Tue, Apr 01, 2003
Has 'The Look'
There's something kinda strange about those
vintage fliers, you know. They'll spend four months looking for the
"right" rivet to use under the wheel well, and then glitz up the
cockpit better'n Flash Gordon.
All that newfangled Loran and satellite stuff just doesn't fit
the image of most vintage aircraft.
Avidyne has come to the rescue, with its unprecedented new
"Antiqua" line.
Sporting most of the features of the state-of-the-art Entegra
series, now showing on the most-modern aircraft in the business,
the Avidyne "Antiqua" PFD/MFD series keeps the functionality, but
in a number of attractive and authentic "classic" packages.
- The Antiqua's features are controlled by a series of large,
brown Bakelite knobs.
- Instead of flat-panel technology, the Antiqua's screen is
dramatically convex, and sports realistic distortion of the image,
near the edges.
-
Instead of instant-on graphics, the Antiqua
(though its solid-state electronics are truly modern) features a
"warm-up" circuit, that keeps the image from achieving full
brightness for several minutes after it's turned on.
- To simulate "classic" electronics, the Antiqua has an integral
heater that cannot be turned off. Its resultant current drain (50
amps) makes old-style charging systems think they're dealing with
the "real thing."
- There is an intermittent "horizontal flipper" that
activates an annoying image-flopping; it needs to be adjusted away,
with the "horizontal hold" knob. [While we don't approve of this
particular feature, Avidyne says it not only gives the Antiqua an
authentic aura, it also is a safety enhancement. Spokesman Tod
Harpen told us, "When that screen starts flopping, everybody pays
instant attention. There's no going to sleep with the
Antiqua."]
-
...and of course, all graphics are available
in in low-res black-and-white (optional), even down to an
authentic 1950's style test pattern (these Avidyne guys don't miss
a trick!) during the warm-up period.
Available at Avidyne's Sun 'n Fun booth this week, the Antiqua
is priced competitively.
(FAA TSO'd Rabbit Ears sold separately.)
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