Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 55

Garmin
GFC 700

attention for good reason, there's another system in
the aircraft that's more than worthy of consideration for
modernization - the autopilot .
In fact, upon further inspection, you may just be
surprised by what capabilities a new autopilot can
bring to your customers' cockpit .
Aside from the basic ability to fly an aircraft
smoother and more accurately track a GPS course,
the newer autopilots offer a host of new technologies
and capabilities that can dramatically reduce workload
in instrument flight rules and visual flight rules
conditions .
But are those capabilities enough reason to replace
a perfectly good autopilot?
As one avionics shop owner put it, "In a lot of cases,
customers with money to spend have to look at the
situation .
Some systems are too old and limited in functions
to allow the pilot to take advantage of the new
capabilities found in the rest of their avionics
package . Systems that will not readily adapt to GPSS
and cannot couple to the glideslope to fly WAAS/
LNAV/VNAV approaches are good candidates for
replacement ."
There are some aftermarket upgrade adapter
kits available to add some of the newer-generation
features to legacy autopilots, but aircraft owners need
to take a hard look at the cost versus benefit equation .
In fact, when you consider the new capabilities,
increased reliability and a new warranty, it may just be
more cost effective in the long run to upgrade to a new
system .
"It all comes down to what the pilot or aircraft owner
is trying to accomplish," the shop owner added . "Will it
give them more capabilities or, as with the decision to
upgrade to more modern radios, does the owner just
want something new?"
- 55 -

AUTOPILOTS: THE NEXT GENERATION
While, for many pilots, the ability to fly a better
approach or smoother straight-and-level is reason
enough to give a new autopilot consideration, those
capabilities are just the beginning of what the next
generation has to offer .
And just to be clear, it's not so much that the
autopilots themselves have changed, but when you're
talking about the new units like Garmin's GFC 700
or Avidyne's DFC90, it's more about the ability to
use the plethora of available information found in
the aircraft's attitude/heading reference system, or
AHARS, if it's so equipped; but more on that later .
"Really, having an AHARS provides a bunch
of additional computational data that you just
didn't get out of a typical mechanical system in
the past," explained Dan Schwinn, president and
chief executive offer of Avidyne . "Even if you go
back to a really good autopilot like a (BendixKing)
KFC-150 or that ilk, those are good, solid attitudebased autopilots . But as good as they are, we're
talking about units with a much lower level of sensor
capabilities and computational capabilities than those
available today .
"Now we are able to use all the air data information
from the AHARS, which gives you virtually unlimited
computing capabilities . So even before you get to
the cool safety features, you can build a much better
flying autopilot today ."
Schwinn said that while autopilots are tasked to fly
a lot of precision maneuvers, one of the hardest tasks
they have is flying straight-and-level in dead-calm
conditions .
"You can tell the difference between a good
autopilot and a great autopilot easier in dead-calm
Continued on following page...



Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015

From the Publisher
New Avionics Products for 2014
AEA's Value-Added Equation for Aircraft Owners
Attention FAA!
Equipped Like New
In-flight Entertainment
Integrating Mission Capabilities
Lithium Batteries 101
Autopilot Upgrades
Homebuilding Panels: Tackling Wires, Electrons and Circuits
ADS-B Early Adopters
Advertisers Index
ADS-B Installations are Beginning to Take Off
AEA Staff/Board of Directors
Repair Stations
Manufacturers/Distributors
Affiliates
AEA Member Company Index
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - Intro
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - Cover1
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - Cover2
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 1
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 2
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 3
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - From the Publisher
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 5
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - New Avionics Products for 2014
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 7
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 8
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 9
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 10
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 11
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 12
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 13
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 14
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 15
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 16
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 17
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 18
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 19
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 20
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 21
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 22
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 23
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 24
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 25
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 26
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 27
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - AEA's Value-Added Equation for Aircraft Owners
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 29
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 30
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 31
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - Attention FAA!
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 33
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 34
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 35
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - Equipped Like New
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 37
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 38
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 39
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 40
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 41
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - In-flight Entertainment
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 43
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 44
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 45
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - Integrating Mission Capabilities
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 47
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 48
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 49
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - Lithium Batteries 101
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 51
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 52
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 53
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - Autopilot Upgrades
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 55
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 56
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 57
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - Homebuilding Panels: Tackling Wires, Electrons and Circuits
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 59
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 60
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 61
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 62
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 63
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 64
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 65
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - ADS-B Early Adopters
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 67
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - Advertisers Index
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 69
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 70
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 71
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - ADS-B Installations are Beginning to Take Off
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 73
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 74
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 75
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 76
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 77
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 78
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 79
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - AEA Staff/Board of Directors
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - Repair Stations
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 82
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 83
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 84
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 85
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 86
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 87
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 88
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 89
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 90
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 91
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 92
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 93
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 94
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 95
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 96
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 97
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 98
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 99
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 100
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 101
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 102
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 103
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 104
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 105
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 106
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 107
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 108
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 109
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 110
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 111
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 112
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 113
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 114
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 115
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 116
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 117
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 118
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 119
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 120
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 121
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 122
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 123
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - Manufacturers/Distributors
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 125
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 126
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 127
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 128
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 129
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 130
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 131
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 132
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 133
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 134
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 135
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - Affiliates
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 137
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 138
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 139
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 140
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 141
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 142
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - AEA Member Company Index
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 144
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 145
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 146
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 147
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 148
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 149
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 150
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 151
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - 152
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - Cover3
Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2014-2015 - Cover4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/pilotsguide/23-24
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/pilotsguide/22-23
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/pilotsguide/21-22
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/pilotsguide/20-21
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/pilotsguide/19-20
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/pilotsguide/18-19
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/pilotsguide/17-18
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/pilotsguide/16-17
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/pilotsguide/15-16
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/pilotsguide/2014-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/pilotsguide/2013-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/pilotsguide/2012-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/pilotsguide/2011-2012
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com