Avidyne Corp. is expanding the market for the DFC90 Digital Flight Control System to include Entegra-equipped Piper PA-46 Matrix and Mirage aircraft.
Avidyne officials also said they are currently accepting deposits from owners of Entegra-equipped Matrix and Mirage aircraft who are interested in reserving an early slot for the DFC90.
“The attitude-based DFC90 provides considerable performance and safety benefits that make it a very attractive upgrade option for Entegra-equipped Matrix and Mirage aircraft,” said Patrick Herguth, Avidyne’s Chief Operating Officer. “In the short time it has been available, our DFC autopilots are growing beyond 25% penetration in the Cirrus market, and we fully expect the value of the DFC90 to be even more attractive to the owners of these higher-valued, higher-performing Piper aircraft.”
The DFC90 adds the precision and reliability of an attitude-based flight control system, along with Indicated Airspeed Hold (IAS Hold) — a preferred method for climbing and descending in these higher-performing aircraft. In addition, the DFC90 provides the safety enhancements of the ‘Straight & Level’ mode — providing one-button unusual attitude recovery—and Flight Envelope Protection & Alerting. The DFC90 is currently certified for Cirrus SR20 and SR22, and Avidyne has previously announced plans to interface the DFC90 with the Aspen EFD1000 series integrated flight displays with initial certification expected later this year.
Avidyne’s certification activity is nearing completion for both the DFC90 in Entegra-equipped aircraft, and the DFC100 for Entegra Release 9-equipped aircraft. Submittal to the FAA is expected in Q3 2011.
The retail price of the DFC90 Digital Flight Computer for the PA-46 is $14,995, which also includes the EXP5000 PFD Release 8.0.4 software upgrade.
Avidyne has launched a DFC90 Deposit Program, which is designed to provide savings for owners of Entegra-equipped Matrix/Mirage aircraft who want to reserve a slot for their DFC90 between now and the time FAA certification is granted. Contact Reid Antonacchio at 239-249-0414 for details.
