Today’s Top Pick is a 1999 Diamond DA20-A1 Katana.

For many pilots in North America the Diamond DA20 served as an introduction to the Austrian aircraft manufacturer that more recently brought us advanced models such as the DA62 light twin and DA50 RG high-performance single. The DA20, which dates to the early 1990s, is a distinctive composite design that incorporates a T-tail and several features reflecting the company’s history building gliders. At a time when a lot of flight students were learning in decades-old Cessna 150s, the DA20 made a big impression on the ramp.

While this DA20 would be a sensible addition to a flight school’s fleet it also makes a strong case as a personal airplane for one or two people who like to travel efficiently and on a budget. It cruises faster and has a more modern, comfortable cockpit than older two-seat light aircraft yet still appeals to traditionalists who prefer a control stick over a yoke. The airplane’s combination of responsive handling, control feel, and visibility helped it develop a following over the decades.

This DA20 has 735 hours since new on the airframe, its 125 hp Continental IO-240-B engine, and Sensenich propeller. The panel includes a BendixKing KX125 TSP nav/com, Garmin GNS 430, GMA 340 audio panel, GTX 330 transponder, davtron M800 digital chronometer, and digital OAT gauge.

Pilots looking for a modern, economical 2-place personal aircraft for commuting, time-building, training or travel should consider this 1999 Diamond DA20-A1 Katana, which is available for $99,900 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

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TKM Avionics—which has recently gone out of business—promised a drop-in replacement for the KX 155, and it looked almost exactly like this. It’s almost as if it bought the design and finished it—though that is pure speculation on the part of those who had seen both units.

The radio has an SD card database that will help identify frequencies to help with situational awareness. That’s a welcome feature. Several others include:

• High-resolution color LCD
• 50-channel memory presets
• 25 kilohertz or 8.33 kh channel spacing
• Full-featured digital nav/com with VOR, LOC, ILS, and glide slope
• Compatible with existing indicators and installed equipment
• Compatible with 14- and 28-volt systems
• Possibility to expand capabilities with future Honeywell Anthem cockpit connectivity
• Two-year warranty

Prices vary by installer, but one option is currently available for $4,489 from Pacific Coast Avionics.

“The price is high, but in avoiding an expensive visit with the avionics installer, it could save a bit of labor and a lot of downtime—and downtime is very expensive for operators who need the plane aloft to make money,” according to Plane & Pilot contributor and Mooney owner Jeremy King, who took a good look at the new model during the air show. 

However, King gives at least one caveat: “While it’s advertised as a digital replacement for the KX-155, its outputs are not digital—so while it will work fine with legacy CDIs or HSIs, it won’t play well with instruments that require a digital signal, such as Garmin’s G5.”

The post Honeywell Debuts New KX 200 Nav/Com Radio appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Classic: Cessna 182T Turbo Skylane

The original approachable aircraft, with a blend of utility and ease of handling, the Cessna 182T Turbo Skylane balances the needs of most pilots traveling with an adult companion (and a child or two) into the city for a long weekend.

With a 235 hp turbocharged Lycoming TIO-540-AK1A engine up front, the Skylane can climb up to 20,000 feet msl and cruise at a stately 165 ktas. We like how the Garmin GI 275 electronic flight instrument takes its spot in the panel to back up the Garmin G1000 NXi integrated flight deck, starting with the 2021 models.

• READ MORE: Airports for Your Fly-In to Chattanooga

You can make it nonstop from your home base up to 971 nm away—and with a takeoff distance of 1,385 feet and landing distance of 1,350 feet (both over a 50-foot obstacle), you won’t need half of the runway at Chattanooga’s Lovell Field to get in, leaving you a great margin of safety.

