Avidyne unveils smaller retrofit glass

Avidyne announced at Oshkosh today a new 8-inch primary flight display meant to fit in most common general aviation airplanes.

The new PFD4000, a six-pack replacement, is the smallest of Avidyne’s Entegra line, and will now make it possible for more owners to retrofit with the company’s glass display offerings. “It will help us get into airplanes where our 10.4-inch product wouldn’t fit,” said Tom Harper, marketing director.

It employs a remote ADAHRS and requires only 3.5 inches of depth behind the panel. Certification is expected in mid-2009, and a company spokesman said the cost will be in line with that of Garmin’s G600.

Available as an option for the PFD4000 will be Avidyne’s synthetic and enhanced vision systems—currently under development for the company’s entire display line. Synthetic vision is a database of terrain information that gives the pilots a three-dimensional view of the airplane’s flight path. Avidyne said its version will feature highway in the sky technology, a series of boxes indicating the airplane’s flight plan on the 3-D display.

Pricing and availability are to be announced at a future date.