Avidyne Corp. has unveiled the DFC90, its new attitude-based Digital Flight Control System and Entegra Release 8.0 as an upgrade specifically for Cirrus SR20 and SR22 aircraft with Avidyne’s Entegra Flight Deck Systems.
The DFC90 adds the precision of an attitude-based flight control system and Avidyne’s safety-enhancing Flight Envelope Protection capability, according to company officials, who note the system is scheduled for certification and delivery in mid-2010.
“Since our announcement of the DFC100 for Entegra Release 9 earlier this year, we have gotten tremendous interest from our installed-base of Entegra owners about an attitude-based autopilot solution for them that did not require the expense of the Release 9 major upgrade,” said Patrick Herguth, Avidyne’s CEO. “Now these customers have access to all the added benefits of an attitude-based, digital autopilot.”
With a retail price of $9,995, the DFC90 is an integrated flight computer and control panel that is designed as a slide-in replacement for existing rate-based STEC 55X flight computers.
To take advantage of the precision attitude information of Entegra’s Air Data and Attitude Heading Reference System (ADAHRS), the EXP5000 Primary Flight Display (PFD) requires a hardware modification and a software upgrade to Release 8.0. The hardware modification makes the PFD compatible with either the existing S-TEC 55X autopilot or the new Avidyne DFC90 without the need for changes to the aircraft’s wiring or servo systems, company officials said. The PFD hardware modification separately is $3,000.
Avidyne is encouraging customers interested in upgrading to the DFC90 to schedule their PFD now for one of the limited number of hardware upgrade slots. Avidyne expects to be able to perform about eight to 10 PFD hardware modifications per week. Customers who accomplish their PFD hardware modification prior to DFC90 certification for $3,000 are eligible to purchase the DFC90 and PFD Release 8.0 software for $5,995 upon certification.
For more information: Avidyne.com.
