Attitude-Based Digital Autopilot For Aircraft With Release 8

Avidyne will be bringing some new toys to the AOPA Aviation Summit in Tampa this week. Today, they took the wraps off the DFC90, Avidyne's new attitude-based Digital Flight Control System and Entegra Release 8.0 as an upgrade specifically for Cirrus SR20 and SR22 aircraft with Avidyne's Entegra Flight Deck Systems.

The DFC90 adds the precision of an attitude-based flight control system and Avidyne's innovative, safety-enhancing Flight Envelope Protection capability. Avidyne previously announced the DFC100 Digital Flight Control System for Cirrus aircraft with the new Entegra Release 9 suite. The DFC90 & DFC100 systems are scheduled for certification and delivery in mid-2010

"Since our announcement of the DFC100 for Entegra Release 9 earlier this year, we have gotten tremendous interest from our installed-base of Entegra owners about an attitude-based autopilot solution for them that did not require the expense of the Release 9 major upgrade," said Patrick Herguth, Avidyne's Chief Executive Officer.  "Now these customers, who are perfectly happy with their Entegra displays, have access to all the added benefits of an attitude-based, digital autopilot."

With a retail price of $9,995, the DFC90 is an integrated flight computer and control panel that is designed as a slide-in replacement for existing rate-based STEC 55X flight computers.

In order to take advantage of the precision attitude information of Entegra's Air Data and Attitude Heading Reference System (ADAHRS), the EXP5000 Primary Flight Display (PFD) requires both a hardware modification and a software upgrade to Release 8.0.  The hardware modification makes the PFD compatible with either the existing S-TEC 55X autopilot or the new Avidyne DFC90 without the need for costly changes to the aircraft's wiring or servo systems. The PFD hardware modification separately (Mod 55) is $3,000.

Avidyne is encouraging customers interested in upgrading to the DFC90 to go ahead and schedule their PFD now for one of the limited number of hardware upgrade slots. Avidyne expects to be able to perform only about 8 - 10 PFD hardware modifications per week.  Customers who accomplish their PFD hardware modification prior to DFC90 certification for $3,000 are eligible to purchase the DFC90 and PFD Release 8.0 software for only $5,995 upon certification.

"Entegra customers interested in upgrading to the DFC90 should act now and schedule their PFD for Mod Five-Five," said Rob Higby, Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and Customer Service. "Scheduling your PFD upgrade now locks in a $4,000 savings, and provides priority delivery for a very simple 'drive-by upgrade' once the DFC90 is certified and shipping."

"The DFC90 is the next in a series of flight control system products developed by our Guidance and Controls Group in Boulder, Colorado, and it is part of our systematic development of avionics systems that make flying simpler and safer," said Avidyne president Dan Schwinn. "Avidyne is committed to continuously enhancing safety for all of our customers, and the DFC90 provides owners of Entegra-equipped Cirrus aircraft with next-generation attitude-based autopilot capability."

FMI: www.avidyne.com