Avidyne Gets Bluetooth/Wi-Fi STC

Avidyne says it's the first avionics company to provide interfaces to both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for its FMS systems. The company announced last week that it has received STC approval for the wireless access to its IFD540/440 flight management systems. The approval makes Avidyne's MK10 Bluetooth keyboard available. "The MK10 Keyboard makes flying even easier by providing wireless control of many of the IFD440/ IFD540 functions," said Tom Harper, Avidyne's Director of Marketing. "And because the 440 and 540 have integrated Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capability, all current and future owners can enable this and future functionality via software, without the need to add expensive remote boxes and additional wiring."

The keyboard is the first wireless-enabled device to work with the Avidyne panels but it won't be the last. Tablets will also be able to link to the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth data streams once developers write the code to take advantage of the availability. "This approval also gives third-party tablet app developers access to both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi data streams using Avidyne's previously-released Software Developer Kit (SDK)," the company said in its release. "Bluetooth and Wi-Fi functionality requires IFD440/IFD540 software Release 10.1.1."