Avionics

AVweb’s Avionics section delivers the latest news, reviews, and expert analyses on aircraft electronic systems. Covering advancements in navigation, communication, and safety technologies, this section is a vital resource for pilots, aircraft owners, and aviation professionals seeking to stay informed about the evolving avionics landscape.

Researchers Launch Pilot Radio Sim

Purdue University’s Research Foundation is helping two Purdue alumni develop and market a new aviation communications simulator aimed at helping new pilots (or rusty old pilots) master radios skills and phraseology. PlaneEnglish has been developed by Muharrem Mane, a graduate of the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and Eren Hadimioglu, from the School of Aviation […]

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Sale and Certification Of 121.5 MHz ELTs Prohibited

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a rule prohibiting the certification, manufacture, importation and sale of Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs) that operate only on 121.5 MHz last week. Similar rulemaking was issued in 2010, but at the request of the FAA and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the Commission stayed the amendment prohibiting […]

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Textron Upgrades Caravan Cockpit

Starting with 2019 production, Textron says it will upgrade the flight deck on its Cessna Caravan and Grand Caravan EX turboprops. The features aim to provide pilots with greater control and connectivity, Textron says. New standard equipment includes dual audio panels with 3D audio capabilities. Textron says the 3D system spatially distributes the audio and […]

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Aspen’s E5 Low-Cost EFIS Now STC Certified

Previously announced at the 2018 Aircraft Electronics Association convention last April, Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Aspen Avionics has received AML-STC approval (blanketing over 300 aircraft models) for its budget-priced E5 EFI. The latest Evolution E5 EFI trickles down from the company’s successful TSO-certified 1000-series PFD and is designed to fit in the center of standard six-pack-configured […]

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uAvionix ADS-B Patent Application Accepted

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has accepted the patent application for uAvionix’s “Aircraft Navigation Light ADS-B Radio,” according to an announcement from the company on Tuesday. The USPTO is expected to issue the patent (U.S. Patent No. 10,156,627) on Dec. 18, 2018. uAvionix says its skyBeacon and tailBeacon products utilize the “Power […]

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Aspen Service Bulletin Addresses Display Resets

Aspen Avionics has issued a mandatory service bulletin identifying how to avoid issues with the repeated inflight system resets recently noted in an FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB). As previously reported by AVweb, the resets are occurring in a small number of Aspen Evolution EFD1000 Primary Flight Display (PFD), EFD1000 Multi-Function Display (MFD) and […]

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uAvionix skyBeacon Gets Final Certification

It seemed like a bold design—and it was—when uAvionix first showed its wingtip-mounted ADS-B Out device at Sun ‘n Fun a couple of years ago. As the lagging market scrambles to pick up the pace to meet the FAA’s 2020 equipage mandate, the company’s announcement that it will begin shipping the skyBeacon product as early […]

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FAA Bulletin Addresses Aspen Display Resets

The FAA has issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) warning pilots of potential display resets in Aspen Evolution EFD1000 Primary Flight Display (PFD), EFD1000 Multi-Function Display (MFD) and EFD500 MFD units. According to the SAIB, affected systems will repeatedly reset themselves at five- to ten-minute intervals, resulting in the temporary loss of all flight […]

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Flight Gear Battery Pack Trial

The typical flight bag has a variety of gadgets that might need to be charged on the fly, but not all aircraft have USB ports up to the task. Sporty’s has a solution with the Flight Gear battery pack and what’s unique about it is the variety of output ports and the pack’s charging capacity. […]

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Runaway Terror

If you ride around Seattle, where Boeing lives, you’ll occasionally see a blue-and-white bumper sticker that’s been around for decades, with variations of this wording: Unless it’s a Boeing, I’m not going. Following this week’s revelation that Boeing kept pilots in the dark about an autotrim system on the new 737 MAX, it took the […]

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