Avidyne Corp. has introduced its new AXP340 Mode S Transponder with ADS-B Out capability to meet the mandate for the NextGen airspace initiative. The AXP340 transmits ADS-B Out information via Extended Squitter (ES) to ground stations and other ADS-B In-equipped aircraft, providing improved airborne surveillance as well as vital information for airport ground surveillance, according to company officials.
“ADS-B Out will be required in most U.S. airspace by the year 2020, and the AXP340 is designed as an easy-to-upgrade solution that meets this mandate while also adding several new functions that make flying easier,” said Patrick Herguth, Chief Operating Officer. “The AXP340 features an easy-to-use direct-entry numeric keypad, one-touch VFR code entry, built in timers, and an altitude alerter, plus it’s a slide-in replacement for the popular KT76A and KT78A Mode A/C Transponders.”
“ADS-B is a key feature of the future airspace plans in the U.S., Europe, Australia and other parts of the world, and Avidyne is committed to being a leading provider of ADS-B avionics solutions,” said Dan Schwinn, Avidyne President and CEO. “Avidyne previously announced our TAS600A Series of active traffic systems with ADS-B In. Now, we have introduced the AXP340 with ADS-B Out, which is just the next in a series of announcements from Avidyne for ADS-B and NextGen avionics.”
The AXP340 is a panel-mounted Class 1 (240Watt), Mode S, Level 2 1090MHz Datalink Transponder with Extended Squitter (ES) that meets all the requirements for Mode S elementary surveillance for both IFR and VFR flight. As a slide-in replacement for existing KT76A/KT78A transponders, the AXP340 is designed to easily upgrade existing Mode A/C equipment to Mode S, while adding additional functionality like a Direct-entry Numeric Keypad, Pressure Altitude & GPS Lat/Lon readout, Flight ID entry, one-touch VFR code entry, an easy-to-use Stop Watch Timer, Flight Timer, and Altitude Alerter. Some additional wiring is required to add ADS-B functionality, company officials said.
The AXP340 combines with Avidyne’s ‘ADS-B In’-capable TAS600A Series Traffic Advisory Systems to provide a complete ADS-B solution to meet the upcoming mandates and to benefit from the performance enhancements being made in U.S. and International airspace. The AXP340 encodes and transmits the required ADS-B Out information, including your aircraft’s GPS-derived position, along with ground track, ground speed and altitude, in a series of extra pulses on the Mode S data stream (Extended Squitter). The TAS600A provides ADS-B In capability, allowing you to receive the ADS-B signals from ground radar and from other 1090MHz ADS-B-equipped aircraft, and display both ADS-B and non-ADS-B traffic simultaneously for optimal situational awareness and safety.
The AXP340 Mode S Transponder with ADS-B Out is expected to be available in early 2012, with a List Price of $5,995, including connector kit and mounting tray. The antenna is sold separately for installations that need a replacement antenna.
The TAS600A Series active-surveillance Traffic Advisory Systems with ADS-B In are expected to be available in early 2012 with pricing to be announced in the near future. The existing TAS600 series is fully upgradeable to ADS-B In. New and existing TAS600 Series customers can lock in a not-to-exceed upgrade price of $2,000 for their ADS-B In upgrade by registering online.
For more information: Avidyne.com