Fast: Mooney M20 Series

Because life comes at you fast, you may want to fly faster—and that’s where the storied Mooney line excels. A case in point is the Mooney M20 series, which runs to the M20R, the Ovation. It caps off the M-series manufactured in a range of variants from 1955 through 2019. The Ovation proved popular from its launch in 1994 for its 280 hp Continental IO-550 powerplant (de-rated from 300 hp). From that max power setting, the Ovation can cruise up to 190 ktas, should you desire—and you will need the speed brakes on the descent so that you don’t hit the redline: VNE is 195 knots indicated. Economy mode also shines in the Ovation with the ability to keep a respectable 176 ktas while burning just more than 10 gph and ranging past 1,200 nm.

• READ MORE: Destination: Chattanooga

Up front, the M20 series had a variety of evolving avionics in the stack; models beginning in 2005 featured the Garmin G1000 integrated flight deck. It may just be the two of you; however, the useful load isn’t a strong suit, though the latest company ownership is working on a gross weight increase for the series.

Modern: Van’s RV-14A

Want to expand your options, when it comes to fuel economy, speed, and innovation in the panel? The Van’s Aircraft RV-14A should be on your radar—even if you don’t plan to build the airplane yourself. The RV series of experimental aircraft offer an unmatched level of user-friendly builds and pilot-friendly designs.

Normally matched to a 210 hp Lycoming IO-390 Thunderbolt engine, the RV-14A is the tricycle gear version—there’s also a tailwheel model. Both seat two people and feature a cruise speed of about 176 ktas. At that speed, you can expect a range of 815 nm.

Pilots put everything from a Garmin G3X Touch to experimental options from Dynon, OP Technologies, and GRT Avionics in the flight deck. Autopilots by TruTrak (now BendixKing) and Garmin help lighten the load on a long cross-country flight.

This article was first published in the 2022 Southeast Adventure Guide of FLYING Magazine.

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Since first introduced to the market in the mid-50s, the M20 has morphed from a small four-seat single engine piston with manual gear and flaps to a true utility airplane. While the latest versions, the M20V Acclaim Ultra and M20U Ovation Ultra, are equipped with an integrated avionics suite—the G1000 NXi with the GFC700 autopilot—there are still many M20s that are potential candidates for the AeroCruze 100. There are approximately 6,200 M20s flying today, according to Kevin Hawley, chief engineer for Mooney International Corporation, many of which could benefit from the increased safety and ease of operation an autopilot system provides.

BendixKing is nearly finished with the ground and flight tests required for the STC, and the company expects to have the approval from the FAA within the next few weeks. The STC will cover the M20B, M20C, M20D, M20E, M20F, M20G, M20J, M20K, M20L, M20M, M20R, M20S, M20TN, M20U and M20V.

The current price for the AeroCruze 100 system is $5,200 including the system itself and the installation kit. The system is available in a two-inch round, three-inch round and a rectangular configuration.

The post BendixKing to Offer Autopilot for Mooney M20-series Airplanes appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Honeywell has added to the number of aircraft that can utilize it three-axis AeroCruze 230 autopilot—adding those airplanes with the BendixKing KFC 200 installed to the list. The AeroCruze 230 is now compatible with more than 35 aircraft models, including the Beechcraft Baron and Bonanza, twin Cessnas, Mooneys, and the Piper Malibu, Mirage, and Seneca. It boasts the only touchscreen autopilot interface in general aviation, according to Honeywell’s press release, and it offers automatic wings level—which will return the airplane to level flight with one button push if the pilot cannot recover from an unusual attitude, or during convective or turbulent weather. The autopilot is capable of couple approaches and altitude pre-select; a yaw damper function comes separately.

Starting at a retail price of $9,800, the AeroCruze 230 is a form-fit replacement for the BendixKing KFC 150 and KFC 200—using the servos that are already in place in the airplane. Expected downtime is reduced as a result, going from three weeks normally to just one week, according to the company. With the installation, owners get an automatic two-year addition to the warranty on their existing servos, as applicable.

