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Comox Airport
Aug. 15, 2015
100th Birthday of BC Aero Club
Aug. 29, 2015
Aircraft Electronic Association
Regional Mtg
Oct. 1-2
Toronto
Dubai Helishow
Dubai World Central
Nov. 8 – 12, 2015
Helicopter Association of Canada
Vancouver, BC
Nov. 13 – 15, 2015
National business Aviation Association
Las Vegas, NV
Nov. 17 – 19, 2015
 

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Avionic Humour

 

The Pilot and the Priest

A priest dies and is waiting in line at the Pearly Gates.

Ahead of him is a guy named Don McPherson, who’s dressed in sunglasses, a

loud shirt, leather jacket, and  jeans.

Saint Peter addresses this cool guy, ‘Who are you, so that I may know whether or not to admit you to the Kingdom of Heaven?’

The guy replies, ‘I’m Don McPherson, retired American Airline pilot from Palm Springs CA.’

Saint Peter consults his list. He smiles and says to, the pilot, ‘Take this silken robe and golden staff and enter the Kingdom.’

So Captain Don goes into Heaven with his robe and staff. Next, it’s the priest’s turn. He stands erect and booms out, ‘I am Father Bob, pastor of Saint Mary’s for the last 43 years.’

Saint Peter consults his list. He says to the priest, ‘Take this cotton robe and wooden staff and enter the Kingdom.’

‘Just a minute,’ says the good father. ‘That man, Don, was a pilot and he gets a silken robe and golden staff and I get only cotton and wood. How can this be?’

‘Up here – we go by results,’ says Saint Peter. ‘When you preached – people slept. When Don flew, people prayed…’

New products including PS Engineering, a unique STC and projects with “how we did it” videos
August 2015
Greetings,

Welcome to your mid-summer issue of MaxNews! Read about some of the new products announced at Airventure Oshkosh, including products from PS Engineering, Garmin, Avidyne and Aspen. Maxcraft is also announcing their new STC for the G500H.  Also in this issue we have featured PS Engineering in our vendor profile.

New Products
Maxcraft Avionics has received FAA AML STC for Garmin G500H Flight Display System in Airbus Helicopters. Garmin G500
This STC is unique in that it also includes installation approval for supporting and optional systems including: Garmin GTN650, GTN750, GNS430W or GNS530W as the primary GPS/NAV/COM, Garmin SL40, GTR225 or GNC255 as No.2 VHF COM (optional), Garmin GTS800 Traffic Advisory System (optional) and Freeflight RA-4500 Radar Altimeter System (optional). Read more here.
 
PS Engineering announces three new products!

PS Engineering, Inc. just announced the Plug ‘N Play upgrade audio panel for all series of the PMA7000 and the Apollo SL-15, namely the PMA7000BT.
While these legacy panels continue to work well in the field as they were designed, the new PMA7000BT will provide pilots an inexpensive way to upgrade their old PMA7000 with a panel that includes the benefits on integrated Bluetooth® connectivity.
Bluetooth® integration makes a tremendous amount of sense for the cockpit. The number one complaint of pilots in the past was the “Spaghetti Factor” of all of the wires associated with the intercoms. These wires were a nuisance in the cockpit. With the vast capabilities of the iPad®, iPhone®, Android, and other Bluetooth® enabled products, the PMA7000BT allows a seamless way to connect to these devices for telephone and music distribution.
Also new to the marketplace is the PMA7000M that is a direct Plug ‘N Play for our original audio panel, namely the PMA6000 series. The biggest cost savings is that there is no re-wiring required, just a slide-out and slide-in operation with a simple log book entry required.
PMA450

 

Introduced at the 2014 Airventure (Oshkosh) the new PMA450 has taken the aviation world by storm.
With the exclusive license from the USAF, IntelliAudio® allows the pilot to take advantage of their natural ability to listen to what is important. By placing the coms in unique positions within the stereo headsets, pilots can take advantage of the “Cocktail Party Effect” where they “Tune Out” what isn’t important and listen to what is.

