Many Customers Left Wondering About Product Support And
Refunds
The confusion among
customers -- both end-users and other businesses -- about the fate
of Direct-To Avionics (D2A) continues. As ANN first reported, the
company shut down on December 22. A terse statement on its
website says future sales of Chelton Flight Systems will be
handled via Chelton Flight Systems of Boise, ID.
ANN spoke with D2A co-founder Kirk Hammersmith, but other than
to confirm the company is no longer in business he wouldn't comment
on details of the situation.
That leaves many former D2A customers wondering where to turn.
Those who've purchased -- or put down deposits -- on
systems and await delivery are understandably
concerned about their money.
Even more convoluted is the question of those who opted to
replace the Crossbow Technology attitude and heading reference
system (AHRS) originally installed with their Chelton
systems, with a product from Pinpoint Inertial. D2A originally
purchased Crossbow NAV425EX-200 AHRS products for installation in
its customers' Chelton avionics systems. In a statement last month,
Crossbow says it and D2A identified technical issues with the AHRS
which it claims were later resolved by Crossbow via an upgrade.
D2A chose to not to offer the upgrade to its customers,
instead offering the Pinpoint product. Pinpoint calls its design a
GPS/Airdata/Attitude Heading Reference System, or GADAHRS. D2A
touted the Pinpoint GADAHRS as an upgrade over Crossbow’s
NAV425EX-200 AHRS.
There is little known about Pinpoint Inertial other than what
one can read on the company’s one-page website. A statement
says the company will only accept inquiries from dealers and OEM
installers.
Crossbow announced in February last year a program to provide
free upgrades directly to D2A customers choosing to contact
Crossbow directly. The deadline for the program was set to expire
December 15, 2006. Crossbow says it's upgraded and returned dozens
of systems for D2A’s customers. Now, Crossbow says, in light
of the circumstances surrounding the closure of D2A, it is
extending the deadline for the upgrade program through June 29,
2007.
And at least one other avionics manufacturer stands ready to
lend former D2A customers a helping hand -- and perhaps take
some small advantage of a competitor's misfortune. OP
Technologies told ANN Friday it's offering a $1000 credit for
former D2A customers who have paid for D2A products they
haven't received. The money may be used toward the purchase of any
of OP Technology's EFIS packages (one is pictured
below) through January 31, 2007. In the same release, it says
it will offer "additional discounts" to all buyers
-- former D2A customers or not -- for the month of January
2007.
So far, none of the remaining players involved -- Chelton Flight
Systems or Pinpoint Inertial -- has spoken to former D2A customers
using Chelton's displays with a Pinpoint GADAHRS. According to
posts by former D2A customers made to the Lancair Mail List (LML),
some have a complete system, including Chelton displays and a
Pinpoint GADAHRS, some only the displays and are waiting for a
Pinpoint GADAHRS and still others have only a promise for
delivery from a now defunct D2A.
Those with complete systems (using
the Pinpoint GADAHRS) in hand wonder who they should turn to
for product support. Those waiting for components wonder who has
their money. Did D2A, who reportedly collected money for
customers' systems, pass that money on to Pinpoint?
Adding yet another layer to an already byzantine situation,
at least one individual claims to have paid an
independant avionics installer -- who has presumably passed
the money on to D2A, who maybe passed some on to Pinpoint --
for his D2A equipment. Try figuring that one out...
Posts made to the LML -- presumably by someone with knowledge of
the company -- indicate Chelton Flight Systems believes it has
no equipment on order from D2A, so it appears doubtful
former D2A customers waiting for Chelton displays will get
them from Chelton. Calls to Chelton from ANN for comment went
unanswered Friday.
With D2A unwilling to share details, Chelton too busy (?)
to return calls and Pinpoint ignoring emails from ANN asking for
clarification, former D2A customers are left holding the
(empty) bag, without many answers.
ANN's Daily Aero-Term (04.26.24): DETRESFA (Distress Phrase)
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