Avionics Blog – Avionics to the Max!

With the upcoming ADS-B mandate in Canada, Maxcraft is excited to share with you the newly approved, economical solution for general aviation and experimental aircraft. We believe the tailBeaconX will be a popular upgrade and compliance path to meet the Canadian satellite-based ADS-B tracking requirements.

uAvionix announced in early April it received the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) and initial Approved Model List (AML) from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the revolutionary tailBeaconX 1090 MHz ADS-B transponder.

tailBeaconX is a highly integrated 1090 MHz ADS-B transponder that replaces a rear navigation light by combining it with ADS-B OUT / Mode S transponder, SBAS GPS, antennas, and rear LED position light. The initial STC-AML utilizes the uAvionix AV-30-C multi-function display to be installed as the control head. In this configuration, the AV-30-C is able to leverage the tailBeaconX SBAS GPS for its GPS track display. In the future, uAvionix anticipates adding additional means of control through uAvionix and third-party devices.

tailBeaconX is uniquely designed to meet the challenge of worldwide adoption of both ground and space-based ADS-B for Air Traffic Surveillance, including CANADA’s upcoming mandate over the next few years. NAV CANADA’s performance requirements “can be met either through antenna diversity (the use of a top and bottom antenna) or with a single antenna that is capable of transmitting both towards the ground and up towards satellites.” tailBeaconX is the only non-diversity solution, saving aircraft owners thousands of dollars for equipment and installation as compared to a full diversity system.

The Approved Model List (AML) for tailBeaconX contains over 550 aircraft make and models for which this STC is valid, including most major models from Cessna, Piper, Mooney, Beechcraft, and others. Additional models, including light twins, are expected to be approved in the next months.

For the Canadian market, tailBeaconX will initially be available for 336 models on the FAA AML, whose type certificates were accepted in Canada without the issuance of an equivalent TCCA type certificate (See the TCCA U.S. Eligible Aircraft List). STC validation for an additional 56 models has been filed with Transport Canada and is expected to be approved shortly.

Maxcraft Avionics is a leader in airplane and helicopter avionic system upgrades, including installation of everything from basic VHF Radios and flight instruments, all the way to sophisticated GPS, TCAS, EFIS, and glass cockpit systems. We have the largest avionics facility in Canada and over 20,000 unique part numbers in our inventory to repair your aircraft or upgrade your cockpit.

Garmin has done it again with a new and improved watch.  Read about the new D2 Mach 1 watch from Garmin below:

Garmin is pleased to announce the D2™ Mach 1 GPS aviator smartwatch with classic pilot watch styling and a bright AMOLED touchscreen display that offers advanced tools for flying – plus health and fitness features – to help pilots and aviation enthusiasts  accelerate their adventures. With a battery life of up to 11 days, pilots can rely on the D2 Mach 1 around the clock to keep tabs on the weather, receive automatic alerts for changing conditions, help navigate with the moving map and horizontal situation indicator (HSI) and so much more.

Coupled with a full suite of health monitoring and activity tracking features, the D2 Mach 1 offers unmatched utility both in and out of the cockpit.

Enhanced style and utility

Designed for everyday wear, the D2 Mach 1 combines a durable design and premium materials like  sapphire and titanium with a vibrant, sunlight-readable 1.3’’ AMOLED display. Trusted button controls are matched with a responsive new touchscreen interface for dual utility, improving daily smartwatch interaction and access to selections and map features. The watch face includes a UTC pointer, and can also display and help pilots manage multiple time zones, including Zulu time, and a 24-hour clock around the bezel, along with seven customizable data fields.

Leaving your hangar or FBO to head to the gym? Quickly change out the D2 Mach 1 watch straps – available with oxford leather or vented titanium options– with the included QuickFit™ black silicone band.