The post BendixKing Expands AeroCruze Autopilot Compatibility appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

On August 28, the FAA published an emergency airworthiness directive (AD) 2020-18-51 for certain Sandia attitude indicators with a part number (P/N) 306171-10 or 306171-20 installed, as well as those marketed as BendixKing Model KI-300 or Sandia Model SAI-340A.

This emergency AD was prompted by an initial report of three failed attitude indicators (P/N 306171-10) and, after a thorough investigation, a total of 54 failed attitude indicators with the same part number. The failure of these units can create erroneous attitude data provided to the pilot and autopilot, if equipped. In some instances, the pilot may be unaware the data is erroneous or unreliable. In other instances, where the aircraft is equipped with multiple displays, the pilot may be provided with conflicting information, but will have no way to determine which display contains the correct data.

If not addressed, these failures could result in aeronautical decision-making based on erroneous attitude information, which may result in loss of control. The emergency AD requires, before further flight, revising the existing airplane flight manual for each affected aircraft prohibiting operation under IFR or night VFR, as well as prohibiting these units to couple with the autopilot. As it relates to this AD, attitude indicator P/N 306171-20 is identical to P/N 306171-10 and is also affected by the same unsafe condition.

The post Emergency AD Issued For Sandia & BendixKing Attitude Indicators appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Next came active-matrix LCD displays and early versions of synthetic vision, which represented an important technological leap but still were priced out of the reach of most buyers. Again, early adopters couldn’t reach for their checkbooks fast enough, while the majority of pilots watched the market with curiosity but without any overwhelming compulsion to upgrade their old but serviceable six-pack instrument clusters with the shiny new glass displays.

Fast-forward to 2018 and that’s all changing. Suddenly, prices for retrofit avionics have come way down and functionalities have exploded. After the FAA relaxed avionics certification rules a couple of years ago, products originally destined for the Experimental market, such as the Garmin G5 display and Dynon D10A EFIS, were made available to owners of Part 23 piston airplanes for enticingly low prices. Those who faced expensive repair bills to fix or replace older electromechanical instruments realized they could make the relics in their panels magically disappear forever by purchasing a new solid-state EFIS with built-in inertial sensors and backup battery for about the same price as a replacement mechanical ADI.

The FAA sweetened the pot last year by allowing approval of non-TSO’d autopilots in Part 23 airplanes. Suddenly, an owner of an aging piston airplane like a Cessna Skylane or Piper Archer could upgrade to state-of-the-art glass displays and autopilots from a half-dozen manufacturers for prices that make sound economic sense.

While this revolutionary change was occurring at the low end of the market, several avionics-makers began introducing highly capable retrofit avionics systems for high-performance piston airplanes, turboprops and light jets that could transform dinosaurs into technological beasts boasting the same capabilities, or in some cases better capabilities, than new airplanes rolling out of the factory.

Clearly, the market for retrofit avionics has matured beyond the early adopter stage. According to the Aircraft Electronics Association, retrofit avionics sales exploded last year, surging more than 20 percent over the previous year. So far this year the trend is continuing, with retrofit avionics sales rising another 12.6 percent versus last year. We’re well into the “early majority” stage that product marketers so covet, soon to be followed by the “late majority” of buyers and finally the “laggards” who will upgrade their crusty old Skyhawks only after everyone else on the field is already flying with upgraded avionics.

Of course, there will always be those pilots who prefer flying with round instruments to glass, and that’s OK — but let’s face it: They haven’t made it this far in the article to know we’re talking about them.

For the rest of us — the “majority” of pilots, who understand the value of the latest cockpit technology — we want to know what the newest products to hit the market can do for us and what they cost. On the next pages we’ll take a look at what’s new in the retrofit avionics market today.

