Successive presses of the right knob will cycle through HDG and ALT in a round-robin sequence. Where MS bridges the gap between Aspen and a Machen A36. Sign in to continue reading, FAA issues a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin to alert pilots, By Plane & Pilot Updated November 29, 2018 Save Article. The FAA admits in the AD that the commentary period is largely mute because an unsafe condition exists that requires the immediate adoption of this AD without providing an opportunity for public comments prior to adoption.. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. Familiarity with avionics manufacturers such as Garmin, Bendix-King, Honeywell, Avidyne, Aspen Avionics, Freeflight . AOPA has welcomed Aspens contributions to aviation safety and modernization, and installed Aspens first FAA-certified primary flight display in the AOPA 2008 Get Your Glass Sweepstakes airplane. This makes all the installations the same (wiring wise, there is room for discretion where to mount things and such but not when it comes to the interfaces and configurations). $30 to $45 Hourly. One item that did come up in our survey is that while the Aspen has an internal GPS, it has no direct-to function as it has no database. See if any of this link matches your experience That is it !!! If he removed the vac system as I did, and the E5 allows, the single max wouldn't qualify without a backup, right? uncommandedresets. On the ground everything was normal, RSM was calibrated with no issues. A year later, they were shipping and the field results were mixed: Capable technology but the installations werent going as smoothly as hoped and there was a higher-than-expected failure rate.New technology always takes some time to shake out the bugs, so now that there are hundreds of units out there in the field, we surveyed users to see if the reality is living up to the marketing copy. Interim Action:We consider this AD interim action. Full-Time. Familiarity with avionics manufacturers such as Garmin, Bendix-King, Honeywell, Avidyne, Aspen Avionics, Freeflight . - Seems that there is no correlation in the events for the in-flight reset I believe it shares the same processor as the E5. Kate OConnor works as AVweb's Editor-in-Chief. Mysteries Of Flight: The Curious Case Of Pan Am Flight 914, Fond Farewell to a Titan: The Antonov An-225, A Radial Engine Clock, Concorde Cufflinks And More Gear For Aviators, Garmin GI 275: Flight Instrument Revolution. And that's sad for a $7k (installed) piece. SAIB SW-18-31 was prompted by 14 reports of flight display units repeatedly . You Tell Us, EAA To Host Webinar Event For Aspiring Aviators, National Museum Of The U.S. Air Force Celebrates 100 Years, FAA IACRA System Hit With Database Issues, FAA Nominee Quizzed On Aviation Knowledge, General Aviation Accident Bulletin, February 27, 2023, Pratt & Whitney Canada Passes One Billion Flight-Hour Milestone, AeroLEDs Introduces New Landing Light Series, Universal Avionics Receives TSO Approval For Aperture, MyGoFlights Head-Up Display Division Sold To Partner, AeroBrigham. But I do agree that hardware failures are prevalent. One is coming back tomorrow with some rsm issues that need to be troubleshot. The E5 is approved under an AML-STC (approved model list supplemental type certificate), which blankets over 300 aircraft models. - I've flown about 80 hours since original E5 install Poll: Did You Watch the Dragon Splashdown? I recently upgraded to the Max version. This AD requires disabling the ADS-B In function in each installer menu by changing the RS-232 INPUT for the bus connected to the ADS-B In to NONE. Picture of panel for info. We are dedicated to finding the root cause of this problem and solving it. New technology always takes some time to shake out the bugs, so now that there are hundreds of units out there in the field, we surveyed users to see if the reality is living up to the marketing copy. - I have the original 910-00003-002 RSM (E5/Top Mount) installed Aspen, CO. My head was trying hard looking for something to scan, while everything was in one place I became a decision maker instead of an interpreter, my [new] scan allows me to make sure I am getting valid information., We noted in our first report on the EFD1000 that the small type was a bit of a problem. None of this seems to matter tho. Be vigilant. Just to test my EA-100 Aspen charges $500. Thanks for your input here and your help in the past over on BT. Pulling the ADS-B circuit breaker as described in section 3.2.6 of the Flight Manual supplement, has been demonstrated to resolve the issue. One Arrow owner reporte d over a dozen removals of the EFD1000 to get it right. Slip/skid is indicated by the lateral position of the white rectangle under the roll pointer. Or just buy Garmin's new product they are announcing Wednesday. Rating. No it was not. I had an E5 installed into my E model back at annual in May. In that case, the E5 will continue to display attitude and heading data and will display an attitude degraded message on the screen to prompt the pilot to turn on the pitot heat. The lower center button is for selecting the navigation sources for the electronic CDI and for entering and exiting the menu and for reversion or manual power control. Clear editor. Aerospace Engineer, Engineering Design, Electrical Engineer, Mechanical Engineer. Click here or above and get a free newsletter, plus choose your download: 172 Owners Guide, 182 Owners Guide, or Digital Magazine. April 24, 2022 in Avionics/Panel Discussion. The latest iteration of this is a new app that emulates the functions of the Aspen EFD1000 flight display. Unfortunately, since then my new Aspen E5 has been performing poorly in the 9 months since installation. Now you want me to spend $1000's more than I already have over this issue to have a DEALER tell me what I already know? The converter is included with higher-end Evolution systems. I'll probably sell it at a loss and install dual G5s on my dime when the GFC500 is available for short bodies. 