A dedicated flight system on your wrist

The D2 Mach 1 includes preflight, in-flight and postflight features and tools to
assist pilots in navigation and enhance situational awareness, along with multiband frequency and multi-GNSS support for better and more accurate GPS positioning. Direct-to navigation lets pilots navigate straight to an airport or waypoint in the preloaded worldwide aeronautical database directly from the watch, or choose the Nearest function to activate a direct course to a nearby airport. Pan across the moving map with a touch, and tap on waypoints for more information. Plus, see NEXRAD radar1 overlaid on the route.

The instrument-like horizontal situation indicator (HSI)2 course needle makes it easy for pilots to see if the aircraft is left or right of the desired flight path, and the barometric altimeter can alert when a desired altitude is reached. Aviation alerts like time, distance, altitude and a fuel timer are also available on the D2 Mach 1 during flight.

Know what’s ahead with airport information like runway orientation and wind
components, runway lengths and airport frequencies—all preloaded and easily accessible from the watch. The D2 Mach 1 offers aviation weather reports, including METARs and TAFs that allow pilots to see winds, visibility and barometric pressure and more1 before takeoff. New graphical indications of MOS forecasts for specific airports3, including projections for temperature trends, wind, dewpoint, sky cover, precipitation probability and more, are also available. Customizable notifications can be set for new METAR and TAF reports, so pilots will stay in-the-know when things like destination airport conditions change or when crosswind components exceed a threshold. And in case of emergency, the D2 Mach 1 can show the best glide speed, estimated glide distance and glide time during an engine-related issue, along with a bearing pointer to the nearest airport and a list of alternate airports.

Flight logging is a breeze with the D2 Mach 1, which automatically starts tracking flights on takeoff, then automatically transfers the date, duration, total flight time and route to the user’s flyGarmin.com logbook. Pilots can also seamlessly transfer flight plans from the Garmin Pilot™ app to the D2 Mach 1 and view the list of waypoints included in their route.

Advanced health, wellness and fitness features

With the broadest range of 24/7 health monitoring features available from Garmin, the D2 Mach 1 offers: wrist-based heart rate (with user-configurable alerts for high or low readings), advanced sleep monitoring with sleep score, breathwork activities, fitness age, respiration, Pulse Ox5, all-day stress tracking, hydration, and women’s health tracking. Body Battery™ energy monitoring shows users how “charged” their body is as well as the draining effects of stress and exercise. During a flying activity, pilots can quickly access the health stats menu to track their heart rate, Pulse Ox, respiration, Body
Battery and more. Plus, a new Health Snapshot™ feature logs a two-minute window of key health stats and generates a report users can share with a health care provider – a great tool for capturing physiological data anytime you’re feeling off your baseline.

The D2 Mach 1 features 30+ built-in indoor and GPS sports apps with favorites that include walking, running, cycling, pool swimming, hiking, advanced strength training
and more. It’s even preloaded with SkiView™ maps and more than 42,000 golf courses from around the world. Keep fitness feeling fresh with preloaded workouts on the watch, preset workouts available for download from the Garmin Connect™ app, or create customizable workouts by choosing from over 1,400 exercises.

All-day connection and convenience

Pilots can keep essentials on the wrist with built-in music (download up to 650
songs including playlists from Spotify®, Amazon Music, and Deezer), Garmin Pay™
contactless payments, and smart notifications for calls, texts, calendar reminders,
social media updates, breaking news stories and more. No service? No problem. Stay connected by pairing the D2 Mach 1 with a Garmin inReach® device to send preset messages to loved ones, toggle tracking or to initiate an SOS to the Garmin IERCC, a 24/7 staffed professional emergency response coordination center. Like all Garmin smartwatches, the D2 Mach 1 can be used with compatible Android or Apple® Smartphones. With a battery life of up to 11 days in smartwatch mode and up to 24 hours with the Fly activity (GPS + Pulse Ox), pilots can prepare for takeoff without worrying about their next charge.

Maxcraft Avionics is a leader in airplane and helicopter avionic system upgrades, including installation of everything from basic VHF Radios and flight instruments, all the way to sophisticated GPS, TCAS, EFIS, and glass cockpit systems. We have the largest avionics facility in Canada and over 20,000 unique part numbers in our inventory to repair your aircraft or upgrade your cockpit.