The New Piper Aircraft, Inc., has announced that it will add CMax Electronic Approach Chart display and Avidyne's Fully Integrated MultiLink™ services - featuring XM WX satellite weather capabilities, text messaging and flight tracking - as part of its optional equipment package offered on all Piper entry level and mid-range aircraft.

These powerful additional tools will be added features for the PA-28 family of aircraft (the Warrior III, Archer III and Arrow) and the PA-32 models (Saratoga II HP, the Saratoga II TC, the Piper 6X and the Piper 6XT) equipped with Avidyne's FlightMax Entegra Integrated Flight Deck. They will go on sale immediately, with first deliveries planned for October. As such, the fully equipped PA-28s and PA-32s now join the company's flagship turboprop, the Piper Meridian, in offering these state-of-the-art capabilities. Plans for aftermarket installation of these features are also underway and expected to be available in the fourth quarter of the year.

"By adding CMax and Multilink, complete with its powerful XW WX datalink weather features, to these models, we are continuing our commitment to providing our customers with the most advanced technology available in general aviation," said New Piper President and CEO Chuck Suma (shown below).

Said Avidyne Corporation President Dan Schwinn: "These new features are at the core of what Avidyne is all about, providing simple, intuitive products that deliver unmatched performance, overall safety and peace of mind."

CMax provides instant access to Jeppesen's JeppView electronic airport diagrams and instrument departure, arrival and approach charts. The system automatically displays aircraft position overlaid on the airport diagram for positional awareness while taxiing. In flight, CMax shows the aircraft position and flight plan on the selected approach chart. It enables the pilot to view the entire chart, zoom in, review the plan or profile views, or read the Jeppesen Briefing Strip™ and approach information.

The CMax system simplifies and speeds access to needed charts while maintaining an organized cockpit environment during high-workload phases of flight.

With Avidyne's exclusive MultiLink technology, pilots gain access to XM WX datalink weather for route-specific weather data using XM's high-speed broadcast of textual and graphical weather information from across the United States. XM WX features high resolution broadcast NEXRAD radar images, graphical and plain English METARs, AIRMETs, SIGMETs, and TFRs. The service also provides continental United States lightning data from the National Lightning Detection Network®. While weather information provided via two-way or broadcast data feeds may be used separately, the combination gives pilots comprehensive and continuously updated information on weather conditions and flight restrictions.

CMax Electronic Approach Chart display and Multilink (featuring XW WX datalink weather capabilities) are powerful additions to the FlightMax Entegra system, designed and manufactured by the Avidyne Corporation of Lincoln, Mass. The Entegra system delivers total situational awareness on an integrated display, including moving map, terrain, complete engine information and optional datalink weather, lightning and traffic. Primary engine instrument capability includes the display of RPM, fuel flow, and oil pressure on the PFD.

"These additional tools offer significant new levels of safety and value to the Piper line of Entegra equipped aircraft," said Molly Martin Pearce, Director of Dealer Relations and Sales for New Piper. "The Entegra System is simple to use and intuitive, and integration of Multilink, with the XM WX system, and CMax offers powerful situational awareness capabilities and uncompromised in-flight information, not just data, to our customers."

The PA-28 and PA-32 family of aircraft has long been known for their reliability and reputation. The PA-28s are among the most capable trainers and entry-level aircraft in the marketplace, while the PA-32s have the reputation of being one of the most reliable platforms in current production. With the addition of the XM WX, Multilink and CMax features, these aircraft continue to lead innovation in the general aviation market by coupling a trusted and proven airframe with the latest in integrated avionics suites.

FMI: www.newpiper.com