Piston Airplane Avionics

When the FAA a couple of years ago relaxed approval standards for certain avionics in certified Part 23 airplanes, it opened a pathway for manufacturers to skip the lengthy and expensive TSO certification pathway and create new products for general aviation based on ASTM standards rather than the cumbersome DO-178 standards for software, in the process sometimes slashing millions of dollars from the development costs of a single product. By achieving parts manufacturing approval (PMA) and supplemental type certification (STC) for products more typical of Experimental-category avionics, manufacturers were able to bring prices down considerably for hundreds of types through the approved model list (AML) process. Even the avionics manufacturers themselves say they did not anticipate how quickly aircraft owners would adopt these products, but it turns out that the combination of lower prices and additional capabilities makes for a winning formula.

While a stand-alone display will add some nifty capabilities to an older airplane, to truly bring your cockpit into the modern age, a complete panel retrofit is the way to go. It’ll cost more, but nowhere near the astronomically high price of a cockpit overhaul just a decade ago as products have greatly improved and the prices have come down to earth.

Garmin G500 TXI and G600 TXI

Touchscreens are going mainstream, and why not? As long as an alternative means of entering information in turbulence is offered, touch interfaces clearly are superior, as we all learned the first time we picked up an iPad. Garmin’s new touch-series cockpits, the G500 TXi and G600 TXi, incorporate touchscreens and superfast computer processors that support lightning-quick map and chart rendering, fast panning and single-finger zoom and pinch-to-zoom capabilities.

Three TXi display sizes are available, offering flexibility for panel configurations. Our favorite is the large 10.6-inch display, which just looks right in the panel of an airplane like a Beech Bonanza. There are also two versions of 7-inch displays, in portrait and landscape orientations. The 10.6-inch display can operate as a PFD, MFD or optional integrated engine indication display. The 7-inch portrait display can be dedicated to any one of those functions, while the 7-inch landscape unit is available exclusively as an engine display. The G500 TXi system is intended for Part 23 Class I/II aircraft under 6,000 pounds, and the G600 TXi for Class III aircraft weighing up to 12,500 pounds.

When the TXi series is paired with a GTN 650/750 touch-screen navigator, Connext wireless connectivity offers additional capabilities. Flight Stream 510 is an option with the GTN 650/750, which enables Database Concierge, the wireless transfer of aviation databases from the Garmin Pilot app on a mobile device to a GTN and the TXi system. Flight Stream 510 can also share information with compatible mobile devices running Garmin Pilot or ForeFlight Mobile, including two-way flight-plan transfer, traffic, weather, GPS information and backup attitude information.

Here’s the quick rundown of prices: The 10.6-inch G500 TXi display is $15,995, the 7-inch display is $11,995; the 10.6-inch G600 TXi display is $24,995, and the 7-inch display is $18,995.

BendixKing AeroVue Touch

BendixKing has been on a roll lately, introducing several new products that are turning heads and giving competitors reason to believe the storied brand is back in a big way.

The new AeroVue Touch cockpit introduced this spring is a single-box PFD retrofit option for certified general aviation aircraft that will be available for installation on 353 different aircraft types through an AML STC. AeroVue Touch features a 10.1-inch touchscreen and a “near-4K” high-resolution display offering the choice of a full-screen PFD or a split-screen shared with a moving map and other flight information. Large display buttons and infrared scanning allow easy use even by gloved hands, BendixKing says, and shallow menus provide access to all system functions with a maximum of four touches.

Additional features of the cockpit include Honeywell’s SmartView synthetic-vision system, 2D and 3D moving maps and taxi diagrams, and VFR sectional charts and IFR high- and low-altitude charts. Pilots can update databases via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth or through a dedicated USB-C port.

Future software updates are slated to include engine parameter indications, radios and autopilot control. AeroVue Touch is priced at $12,590. BendixKing expects to submit the STC documentation to the FAA this month.

Dynon Skyview HDX

Dynon Avionics made its mark in aviation with a highly capable portfolio of products for the Experimental market. Now, the company is beginning to seriously encroach on the market for certified avionics. It has received its first supplemental type certificate for the SkyView HDX avionics system aimed initially at older Cessna Skyhawks. Cessna owners can now replace the vast majority of their legacy instruments with a SkyView HDX system offering complete primary flight instrumentation and a whole lot more.

