AVIDYNE TEACHES LEGACY COCKPITS NEW TRICKS Story by – Scott M. Spangler Source: AVIONICS NEWS, October 2019
Software speaks legacy system’s language The STC installation of Avidyne’s IFD550 and 545 gives the legacy avionics in Cessna’s CJs a dual FMS system with a full range of NextGen capabilities, from LPV approaches and electronic charts to synthetic vision and ADS-B. (Photo courtesy of Avidyne)
In all things, progress's inescapable traveling partner is the chronological depreciation of capabilities. Just look at the avionics in legacy Part 25 business jets. When they rolled off the production line, their cockpits were filled with, what was at the time, the latest and greatest technology available. These systems are now a generation or two behind today's latest and greatest technologies. Avionics upgrades are, of course, available, but for many legacy installations, their cost often doesn't fare well in the return on investment equation.
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Acknowledging that these jets start getting old after 10 years, Avidyne identified a new market. Today, said CEO Dan Schwinn, “a 15-yearold jet will not have an integrated avionics system because they did not exist” when those airplanes made their way down the production line. This lack of integration opens the door to economically updating their capabilities. For jets made today, this won't be true 15 years from now, according to Tom Harper, director of marketing. Jets with integrated flight decks will face a more-challenging scenario.