2 different Aspen 1000 PFD's 3 different ACU's Replaced Ethernet cable Checked wiring. You can post now and register later. The reset occurs between five- to ten-minute intervals. Thats not the case with the E5 when its connected to a compatible IFR GPS navigator, including a Garmin GNS or GTN. A couple of folks noted their greatest discomfort came from trusting the Aspen in light of early problems and failures. Theyre more likely to recognize a hardware issue and have a replacement on hand. The center button on the bottom of the display is for selecting/coupling the navigation source for the electronic CDI, which can be GPS1 or VLOC1, for example, depending on the external interface. Ive been flying behind an Aspen 2000 since 2012 that has been absolutely trouble free. With 32,768 colors, a 400 by 760 display resolution and high-intensity white LED backlighting, the 6.0-inch diagonal TFT active matrix LCD screen is noticeably more crisp and brighter than the first-gen units. A a lot of double talk and side steeping the real issue of Aspens reliability issues which are discussed at nauseam on all the forums! You cannot paste images directly. I've had to replace my PFD-1000 and now the EA-100 is problematic. Familiarity with avionics manufacturers such as Garmin, Bendix-King, Honeywell, Avidyne, Aspen Avionics, Freeflight Systems to name a few Fluent in basic electrical theory Provide proof of good wire crimping and soldering techniques Must have own . By Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, What Instrument Pilots Need to Know About Flying Ice-Free in Winter, Whelen Engineering to Acquire LoPresti Aviation. When Aspen Avionics announced its retrofit PFD system in 2007, we were impressed with the designs ingenuity and its workable price point. Digital Media Managing Editor Jim Moore joined AOPA in 2011 and is an instrument-rated private pilot, as well as a certificated remote pilot, who enjoys competition aerobatics and flying drones. He probably is getting the unit for a net $8100 and install is really $1900..who knows. The FAA cautioned that an aircraft with multiple Aspen displays, the issue could result in loss of all altitude and airspeed reference during the reset period.. That shouldnt be difficult given Aspens large dealer network. Was the unit installed by an authorized Aspen dealer or not? The FAA said the condition doesnt currently warrant an Airworthiness Directive, and it offered suggestions to avoid the problem. Well I agree that the clip in panel is crap but the actual efd is supposed to have a grounding strap on the back of it connected to the mount so it shouldn't fall more that that would allow. 2023 Madavor Media, LLC. More complex ones have the aircraft in the shop for two weeks. It's tempting to decry the disappearance of the classic country airport. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Wish I could say the same about my GTN 650. Aspen NexNav Mini. Theres also the MAP (main application processor) board, a CPU and IOP (input-output) board for communicating with remote systems, mainly GPS navigators and VHF nav radios. PFD Primary flight display instrument panels Honeywell International Dynon Avionics L-3 Communications Holding Astronics Corporation Aspen Avionics Genesys Aerosystems Rockwell Collins Esterline Technologies Avidyne Corporation Garmin Ltd. The company is working on a range of aviation software and data products . One pilot told us he had to seriously beef up his instrument-flying technique because he could now see many minor roll excursions on his Aspen that were simply too small to appear on his vacuum-powered AI. The FAA has issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) to alert pilots to a potential problem with the Aspen Evolution PFD. The GPS is there really only for helping the attitude system of the Aspen internally check itself. Familiarity with avionics manufactures such as Garmin, Bendix-King, Honeywell, Avidyne, Aspen Avionics, Freeflight Systems to name a few . Online/Remote - Candidates ideally in. Our club has three Aspen Pro Max with synthetic vision in our planes. The FAA has issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) to alert pilots to a potential problem with the Aspen Evolution PFD.The FAA said the condition doesn't currently warrant an Airworthiness Directive, and it offered suggestions to avoid the problem. I have heard of issues where the the installer used the wrong connectors, wrong Ethernet cable, wrong location of the RSM, etc. I am not saying that your installation is not valid at all. The AD goes into effect on Aug. 17, 2020, and is open for public comment until Sept. 14, 2020. I hope you can understand and empathize with me of the frustration that I have had with Aspen for about 330 hours of flight. The overall satisfaction with the Aspen system seems quite high. He fixed avionics problems (the old system was replaced three times) by switching to an Aspen Avionics Evolution system, and a valve problem with the engine was cured long ago. IN . Aspen customer support has replaced the E5 once, with no effect - the problem still occurs. Aircraft Spruce assumes no responsibility or liability for any issue or problem which may arise from any repair, modification or other work done from this . Rated 4 out of 5. If youre turning in. He ended up getting 5 different EA100s before getting the system to work correctly. Employer est. Aspen Avionics products are available from Pacific Coast Avionics, your avionics and pilot supply superstore. The FAA is correcting an airworthiness directive (AD) that published in the Federal Register. Im confused about what is going on here. So having said that it gets pretty expensive to replace boxes on my dime. While the Aspen can run for 30 minutes on its internal battery, total power loss would leave you with no navigation ability. Price was the decider two to one over the next most popular reason for choosing the Aspen system. For example, the first action of the knob wakes it up and changes the corresponding label from cyan to magenta. 