At AirVenture Bendix/King gave aviation journalists a peek at the progress of its Apex Edge flat-panel retrofit avionics products that are designed to go directly into the panel of existing GA airplanes, replacing the old mechanical gauges with digital goodness. The first two products are a PFD and an MFD, each loaded with features.
As you might expect, the PFD, which features a built-in air data attitude heading reference system (ADAHRS), makes use of technology created by Bendix/King parent company Honeywell for use in its Epic-series integrated flat-panel display systems for bizjets. And the look is indeed all business. Split horizontally -- HSI on the bottom and the artificial horizon on the top -- the 8.4-inch diagonal screen still has plenty of room for clear, easy to read airspeed and vertical speed tapes along the sides. There are, in addition, several other features, like wind speed and crosswind component indicators, true airspeed and outside air temperature. The display is designed to interface with most popular navigators, including the GNS 430 and 530 from Garmin and Bendix/King's KX 155 and KX 165, as well as with "most popular autopilots."
The MFD/navcom, with a bright, 5.7-inch diagonal display, is arguably even more impressive an instrument. Featuring the same styling as the PFD, it incorporates moving map, nav and comm radios, GPS (with WAAS), and a host of standard and optional safety utilities. It is, of course, designed to interface directly with the KFD 840. The KFD 840 primary flight display, which is priced at $16,995, is slated for certification before the end of the year, with the KSN 770 navcom MFD ($13,995) to follow a few months later. Bendix/King is taking orders for the products now. For more information, visit bendixking.com/apexedgeseries.