The user interface is another innovation pioneered by PS Engineering. Using a graphics display and a 3-Soft-Key approach, Pilots will never have to open up their Pilot Guide, it’s all right in front of them. The USB charger will provide  10 Watts of power, enough to power the largest iPad running the most demanding applications. The PMA450 is Plug ‘N Play with the GARMIN GMA340 audio panels. Nothing  to change or alter.

 

 

Aspen receives FAA certification for AOA and introduces the Pro Plus PFD!

 

Aspen Avionics announced its integrated Evolution Angle of Attack (AOA) indicator has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification. Unlike other AOAs, Aspen’s patent-pending solution seamlessly integrates AOA technology directly into its Evolution primary flight and multi-function displays through a software upgrade. The new Pro Plus Safety Package includes this and synthetic vision at a reduced bundled price.

 

Icom introduced the IC-A220 VHF air band transceiver

 

The next generation air band panel mount transceiver  Features include: white OLED display and white key backlight, easy channel selection, automatic squelch function, GPS memory function, 12V/24V DC power source, intercom functions, and easy installation.
Rockwell Collins TDR94/TDR94D Mode S transponder 

The Rockwell Collins TDR94/TDR94D Mode S transponder is now available in versions fully compliant with DO-260B which meets FAA ADS-B requirements. Additionally Universal Avionics has joined forces with Rockwell Collins to bring an affordable ADS-B Out solution to aircraft operators. The incentive package is designed to allow operators to combine the Rockwell Collins TDR-94(D) Mode S Transponder with Universal Avionics SBAS-FMS.Universal Avionics SBAS-FMS is an approved ARINC 743A position source, required for ADS-B Out compliance. As the foundation of the ADS-B Out solution, it interfaces with all ADS-B transponders including the commonly used Rockwell Collins TDR-94(D).
 
Garmin announced many new products at Oshkosh including the folllowing: 
  • GTN 650/750 Update

With new capabilities including customGTN750 er-requested features such as creating and executing customized holding patterns, search and rescue patterns, NEXRAD weather imagery, enhanced navigation functions including the display of fuel range rings, the ability to fly IAP with radius-to fix leg types and the option to load a secondary approach while flying a missed approach segment.

  • A new digital series of Bluetooth enabled audio panels

The series include GMA 350c, GMA 35c, and GMA 350Hc.  Incorporating Bluetooth technology for wireless access to music, phone, Garmin Pilot alerts, industry-first Telligence Voice Command technology, 3D Audio processing, enhanced auto squelch capability and more. 
  • Connext Wireless Cockpit Ecosystem
Expanded Connext ecosystem which broadens compatibility to include the Garmin area 796/795 aviation portable GPS, ForeFlight Mobile and Jeppesen Mobile FliteDeck. Customers can wirelessly receive ADS-B weather, traffic, precise GPS position data, and back-up attitude information.
  • Electronic Logbook Capabilities
Garmin announced capabilities built-in to the Garmin Pilot application for the iPad/iPhone and seamless integration with flyGarmin. Featuring automatic record keeping of recorded data pertaining to each flight, date, duration of each flight, number of take offs and landings, route and sorted and saved for easy reference. Also incorporating nearest navigation functionality to give pilots the option to locate the closest airport/ NAVAID, intersection, user waypoint and more relative to their location.
  • VIRB XE Aviation Bundle
The new VIRB bundle provides new accessories and unique features such as gyro-based stabilization, attitude metrics, two hours of HD video recording,  built in GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi and ANT. 

In the Hangar: Cessna 414 Major Avionic Upgrade

Today we’ll take a look at a major avionics upgrade for one Cessna 414. This managed aircraft was recently purchased in the United States and imported into Canada for business use. Countless snags across multiple systems were encountered on it’s first test flight, and even more were found during our own preliminary tests. Owing the the sheer number of electrical and avionic faults in this aircraft (and the cost of troubleshooting them all), a full upgrade and replacement of major equipment was in fact the most prudent course of action. Read more here and see our time lapse video on this extensive project. 

