Upgrading Your Instrument Panel

Aerosonic's OASIS is an integrated electronic standby instrument intended to replace the typical analog attitude, altitude, airspeed and heading instruments used as backup to the PFD in glass panels. It offers a 3.5-inch display with built-in battery backup power. Contact: www.aerosonic.com.

Alcor offers a wide range of analog engine instruments including cylinder head temperature (CHT), exhaust gas temperature (EGT), turbine inlet temperature (TIT) and combinations for single- and twin-engine aircraft. Contact: www.alcorinc.com.

Aspen Avionics has added new features to its popular Evolution line of primary and multifunction flight displays, including optional 3D synthetic vision and a connected panel that wirelessly communicates between the PFD/MFD and handheld devices such as an iPad. These are in addition to the basic capabilities of the Evolution series, which provide full glass-panel PFD/MFD functionality in one or two 2.6-pound, 3.5x7-inch bezels backed by 4.2-inch cylindrical "cans" that fit in standard three-inch instrument panel holes. The $9,995 EFD-1000 Pro PFD functionally replaces the attitude indicator, airspeed indicator, altimeter and rate-of-climb indicator, and offers HSI and RMI functions along with an autopilot interface that supports GPS steering. Contact: www.aspenavionics.com.

Avidyne's new IFD540 is an integrated GPS/NAV/COM with a touch-screen interface that allows pilots to edit flight plans with the tip of their fingers. It's part of a full line of upgrades designed as plug-in replacements for older avionics (in this case, Garmin 530/530W navigators), fitting into the same trays and using existing wiring and antennas. Other Avidyne upgrade products are designed to replace older audio panels, transponders and auto-pilots. IFD540 pricing starts at $16,995. Contact: www.avidyne.com.

Bendix-King's KFD-840 is a digital PFD that replaces a standard "six pack" of steam-gauge instruments in a single 8.4-inch bezel with a full-width simulated horizon, integrated attitude and heading reference, vertical altitude and airspeed tapes, separate course and heading knobs and menu-driven "hybrid keys." Beyond conventional PFD functions, it adds additional features, including on-screen weight-and-balance computation, customizable preflight checklist and optional battery backup. It's designed to interface with a wide range of existing avionics. Pricing starts at $11,995. Contact: www.apexedgeseries.com.

Century Flight Systems offers the Century 4000 autopilot, with features including roll and pitch control, heading hold, NAV intercept/track, coupled approaches (including ILS and localizer back course) and compatibility with ARINC 429 GPS roll-steering. Optional features include automatic trim, three-axis flight director and yaw damper. Contact: www.centuryflight.com.

Cobham's S-Tec System 55X is a rate-based, two-axis (roll and pitch) autopilot with advanced features, including vertical speed hold, control wheel steering, altitude preselect and a GPS roll-steering module. Options include a flight director, remote annunciator, slaved HSI and automatic pitch trim. Cobham also offers the Chelton Flightlogic EFIS, which provides a PFD with integrated synthetic vision and HITS, terrain awareness & TAWS, and FMS features. Chelton Flightlogic is certificated in over 700 aircraft, and is compatible with a wide range of existing avionics and autopilots. Pricing for both the S-Tec 55X and Chelton Flightlogic varies, depending on options. Contact: www.s-tec.com.

Electronics International's MVP-50P color engine analyzer and systems monitor tracks volts, amps, fuel flow, engine rpm, manifold pressure and fuel level. A bar-graph display shows EGT/CHT for each cylinder. The unit also offers graphical weight and balance, customizable checklists and data recording with download through a front-panel universal serial bus (USB) connector. Contact: www.buy-ei.com.

Emerging Lifesaving Technologies (a joint venture between the folks behind RC Allen Instruments and Nulite Instrument Lighting) offers an international standard 406MHz ELT with built-in GPS for $1,599 complete, including antenna, cable and tray. The estimated street price is about $200 less. Contact: www.elt406.net.

Flightline Systems AuRACLE CRM 2120 displays twin-engine performance and status on two bright five-inch active-matrix liquid-crystal displays. Engine parameters monitored by the CRM 2120 include manifold pressure, RPM, fuel flow, TIT, CHT, EGT, oil pressure and temperature, computed horsepower and percent power. After flying Burt Rutan's Boomerang, equipped with the CRM 2120, test pilot Mike Melvill exclaimed, "I have never seen a cooler monitor. It's fabulous." The CRM 2120 is available in both vertical and horizontal configurations, meets a wide range of TSO specifications, and is STC'd through an approved model list for primary engine operation in a wide range of makes and models. Pricing starts at $16,200. For details, browse www.ultra-fei.com., or call (585)924-4000.

By the time you read this, Freeflight Systems is scheduled to complete testing on its RANGR autonomous dependant surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) universal asynchronous transceiver (UAT) with GPS. It will fully meet the FAA's mandate for all aircraft operating in controlled airspace to have "ADS-B out" equipment by 2020, and (with a compatible display) will provide free traffic and weather. Pricing wasn't available at press time. Contact: www.freeflightsystems.com.

Earlier this year, Garmin announced the new GTN series avionics, which replace the earlier GNS series. Like the earlier models, the GTNs offer GPS/NAV/COM functionality---but the new ones offer larger displays, touch-screen functionality (including graphical flight planning with victor airways and high-altitude jet routes), remote transponder control and compatibility with ADS-B traffic and weather. Pricing starts at $11,495 for the GTN 650 (which replaces the GNS 430). The GTN 750 adds a larger display, remote audio control and electronic charting for $16,995. Contact: www.garmin.com.

