ANCHORAGE – “It’s all about getting home safely,” said Carey Foster, owner of One Sky Aviation. “Not about launching into bad weather.”
In the process of re-building his 180-horsepower Super Cub, with an Airframes Alaska widebody, Carey is adding a Max-Viz Enhanced Vision System (EVS) camera to the right wing.
Actually, as a Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR) he’s shepherding the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) process for Max-Viz on Super Cubs.
The challenge in this application is the limited panel space. In aircraft with wider cockpits, a dedicated display is an easier, but not easy, fit. In the Super Cub, panel space comes at a premium.
In addition to operating One Sky Aviation, Cary is also a commercial hunting guide, so the EVS is a practical solution for his sideline business.
“The AvMap works perfectly in this application,” said Cary. “The AvMap has the ability to display what the Max-Viz sees, without a dedicated display.”
Most of the time, a pilot will have GPS navigation data on the AvMap display. But if the weather takes a turn for the worse, getting safely on the ground becomes paramount. With the push of one button, the Max-Viz EVS imagery takes over the display.
In addition, it is an affordable solution compared to other EVS-only displays that cost upwards of $3,500. And you still have the panel space issue.
If you’re not familiar with an EVS, check out the videos at the Max-Viz website. Being able to see through clouds and haze could be the difference between making it down safely or not.
The STC is still in process but One Sky has a healthy track record of completing the process for other products and applications, so it will only be a matter of time.
To be sure, the Max-Viz/AvMap combo is not cheap (priced at $19,000 from One Sky Aviation), but what price do you put on being able to fly another day?