 

In the Hangar: Cessna 182 – L3 Lynx and more

 

Featured already in our June newsletter, we have now completed the very first Lynx installation in Canada.   We’ve recorded a video of our test flight so that you can see this technology in action. You can read about the completed project and see the video of the Lynx NGT-9000 here.

 

The Technical Side:

 

Angle of Attack indicators in Canada
Once seen primarily on large turbine-powered aircraft, a variety of lower-priced AOA indicators have recently become available for installation in smaller general aviation aircraft as well. An AOA indicator provides a visual reference to the angle of the wing relative to the flow of air over the wing’s surface; exceeding the critical AOA, regardless of airspeed, may result in an aerodynamic stall.

 

The FAA’s announcement that it is going to make the installation of angle-of-attack indicators in light general aviation airplanes as easy as possible is an incredible development. Why would the FAA reduce the certification barriers of a flight-critical instrumentation system? The answer is simple: AOA indicators are long overdue in general aviation airplanes, and flying with the technology will improve safety.

 

We formally asked Transport Canada if they too were going to relax  requirements for AOA systems, and their answer was no. In Canada you still need certification (an STC) to install an AOA indicator in a certified aircraft (the experimental category can do as they please). In TC’s own words; ” While Transport Canada agrees that proper AoA information presented to the pilot is likely beneficial to safety, we have concerns regarding the risk of an improperly installed or calibrated system providing erroneous information when airspeed information is already available to the pilot.” The good news is that there are certified AOA systems available, including  a recently announced and somewhat unique Aspen product detailed at the end of this article.
AOA Background

There’s an old saying among pilots: “airspeed equals life.” In other words, keep your speed up and you’ll avoid stalling the wing during critical phases of flight, such as the base-to-final turn. However, this phrase is misleading because the stalling airspeed of a wing will change based on aircraft weight and load factor. Also, how does  one know that their airspeed indicator is properly calibrated? When was the last time it was checked? Chances are, the only check that was ever made was right after the airplane left the factory.

 

An angle-of-attack indication system, on the other hand, provides an instantaneous readout of stalling margin regardless of how heavily loaded you are, what angle of bank you’ve got dialed in or what the wind is doing. In this way, we should change the old maxim to “angle of attack equals life.”

 

 
For those of us who fly without an AOA indicator, at least for now, the key is to unload the wing, which is easy enough to do in the pattern. Hint: point the nose down. You lose a little altitude in the process, but greatly reduce AOA, even if there isn’t a gauge there to tell you as much. If there’s no altitude to lose and you sense  you’ll need to pull some Gs to make that turn, keep it wide, overfly the airport and live to get it right on the next circuit.
Aspen’s AOA Solution
Earlier we mentioned a unique AOA solution from Aspen now suitable for installation in Canada. What’s so unusual about Aspen’s AOA indicator is that it does not  rely on any sensors on the wing or even extra wiring or plumbing, as other AOA systems do. Aspen’s Evolution AOA indicator calculates angle of attack using flight envelope data received from an air data computer and attitude heading reference system (AHRS) integrated in the Evolution 1000 PFD or Evolution 1000 MFD, and a certified GPS. It does not require additional hardware, nor does it require any external aircraft modifications or sensors.

With a simple software upgrade to the Aspen EFD Pro or MFD1000 plus a short calibration flight, Aspen is addressing one of the FAA’s most wanted safety issues for the general aviation community and making Transport Canada happy since the system is already STC’d and installed in your aircraft.

Key Benefits
Improves safety – provides real time flaps up and down stall margin awareness – enables the pilot to see available lift before changing configuration – crucial when making a go-around.
Intuitive display – provides an immediate, clear visual display of trend toward stall and stall margin. Pilot comprehends important information at a glance.
Easy Installation – requires no additional probes, wiring or equipment. Installation cost and down time are minimal.
Primary Field of View – AOA is displayed on the Aspen PFD or MFD. Information is displayed in pilot’s natural field of view.

 

 
Works Cited:
 
Pope, Stephen. We Fly: Aspen Avionics’ AOA Indicator. Flying Magazine, 23 Apr. 2015. Web. 10 Aug. 2015.
 
