting knobs on the display units.)

The 89 twins are in a few ways more advanced than the firm's earlier GPS, the KLN 90 series. An obvious change from the 90 is the 89's gas-discharge four-line dot-matrix display, instead of the expensive, heat-producing cathode-ray tube found on the KLN 90 GPS and the discontinued KLN 88 loran.

Bendix/King says the new display, which is red, to match the gas- discharge modules used throughout the Silver Crown line, offers good flexibility and a significant cost savings over the CRT. As proof, the KLN 89 not only carries a more sophisticated moving-map display, but in both VFR and IFR-approach-certified models will cost substantially less than the KLN 90B. Predicted costs are $3,800 for the strictly VFR KLN 89 and $4,800 for the IFR-approved KLN 89B; aside from the suffix designation and software changes, the 89s are identical.

Bendix/King has fitted the 89 with a moving-map display that's a generation ahead of the rudimentary map of the KLN 90. Where the 90 displays only airports and navaids, the 89's window offers the outlines of Class B and C airspace as well as Military Operations, Restricted, and Prohibited areas. Due to display constraints, interior details and altitudes of the airspace are not depicted. As a result, the KLN 89's map offers something more than the 90 but substantially less than dedicated moving-maps like the Argus series.

The new KLN 89s share Bendix/King's new XPRESS eight-channel parallel GPS engine. Introduced in the KLN 90B, the engine replaces what was a single-channel scanning unit; Bendix/King says that the parallel receiver affords greater accuracy, an important trait for IFR certification.

Other departures from the KLN 88 and 90 conventions include a move to a single concentric knob for data input. Display modes are annunciated by a small cursor hovering over legends imprinted on the faceplate, a la the KLX 135 GPS/comm introduced last year. In addition, the nearest- airport and present-position-save functions have been given their own buttons on the faceplate, rather than being buried in a combination of switch-pushes as in the KLN 90. Up front, you'll also notice a small datacard hiding along the left edge. This is a much more desirable way to exchange the Jeppesen-supplied datacards than with the KLN 90, which has datapack at the rear of the unit and requires removal from the radio rack for replacement. Also, as with the 90, the KLN 89's database can be updated via laptop computer through floppy disks.

Bendix/King expects to have the KLN 89 and 89B shipping by late spring.

In other show news, Bendix/King announced that the KLN 90B had finally received its TSO C129-A1 approval for nonprecision instrument approaches. The $8,495 GPS receiver was to have begun shipping immediately.

For more information, contact AlliedSignal General Aviation Avionics, 400 North Rogers Road, Olathe, Kansas 66062; telephone 913/768- 3000, facsimile 913/791-1302.

Skylark Products' Wind Jammer

Pilots of some airplanes — Mooneys and Pipers in particular — face a vexing problem. Just how are you supposed to secure the controls for an overnight stay outside? Until now, the solution has been to wrap a seat belt around the yoke. For some models, this is a less-than-ideal arrangement, scarring seatbelts and putting unnatural and potentially damaging loads on the control yoke.

Skylark Products has come to the rescue with the Wind Jammer. An exceptionally simple and effective device, the Wind Jammer slips between the crossbar of the yoke and either front seat to hold the controls in place. To install, you press the two rubber tips against the yoke and then slide the seat forward to hold the Wind Jammer in place.

We tried the Wind Jammer in an M20 Mooney and found it to work quite well. The rubber tipped ends fit the rather chunky Mooney yoke fine, and the curved opposite end of the Wind Jammer nestled firmly into the junction of the seat back and bottom. Even with moderate movement of the controls from inside or outside, the Wind Jammer stayed in place. About the only caveats we can offer: One, the Wind Jammer requires the elevator to be in the full-down position, which maybe isn't the best for parking head-on into a stiff breeze. And two, as Skylark points out, you might need to bring along a small pillow to keep leather seats from stretching and scarring. Our test Mooney has cloth inserts and didn't seem to mind the Wind Jammer one bit.