Icom's IC-A210 is a 760 VHF COM channel transceiver that also supports 65 receive-only NOAA weather channels. It provides "flip-flop" tuning between active and standby frequencies, dual-channel monitoring, 10-channel memory, copilot intercom capability, and eight-watt transmitter power---all in a compact rack-mount case that's less than two inches high---and according to the company, it's the first panel-mount COM transceiver with an organic light-emitting-diode display. A recent firmware upgrade allows coupled GPS devices to preload a location-related frequency into the IC-A210's standby channel. It sells for less than $1,500. Mobile and base-station versions are also available. Contact: www.icomamerica.com.

Insight Avionics says that its G3 is the first engine monitor with built-in vibration analysis, which the company calls "the key to preemptive detection of mechanical problems." It also offers a color-coded bar-graph display that shows engine condition at a glance with red/yellow/green "traffic-light-style" coding, graphical leaning, built-in temperature probe diagnostics, a prop-balance function, data logging on common SD data cards, turbulence display that shows vertical and horizontal G-loads and periodic temperature vibration. Pricing starts at $3,300 for a four-cylinder unit. Contact: www.insightavionics.com.

J.P. Instruments' EDM 830 is an engine monitor with a color bar-graph display for EGT, CHT and TIT along with rpm, manifold pressure, and a wide range of other engine parameters, including percent power. It fits in a standard 3.12-inch instrument-panel hole, supports vertical or horizontal mounting, and includes a front-mounted USB jack to connect with a notebook PC for performance-data downloads and system-firmware upgrades. Pricing starts at $3,795 for a four-cylinder model with fuel flow. Contact: www.jpitech.com.

L3 Avionics offers an alternative to traditional round-gauge backup instruments with the Trilogy ESI-1000/2000 electronic standby instruments. They're 3.7-inch digital PFDs that fit in a standard 3-ATI instrument cutout, and show attitude, altitude, airspeed and heading. They've received TSO authorization and are STC'd through an Approved Model List for "most Part 23 aircraft." Pricing starts at $14,995 for the ESI-1000. The ESI-2000 adds a built-in standby battery for $15,700. Contact: www.l-3avionics.com.

Mid Continent's 4300-series Livesaver is an electric attitude gyro with built-in battery backup and internal lighting that makes the instrument completely independent of outside power sources. It's intended to replace electric turn-and-bank- or turn-indicator instruments (as authorized by FAA advisory circular AC91-75). Even in the worst-case scenario of a combined vacuum and electrical failure at night, it provides a fully functioning attitude indicator to keep from losing control. Pricing starts at $4,867. Contact: www.lifesavergyro.com.

NavWorx ADS600-B is a 978 MHz ADS-B UAT designed for remote mounting. It provides position reporting as mandated by the FAA for operation in controlled airspace after 2020, and provides traffic and weather on compatible displays. It includes a built-in 20-channel GPS, but optionally can use an external position source. Pricing starts at $2,495. Contact: www.navworx.com.

PS Engineering's PMA8000BT audio panel, priced at $1,795, is a six-place intercom with built-in three-light beacon that's "plug-and-play compatible" as a replacement for Garmin's GMA 340. It offers a wide range of features, including IntelliVOX mic control, high-fidelity stereo, monitor function that automatically reduces volume on a secondary COM channel, built-in digital audio recorder, dual Bluetooth device support, front-panel music volume control and support for automatically contacting ATC facilities using a Bluetooth-compatible cell phone. Contact: www.ps-engineering.com.

Sigma-Tek's 5000EG is an electric attitude gyro TSO approved for use as either a primary or standby instrument, which the company says is "perfect for standby applications in all-electric aircraft." Pricing starts at $1,745. Contact: www.sigmatek.com.

What could be easier than touch-screen editing of flight plans? How about just saying "direct to!" and a waypoint, spelled out phonetically? VoiceFlight Systems provides exactly that capability with the VFS101 voice-recognition system---and goes beyond it to provide victor airway navigation capability. It's currently STC'd for Cessna 182s with Garmin 430W and 530W GPS, and can be installed with Form 337 approval in other aircraft. Pricing starts at $2,995. Contact: www.voiceflight.com. www.voiceflight.com.

Weather Systems International offers satellite-based weather, with graphical "NOW-rad" precipitation, exten-ded lightning detection (North America and offshore), graphical METARs, TAFs, SIGMETs and AIRMETs, pilot reports, wind and temperatures aloft, and graphical TFRs on a compatible display device (typically an MFD). InFlight requires a WSI AV-300 or AV-350 satellite weather receiver and a subscription. The equipment starts at $3,688, and various subscription plans are available, starting at $29.99 per month. Contact: www.wsi.com.

WxWorx is a leading provider of in-flight aviation weather using the Sirius XM Satellite Radio network. Available weather products include US NEXRAD precipitation radar, lightning, cloud-top images, METARS, winds aloft, freeze level and other data. A compatible weather receiver, such as the Bluetooth-enabled WxWorx WR-10BT (which sells for $930) is required. Weather service is sold on a subscription basis, with plans starting at $34.99 per month. Contact: www.wxworx.com.