FAA Outlines Support for Angle-of-Attack Indicators in General Aviation Aircraft. NBAA, 27 Aug. 2014. Web. 10 Aug. 2015.
 
Pope, Stephen. Flying Angle of Atack. Flying Magazine, 11 Feb. 2014. Web. 10 Aug. 2015.
 
Instrument Flying Handbook – Addendum: Angle of Attack Indicators. Oklahoma City, OK: U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Flight Standards Service, Apr 2008. Print and Web.

 

 

Vendor Profile: PS Engineering

PS Engineering, Inc. Cockpit Audio Pioneer and Leader

“The celebration of 30 years took the company by surprise, but true to form, we are already back in the trenches to create another great story for the next 30 years”, said Mark Scheuer, Founder and CEO of the company that has become known as the audio experts.

It all started when Mark purchased a Grumman Yankee in 1984 that was sorely lacking an intercom. After some market research, the inventing process began to tame the very loud cockpit environment. This focus placed the company as the leader in innovations of audio control systems.

An individually gated microphone was the first innovation. Next was the world’s first fully automatic VOX circuit, and then the full duplex telephone interface, pioneered in 1997. Phones were now available to pilots.

While there have been many new products developed by the company, what has never changed is the single mindedness of the company to be the experts when it comes to audio control systems in General Aviation aircraft.

The company has been recognized most recently by the Aircraft Electronics Association as the “Associate Member of the Year” award and Aviation Consumer’s “Gear of the Year” for the PMA450. At this year’s EAA AirVenture (Oshkosh) the company was recognized as being a 30-year participant at the world’s largest aviation event.

While the past has placed them in the enviable position of being the best, they will never rest on their laurels. In fact, it’s the position of being the leaders which makes them work even harder to maintain that position.

Maxcraft is always looking for skilled technicans

As you can see we are busy, as we continue to grow our business we are always looking for experienced avionics installation technicians.  If you are interested in joining our winning team send your resume to Joanna at Customer Service.

For Sale

 

1974 PA28-151 Piper Warrior For Sale.

Contact Daryl for more information. daryl@maxcraft.ca

 

Rebates for your favorite products

 

AAspen Avionics - view our Summer Rebatespen Safety Package

 

For the month of August Aspen will provide existing customers with the Synthetic Vision unlock and the AOA unlock on a single display as a bundled package. Also the Evolution Pro Plus Safety Package includes the Evolution primary flight display (PFD) preloaded with synthetic vision and its newest safety product, the Evolution Angle of Attack (AOA) indicator. Call us for pricing.

 

Garmin logo
Garmin Rebate

 

Garmin has extended their enhanced Situational Awareness Rebate!
Take advantage of this offer now and save up to $8,000 on Garmin Avionics until August 31, 2015.
 
 
Avidyne Promo Avidyne Logo
This Q3 Promotion allows those who purchase an IFD540 and IFD440 (or dual 540s or dual 440s) to get a FREE MLB100 ADS-B receiver! The MLB100 provides ADS-B IN to the IFD540/440s for FIS-B Wx. This offer is until Sept 30, 2015. Call us for details.
 
 
Summer Sale with SPOT!
Starting now through Sept.14, 2015, we are offering exciting customer promotions on SPOT Gen3™, SPOT Global Phone and SPOT Trace™ . A 50% OFF mail-in rebate on SPOT Gen3; 50% OFF mail-in rebate on SPOT Trace and FREE Phone – $499 mail-in rebate on SPOT Global!  Call us for details.
If you would like more information or to pre-order please contact our sales department at sales@maxcraft.ca or 604-465-3080.  

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Maxcraft Avionics
offers specials too!  Go to our webstore for specials and check the website for our used/reconditioned avionics list – updated monthly on items we have.

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Maxcraft Avionics Ltd. | 250 – 18799 Airport Way | Pitt Meadows Airport (CYPK) | Pitt Meadows | B.C. | V3Y 2B4 | Canada