Made from steel tubing and painted a bright red, the Wind Jammer costs $38.95 plus shipping. For more information, contact Skylark Products, 5 Sageland Court, Scotts Valley, California 95066; telephone and facsimile 408/438-4829.

LogIT! Log book management software

If you wonder why logbooks need be as detailed as Flightcase Software's LogIT!, you haven't dealt with insurance companies, or with the FAA when applying for advanced ratings and certificates.

Want to rent a taildragger at the local airport? How much taildragger time do you have? Chances are, you don't have the exact figures at hand. Nor do you know precisely how much complex time (not just multiengine time) you have. And how often does the FBO ask you for time in make and model? (For some, it's every time you check out in a different aircraft.) When it is time for an advanced certificate, you'll have to go back through years of flights and add the numbers again; you'll probably find mistakes.

LogIT! for Windows promises to change all that. We were immediately impressed; at last, here's a software package that makes reading the instructions unnecessary. LogIT! slices and dices your flight information into a number of useful categories. In addition, corporate pilots will find they can give their bosses accurate expense reports at the push of a button. Although other popular flight planning programs do that as well, this one generates three-dimensional graphs of the data, something sure to please corporate executives planning the budget for their flight department.

The demo copy, which allows only 100 entries, seemed to run quite slowly. Eventually, the operating system issued a message saying that the "application" had stopped responding altogether. Turns out the computer used for the evaluation has only four megabytes of memory, and LogIT! requires a minimum of six. A new edition of the software due out in March promises to run better on four megabytes.

Other improvements are planned for this attractive program (it will look familiar to anyone who has used Microsoft software, since it is based on some elements of Microsoft Access). Flightcase plans to allow pilots to add customized columns; Army pilots have asked for columns recording time flown while wearing night vision goggles or engaging in terrain following, for example.

If you find yourself preparing resumes and need an attractive and accurate report of your flight time, this could be the package for you. Cost of LogIT! is $89.95 for a version that records logbooks for up to 10 pilots. When the pilot moves to a different job, he must make a copy of the whole program, company officials say. A different version, which will allow the pilot to export just his flight data to a spreadsheet program will cost $69.95. For LogIT! to work well, your 386-or-better computer needs Windows 3.1 and a minimum of six megabytes RAM.

For more information, contact Flightcase Software, 1374 Clarkson/Clayton Center, Ellisville, Missouri 63011; telephone 800/337- 3217. — Alton K. Marsh

The  Official Handbook of Aviation Forms for Pilots and Aircraft Owners

The plot isn't much, but the utility could hardly be greater. Need a VOR check log? A form for determining aircraft costs? Have a checkride coming up and forgot the FAA certificate application? It's all in the Official Handbook of Aviation Forms. All one need do is plop the book down on a copying machine, or tear the form out. An envelope tossed inside the back cover contains a NASA incident reporting form, an aircraft bill of sale, and an aircraft registration form. There's even an application for Department of Veterans Affairs flight training benefits.

Besides forms, the handbook lists sources of aeronautical information. There are phone numbers for all FAA computer bulletin boards, lists of aviation publications and organizations, phone numbers for FAA Flight Standards District Offices, and even a map showing fuel taxes by state.

The handbook is available for $39.95 plus shipping from Specialized Publications Company, 405 Main Street, Parkville, Missouri 64152; telephone 816/741-5151. — AKM

Jet Stream Aviation Products Pneumatic Boot System and Metal Polish

Aircraft detailing has never been considered fun, but the results of a couple of hours' worth of effort can make the difference between a run-of- the-mill airplane and a real head-turner.

Jet Stream Aviation Products' PBS Pneumatic Boot System, Metal Polish, and Mirror Image metal maintenance polish combine to make detailing deice boots and polishing metal an easier and more satisfying job.

Since we have limited access to booted aircraft, the boot sealant went directly to the line folks at Frederick Aviation at our home base in Frederick, Maryland. The line crew has been faithfully using BF Goodrich's Shinemaster and just as faithfully scowling at the thought of using Armorall or floor wax on boots.

