Lighter, Smarter, Cheaper All-in-One

In a world of avionics that is largely dominated by a couple of mega-companies, it’s refreshing to see a rising contender. According to CEO Paul Martin, NightHawk Flight Systems is officially “coming out of stealth mode" by unveiling the next generation of affordable aviation technology systems.

NightHawk’s new product, The Guardian, includes a 7-inch and 11.6-inch PFD/MFD, offering identical functionality and both powered by the Nest system modular avionics suite that can be installed anywhere in the aircraft and can control 2 screens with only one. Whether you want an analog or digital look, it is possible. The guardian is 50% lighter, and components like the Smart I/O blade, ADC, and AHRS are designed to streamline installation and integration, significantly cutting costs and complexity.

The release of the Guardian System brings synthetic vision and Terrain Awareness Warning System (TAWS/HeliTAWS) to smaller aircraft. What sets it apart? Everything is self-contained, requiring no streaming or external connectivity and allowing Nighthawk to "carry the entire world in our display”. Terrain and navigation data are embedded right in the units. In flight, the terrain feature will show red, yellow, or green based on the clearance you will have in feet when flying over. For example, the yellow means you have 500ft of clearance above an object.

The system comes in at about 30% lower cost than comparable options. A full glass cockpit for a King Air is priced under $110K, and down to around $40k for the whole system in a smaller or less complex aircraft.

Initially available for Part 23 Class I and II aircraft, under 6 passengers and 6,000 lbs, and with two simulators on display at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, NightHawk is ready to put their latest in the public eye. They will be launching alongside one SportPlanbe kit manufacturer, which (quite optimistically) has committed to over 200 aircraft deliveries over the next five years.

FMI: www.nighthawkfs.com