The SkyView HDX cockpit includes synthetic vision angle of attack indication and engine monitoring with CHTs, EGTs, fuel flow, fuel computer and lean assist. Dynon’s integrated two-axis autopilot also earns approval for IFR-approach capability when SkyView is integrated with a compatible GPS navigator. The approved installation includes a Mode S transponder with 2020-compliant ADS-B Out capability and moving map with ADS-B traffic and weather overlay. The backup flight instrument is the Dynon D10A, which has a built-in backup battery.

A complete SkyView HDX system costs about $20,000, plus $2,000 to purchase the STC. The initial approved model list covers Cessna 172F, 172G, 172H, 172I, 172K, 172L, 172M, 172N, 172P, 172Q, 172R and 172S models, and you can expect a diverse line of aircraft types to follow.

Aspen E5

Aspen Avionics has followed the path forged by Dynon and Garmin by introducing its own non-TSO’d electronic flight instruments for owners of Part 23-certified airplanes. Aspen’s new Evolution E5 flight instrument, unveiled this spring, is essentially the same unit as the latest certified Aspen products but with features geared toward buyers looking to keep costs in check.

The Evolution E5 display consolidates traditional attitude indicator, directional gyro and course deviation indicator instruments into a single display that retails for just under $5,000. The E5 unit also includes global positioning system steering (GPSS) and air-data computer and attitude heading reference system (ADAHRS), as well as a backup battery. Aircraft owners can also upgrade to the Evolution E5 display and a compatible TruTrak Vizion autopilot for less than $10,000, Aspen says.

What we like best about the E5 6-inch active-matrix LCD is that it’s brighter and more vibrant than previous Evolution displays, while retaining Aspen’s ingenious form factor intended to keep installation costs down by slotting into the panel space of electro­mechanical attitude and heading indicators.

Turboprop Retrofits

When we talk about retrofits for turboprops, what we primarily mean is the market for King Air upgrades, since many thousands of these airplanes continue to serve admirably for their owners with hull values that can justify spending a fairly substantial chunk of change to transform the flight deck into a masterpiece. All it takes is one flight in a King Air with any of the latest retrofits from the major avionics manufacturers before you decide you never want to go back to round dials or older EFIS screens again. These cockpits are so good that you’ll totally forget you’re flying an airplane that left the factory decades ago. Here are three newer King Air avionics upgrade options worth considering.

BendixKing AeroVue

BendixKing’s AeroVue cockpit is the latest to receive FAA certification in the Beechcraft King Air 200, bringing “business jet technology and functionality” to the twin turboprop’s cockpit. We visited BendixKing’s test center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to put that claim to the test and came away impressed. The AeroVue cockpit for the King Air is a worthy competitor from a company that’s clearly focused on regaining a leadership position in the market.

The AeroVue integrated avionics package is similar in form and function to the Apex glass cockpit in the Pilatus PC-12 NG turboprop single, which pilots have been raving about since its introduction.

The AeroVue system incorporates three high-resolution 12-inch LCDs featuring Honeywell’s SmartView synthetic-vision system. AeroVue also includes a full flight management system and HUD-like symbology on the primary flight display. The flight deck includes an excellent cursor control device mounted on the center console next to an alphanumeric keypad.

The AeroVue system weighs 125 pounds less than currently installed equipment, allowing King Air B200 owners to carry more payload. All the avionics boxes are mounted in the nose rather than behind the panel for ease of maintenance. Price is competitive with the King Air G1000 retrofit cockpit from Garmin, with a fly-away price predicted at between $300,000 and $425,000, depending on what options the buyer picks.

Garmin G1000 NXi

Garmin’s G1000 NXi is a faster, modernized successor to the original G1000 cockpit now available in the King Air 200 and 300/350 models. Thanks to its improved computer processors, the system supports faster map rendering and smoother panning throughout the displays, which now initialize within seconds after start-up.