Lineman Pat Robinson went to work on a Beech King Air 200 that had recently received new boots. Using a two-step process, Robinson applied Jet Stream's prep fluid to remove all the dirt, bugs and any residual boot treatment. Next comes the satisfying part — turning those matte-finished boots into wet-looking, glassy works of art. Robinson reported that the PBS left a deeper shine than Shinemaster. The application procedure is roughly the same for both products, said Robinson. "You have to strictly follow the instructions to get the best results."

Robinson noted that the PBS didn't streak and lasted longer. The King Air made numerous flights and returned with shiny boots for weeks, he said. The best part of the PBS system is that it costs less for more product. The PBS pair of 32-ounce bottles costs $42.43, while the Shinemaster costs $74 for a 32-ounce bottle of prep and only 16 ounces of sealant.

Next, we volunteered to use the metal polish on a twin with one new spinner and one old. Despite repeated recommendations by Jet Stream to use a buffer to polish spinners, we elected to polish them by hand. Jet Stream's metal polish, like that of its competitors, needed plenty of rubbing but did a much better job for the work invested. The texture is coarse — more like a heavy-duty rubbing compound than a polish. It seems to cut down to the shine faster than the others while still being gentle enough not to scratch.

On the old spinner, Jet Stream brought out a brilliant shine, and on the new spinner it looked almost as good as it did when it came out of the box last January. With the aid of a buffer, we think Jet Stream's metal polish can bring the most dulled finish up to nearly new status.

To keep the metal shining, the Mirror Image metal maintenance polish is designed to make subsequent touch-ups a quicker and easier affair. Mirror Image comes in a five-ounce roll that requires you to cut (it's tough to tear) a few inches off at a time. The product is much like Nevr-Dull (a similar pad-type household metal polish) in that for light duties it does a great job — but it costs five times as much as Nevr-Dull. The spinners' shine will last, providing you take a couple of minutes after every few flights or so, to touch it up. Jet Stream's Metal Polish is available in 4- or 16-ounce containers for $19.95 and $32.50 plus shipping. Mirror Image is available for $15.90 for a 5-ounce roll. For more information, contact Jet Stream Aviation Products, 7515 Lemmon Avenue Building J, Dallas, Texas 75209; 800/727-JETS. — Peter A. Bedell

Questair Digital OAT

For those who have a hard time reading the outside air temperature gauge in their airplanes, Questair Inc. has a new digital OAT gauge with easy- to-read, one-half-inch digits. The gauge allows the user to see Fahrenheit or Celsius measurements with resolution of a tenth of a degree.

Installed within a Soros Ventube (see " Pilot Products," February Pilot), the OAT made an attractive, even modern addition to a Cessna 172. During flights with the OAT, it becomes apparent that it takes the squint out of checking the temperature and requires only a quick glance.

For night flight, we would have preferred the OAT be backlit — to avoid fumbling for a flashlight to read the temperature — but neither was the original OAT lighted. In addition, an automatic shut-off feature would be nice, to save the hassle of replacing the watch battery. According to developer Fred Kantor, the battery should last 5,000 continuous hours, but he recommends changing it once a year.

A replacement OAT gauge is also available for most Pipers, substituting for the long "meat thermometer" that protrudes from the side windows or windshield. The new probe is a streamlined little button that is hardly noticeable. One user praised the OAT's probe because it won't rip his canopy cover like the meat thermometer.

The OAT retails for $69.98 plus $4.95 shipping and handling. For information and orders, contact Questair Inc., Post Office Box 1225, Orange, Connecticut 06477; 203/795-0611, facsimile 203/795-3291. — PAB

Unless otherwise stated, products listed herein have not been evaluated by AOPA Pilot editors. AOPA assumes no responsibility for products or services listed or for claims or actions by manufacturers or vendors. However, members unable to get satisfaction regarding products listed should advise AOPA. To submit products for evaluation, contact: New Products Editor, AOPA Pilot, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701; telephone 301/695-2350.