avionics

Dynon SkyView HDX now supports Trio Pro Pilot autopilots in certified aircraft, enabling advanced navigation and fully coupled RNAV approaches.

Of all the gadgetry in airplane cockpits, the magnetic compass is probably the least regarded, least used, and least understood. And yet, it deserves understanding and respect, because it is often the most steadily reliable navigational reference we have. Often referred to as the “whiskey compass,” “wet compass,” or “standby compass,” the magnetic compass is […]

“Can you accept the visual?” It is not uncommon for air traffic control to pose this question to pilots on IFR flight plans approaching certain airports when the weather is VFR. In daylight, when the visibility is good, the winds calm, and the pilot familiar with the airport—and the approach is a straight in—the visual […]

Garmin announced on February 13 that it had obtained FAA Supplemental Type Certification (STC) for the GFC 500 digital autopilot in Beechcraft A35 and B35 aircraft. This cutting-edge autopilot, designed for light piston aircraft, offers superior in-flight characteristics, self-monitoring capabilities, and reduced maintenance requirements compared to older-generation systems. The fully equipped GFC 500 autopilot offers a […]

Garmin has published a service advisory stating that “display repairs for the WAAS and Non-WAAS GPS 400, GNC 420, and GNS 430 are no longer available and have been discontinued.” The GNS 430/530 was introduced in 1998 and produced until 2011. “Due to multiple component availability limitations, comprehensive repair service for Garmin’s GNS 430/530 series […]

The blessing is anticipated to happen soon for Dynon’s autopilot in some Mooneys and Beechcraft.

Prodded along perhaps by recent competition in the low-end com radio market, Garmin on Wednesday announced it will debut two new units targeted closely to replacing the legacy BendixKing KX155s and the like, fitting their form factor and dialing down the cost while keeping certain familiar Garmin functionality. The Garmin GTR 205 com and GNC […]

The series takes cues from the Vision Jet to deliver a seamless experience to the pilot.

ForeFlight has capped off the year by launching a great tool allowing pilots to see—and share—an interactive summary of the flights they logged in 2023. Named ForeFlight Recap, the web-based feature pulls “aggregated data from a pilot’s 2023 entries in ForeFlight Logbook.” It then showcases information, including the number of flights, total distance flown, total […]

I admit to being a little nervous when I have to fly an airplane with only a GPS navigator in the panel, aided only by a single communications radio, albeit with flip-flop frequencies. I suppose it’s because I grew up back when things frequently broke, both in the airplane and on the ground. It was […]