Lincoln, Mass. – June 27, 2013 -- Avidyne Corporation, a leading provider of integrated flight deck and safety systems for general aviation aircraft, announced today they have received a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the installation of their DFC90 Digital Autopilot in Cirrus SR20 and SR22 aircraft when interfaced with the Evolution Pro Primary Flight Display (EFD1000 Pro PFD) from Aspen Avionics of Albuquerque.
Avidyne initially certified the DFC90 with their Entegra PFD in the Cirrus SR20 and SR22, and have now certified it with the Aspen EFD1000 Pro for installation in early-model aircraft that were originally delivered with electromechanical instruments from 1999 through early 2003.
This STC adds the Aspen EFD1000 Pro as an approved attitude source and mode display for the DFC90 in Cirrus aircraft. The DFC90 is a plug-and-play retrofit of existing STEC55X systems in the Cirrus SR20 and SR22, and also covers the upgrades from STEC System 20 and System 30 autopilots found in some earlier aircrafts. Aspen holds an Approved Model List Supplemental Type Certificate (AML-STC) for their Evolution Pro PFD on a wide range of aircraft including these Cirrus models.
“Expanding the Aspen EFD/DFC90 combination into early-model Cirrus aircraft is a natural progression in our autopilot certification roadmap,” said Patrick Herguth, Avidyne’s Chief Operating Officer. “This certification means we can now offer the performance and safety benefits of our DFC90 to the fleet of more than 340 Cirrus aircraft that were built prior to the change-over to Entegra in early 2003. With this STC, Envelope Protection, full-time Envelope Alerting, the Straight and Level button are now available to them with the DFC90, as well as the option for Synthetic Vision with the Aspen Pro PFD.”
“It is important to note that no one else is offering a retrofit autopilot for general aviation aircraft with the safety- and performance-enhancing capabilities of the DFC90,” said Dan Schwinn, Avidyne’s President and CEO. “We are working diligently to continue to expand our list of approved aircrafts for the DFC90.”
The DFC90 was previously certified with the Aspen PFD in the Cessna 182 Skylane series of aircraft, and most recently in the Beech Bonanza series. The DFC90 is also certified in the Entegra-equipped Piper PA-46 Matrix and Mirage. Avidyne also has plans to certify the DFC90 in the Beechcraft Baron series, among others.
About the DFC90 & Aspen Evolution Pro PFD
The DFC90 is an attitude-based, digital retrofit autopilot system that adds significant performance and safety benefits for existing aircraft including Airspeed Hold (IAS), Envelope Protection (EP®) and full-time Envelope Alerting (EA®), which prevent stalls and overspeeds, and even provides monitoring and alerting when the autopilot is off. The Straight & Level capability provides one-button recovery from unusual attitudes. The DFC90 was designed as a plug-and-play replacement for existing STEC55X autopilot systems. The DFC90 can use the existing 55X mounting tray, servos and much of the wiring, which dramatically reduces installation costs.
The Aspen Pro PFD provides attitude inputs to the DFC90 from its integrated Air Data and Attitude/Heading Reference Sensor (ADAHRS), while presenting the pilot with autopilot Mode Annunciations and Alerts right on the primary flight instrument. In addition to pitch and roll inputs, the Aspen Pro PFD also provides Heading Select, Altitude Preselect, Indicated Airspeed Select, and Vertical Speed Select inputs to the DFC90. The Aspen Pro PFD also has an optional Synthetic Vision feature for added situational awareness and safety.
Pricing and Availability
Pricing for the DFC90 autopilot starts at $9,995 plus installation for single-engine piston aircraft. Pricing assumes the aircraft currently has compatible STEC autopilot servos installed.
Aspen Evolution Pro PFDs are priced starting at $10,180 plus installation. The software unlock for integrating the DFC90 is priced at $1,995, labor not included, and requires v2.6 software or later. Aspen currently holds an Approved Model List Supplemental Type Certificate (AML-STC) for their Evolution Pro PFD on a wide range of aircraft.
Pricing does not include the cost of shipping, VAT, other parts or dealer labor.
About Aspen Avionics, Inc. (www.aspenavionics.com)
Aspen Avionics specializes in bringing the most advanced technology and capability into general aviation and helicopter cockpits—and budgets. Our products increase situational awareness and reduce pilot workload, making it easier and safer to fly in both VFR and IFR conditions. The way we look at it, getting the latest avionics technology shouldn’t always mean spending a lot of money—on equipment or installation. At Aspen Avionics, we design products to be affordable, easy to install, and easy to own.
About Avidyne Corporation (www.avidyne.com)
Avidyne’s continuing leadership in innovation and its Flying Made Simple™ system design make flying safer, more accessible and more enjoyable for pilots and their passengers. The company offers a full line of panel-mounted avionics including their new IFD540 and IFD440 FMS/GPS/NAV/COM, AMX240 audio panel, AXP340 Mode S Transponder, and DFC90 digital flight control systems. Avidyne’s product line also includes the industry-leading Entegra Release 9 integrated flight deck with DFC100 digital flight control system, datalink-capable EX600 multi-function displays, the dual-antenna TAS-A series of active traffic advisory systems with ADS-B, the MLX770 world-wide datalink transceiver, and the TWX670 Tactical Weather Detection system. Headquartered in Lincoln, MA, the company has facilities in Columbus, OH, Melbourne, FL, and Boulder, CO.
