Avidyne's Entegra Release 9

Senior editor Stephen Pope takes a closer look at Avidyne's "G1000 killer" in three hot performers.

A look at the inside of a Cirrus SR22 equipped with Avidyne's R9. For more on Avidyne's R9, check out "R9 Triple Threat."

**"Besides the much-appreciated extra elbowroom in the Cirrus, the Avidyne cockpit immediately struck me as being a more buttoned-down and business-like alternative to the Garmin system." - Senior editor Stephen Pope
** For more, check out "R9 Triple Threat."

In October 2009, Avidyne announced it would offer the Entegra Release 9 system for Piper PA-46 Matrix aircraft, like the one shown here. For more on Avidyne's R9, check out "R9 Triple Threat."

The pairing of Avidyne’s Entegra R9 flight deck with Piper’s PA-46 Matrix adds up to one of the most sophisticated light piston singles flying today, with a front office that looks as though it belongs in a business jet. For more on Avidyne's R9, check out "R9 Triple Threat."

Part of the secret that makes the R9 cockpit so user-friendly is its rocker-style keys, which let pilots access menu pages by clicking left or right on a particular key. A separate FMS keypad makes entering flight plan information easy. For more on Avidyne's R9, check out "R9 Triple Threat."

In addition to the Piper Matrix, Stephen took a closer look at Avidyne's R9 in a 1982 vintage PA-32 Saratoga. For more on Avidyne's R9, check out "R9 Triple Threat."

NexAir is working on bringing the R9 cockpit to Piper PA-32 Saratogas originally equipped with conventional round-dial instruments, opening up a potential market for upgrades in more than 5,000 airplanes. For more on Avidyne's R9, check out "R9 Triple Threat."