Garmin’s Connext wireless connectivity can optionally transfer aviation databases from the Garmin Pilot app on a mobile device to the G1000 NXi, as well as support two-way flight plan transfer, the sharing of traffic, weather, GPS information and backup attitude data with compatible mobile devices running Garmin Pilot or ForeFlight mobile.

G1000 NXi also supports geographical map overlays within the HSI of the PFD, as well as animated Nexrad graphics, FIS-B weather, weather radar, SafeTaxi airport diagrams, traffic and terrain information, and a whole lot more.

Price to upgrade G1000 to NXi in the King Air is about $53,000 plus installation, while a from-scratch install will cost an estimated $350,000 to $450,000.

Sandel Avilon

Sandel is attacking the King Air retrofit market with a retrofit cockpit called Avilon that is unusual for a few reasons, most notably its “guaranteed” installed price of $175,000, well below the price of cockpits from Garmin, Rockwell Collins and BendixKing.

The Avilon avionics system includes four large LCD flight displays, two smaller data-entry touchscreens, radios, flight management computers, dual AHRS, audio panel, ADS-B-compliant Mode S transponder, and flight director/autopilot (minus the autopilot servos, which are retained).

That’s a lot of features for not a lot of dough. The price is piquing the interest of King Air 200 owners who have been quoted prices of close to $100,000 just for the labor to install competing systems.

Sandel Avionics president and CEO Gerry Block explains that the installation cost is predicted to be so low because the entire Avilon instrument panel is shipped to dealers as essentially one piece.

“It takes only about five days to install our system, with 80 percent of the work being removal of the old equipment,” he says.

The system is currently flying in a company King Air 200 certification test bed, with certification expected by this fall. Sandel says it has partnered with three dealers in the United States (Stevens Aviation, Cutter Aviation and Landmark Aviation) and one in Canada (Rocky Mountain Aircraft), which have all agreed to honor the guaranteed $175,000 fly-away price.

“There are a lot of King Air cockpit retrofit choices, but very few people have been buying them because they are just too expensive to justify,” Block says. “We think this price and the capability our cockpit offers will get a lot of King Air operators off the fence.”

The post What Pilots Need to Know about Retrofit Avionics appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Honeywell acquired Tru-Trak Flight Systems, to establish a series of autopilots for experimental and certified aircraft. The acquisition will become part of Honeywell’s BendixKing business unit.

Tru-Trak Flight Systems has a well-known and regarded line of affordable autopilots for a wide range of aircraft. As part of the transition, the current CEO and owner of Tru-Trak, Andrew Barker, will join BendixKing’s executive team to continue to drive the product line forward. Founder Jim Younkin passed away on May 13, 2019.

The xCruze 100 will serve the experimental aircraft market, and is designed to interface with multiple EFIS installations. The unit comes in three different form factors to fit in a 2-inch round, 3-inch round, or flat pack panel insertion. An emergency autopilot level button comes standard, bringing the aircraft wings level, and it will connect with either a hand-held or a panel-mount GPS.

The AeroCruze 100 will help owners of Cessna 172, 175, 177, and Piper PA-28 aircraft to update their legacy autopilots to a new system. The unit is designed to work seamlessly with the AeroVue touch EFIS as well as those EFISs from a variety of other manufacturers. It too comes in the three form factors, and has an automatic roll command function to correct the bank angle if it exceeds 45 degrees. Pricing was not disclosed; Tru-Trak has sold similar autopilots for experiemental aircraft from $2,100, and for certified aircraft from $5,000.

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BendixKing’s strategy of offering integrated cockpits comprised of several different systems supplied by itself and partner avionics manufacturers appears to be paying off. The new Alpha King single-engine trainer from Pipistrel will fly with BendixKing’s xVue Touch cockpit, a VFR-only panel dominated by a high-resolution touchscreen flight display flanked by GPS navigators produced by Avidyne but now carrying the iconic BK brand name.

The strategy is allowing BendixKing to better compete in the general aviation avionics market by offering a range of products developed in-house and by parent company Honeywell, while filling in gaps with partner products, such as the Avidyne units, autopilots from TruTrak Flight Systems, and audio panel from PS Engineering.

Pipistrel said it sees value in choosing the BendixKing cockopit for its newest trainer.

“We want to ensure that students and instructors can take advantage of all the advancements afforded by new technology while still delivering a high-quality aircraft, which makes the Alpha King an ideal solution for flight schools,” said Ivo Boscarol, founder and president of Pipistrel, which is based in Slovenia. “We recognize the unmatched value in BendixKing avionics, which enables us to offer an extremely cost-effective and affordable new generation of training aircraft and build upon our existing, ongoing relationship with Honeywell as a whole.”

Pipistrel anticipates the BendixKing cockpit for the Alpha King trainer will help cut student training time by providing an intuitive touchscreen primary flight display with advanced capabilities and a streamlined, shallow menu structure.

“With the xVue Touch, we can help Pipistrel deliver advanced technologies while keeping flight schools’ operational costs low,” said Gregg Cohen, president of BendixKing. “Aspiring pilots can train using sophisticated technology that’s easy to use, enabling them to get their pilot licenses in significantly less time. Plus, our advanced flight deck is simple to maintain and lightweight, saving flight schools money in the long run.”

The Rotax-powered two-set Alpha King trainer is expected to be available for purchase later this year at a price of around $130,000.

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As BendixKing seeks to offer a full array of avionics products for the general aviation market, the company is turning to an untested growth strategy to allow it to better compete against the likes of Garmin and other heavy hitters in a crowded market.

Rather than develop new avionics products on its own, BendixKing is partnering with several established manufacturers, including TruTrak for autopilots, Avidyne for GPS navigators, JPI for engine monitors and others.

More partnerships may be announced in the future as BendixKing explores the benefits of collaborating with would-be competitors, a strategy that is allowing the company, a subsidiary of Honeywell, to offer a range of products that cover every major avionics aftermarket category without it having to spend the money or time to develop and certify new products of its own.

The benefit for companies like TruTrak and Avidyne is access to BendixKing’s global sales and support network, which will allow these smaller companies to sell their products into new markets. BendixKing president Gregg Cohen explained that the company’s strategy centers on encouraging an “open-architecture ecosystem” for avionics that permits products produced by multiple companies all to work in harmony as an integrated whole.

At Sun ‘n Fun in Lakeland, Florida, this week, BendixKing is offering details of its latest products. The new AeroCruze 100 digital autopilot for Cessna 172, 175, 177, and 182 and Piper PA-28 models is produced by TruTrak. Features include two standard servos, a built-in ground track directional gyro, track select mode, GPS navigation mode, altitude hold, and automatic pitch trim. The lower cost xCruze 100 autopilot, also produced by TruTrak, is available in the same three form factors, provides the same features to experimental, light sport, and other non-certified aircraft. The AeroCruze 100 lists for $5,500, while the xCruze 100 has a list price of $2,600.

BendixKing has also launched the compact xPoint 100 engine monitoring system for experimental, light sport, and other non-certified aircraft, a product that carries the BendixKing brand name but is produced by JPI. The engine monitor weighs 13 ounces and features a high-resolution display that can present a variety of engine operating parameters. The AeroPoint 200 is designed for certified single-engine aircraft, while the AeroPoint 300 is designed for certified twin-engine aircraft and includes a built-in learning procedure for leaning.

BendixKing’s partnership with Avidyne sees the Avidyne IFD440, 540, and 550 panel-mount navigators rebranded as the AeroNav 800, 900, and 910.

All the products carry the BendixKing name, and BendixKing specialists are going through training to be able to be the first source for product support.

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