35 instances of display systems automatically resetting have been reported. Like the E5, the new MAX is a huge improvement in display performance. Manufacturing. As for the entry-level E5, we think its a credible and affordable product to compete with Garmins G5 if you can live with a no-frills feature set. Aspen said it designed the new display for better automatic dimming and even at the lowest brightness, the screen doesnt lose its clarity. I recently found and reached out to another Aspen E5 customer that is going through similar problems with his new . Press J to jump to the feed. Went for a test flight after an install of an Aspen . GPS groundspeed (GS) and barometric pressure setting are shown in the data bar and when any of these values are either invalid or not available, the field is dashed. 2023 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, installed Aspens first FAA-certified primary flight display, Garmin GFC 500 autopilot approved for more aircraft models, Aspen software update enables autopilot integration, Boeing, NASA to develop sustainable airliner. After numerous pilots reported that their Evolution Flight Displays (the EFD1000; EFD100 Multi-Function Display; and EFD500 MFD) rebooted in flight, with about a minute of loss of signal on the display while the system reset itself. For those who never had GPSS, we saw, My autopilot never worked this well before. For those who had an S-TEC or other GPSS-capable autopilot, GPSS is lazy. You can interact with each of the buttons and knobs and see the result on the simulated display. The final EA100 came out of one of Aspens aircraft that had a good known working history. 35 instances of display systems automatically resetting have been reported. New to posting here.but hoping to get some help. Quality control seems like a major problem. While this issue seems to be dissipating (although not completely gone), its another reason to go with a shop thats done several installations. . I think@LANCECASPERhas the ifd units and max displays. https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=FAA-2018-1085-0001, Textron Announces Unleaded Fuels Are an Option for Lycoming Engines, PLANE OWNERSHIP SERIES, PART 3: AVIONICS AND MORE. Americas owner-flown aircraft enthusiasts and active-pilot resource, delivered to your inbox! There are notable exceptions, but they seem to be clustered in the earlier installs, which is the trend we want to see. @drb930 Had a customer with a A36 KFC200 and Aspen 1000 with the EA100 that had similar issues. If we find the issue to be with the actual rsm tomorrow, that'll leave Aspen at a 0-2 score with us so far. First long xc I was on after install was with my IFR instructor. The FAA cleared the way for pilots flying with the Aspen Avionics Evolution 1000 Pro MAX primary flight display to integrate it with Garmin's GFC 600 digital autopilot, and other avionics. I've had 3 in-flight E5 restarts ( 1 on each E5 )the E5 just goes blank and reset as if it was normal: 1st reset) On final approach to rwy in Feb - approach power/RPM, gear going down:::E5 replaced by Aspen in Mar. Until then, I can not help you. Theres also the numeric display of the current magnetic heading, the selected heading and selected course. Company. (Courtesy of Aspen Avionics) aspen avionics problems. You also rotate the right knob to the left or right to decrease or increase the value of whatever is in the selected field. Are you saying mine is not installed per the STC? Articles written or compiled by Cessna Owner Organization staff. Thanks for the welcomecarusoamyes, looking back it has been painful but as I was going through it I really believed it was "fixed" each time a replacement came in. Based solely on $$ though, they're not true competitors. Was the unit installed by an authorized Aspen dealer or not?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro, Im confused about what is going on here. Avionics provides state-of-the-art US and European aviation ChartData to many major aviation companies including Aspen Avionics, Honeywell (Bendix/King), and all the leading iPad applications. Keep leadership and co-workers apprised of work progress and/or problems. This is opposed to revamping your panel [yet gaining] little added functionality.. All rights reserved. Thats because the E5 can use GPS groundspeed instead of indicated airspeed as part of its overall AHRS solution. I just don't see it as applicable, given the input data from the first post. Existing Aspen displays can be upgraded to the MAX, which could be worth it for owners of legacy Aspen displays. This website contains many older reviews. Earlier this year I took the plunge and did an avionics upgrade that included a new avidyne ifd440 and a new Aspen E5. He enters 180 knots on his flight plan for this 1966 V-tail Bonanza (he knows he could get more if he used higher power . I wish that was the case here, those problems would be an easy fix! You can post now and register later. Keep leadership and co-workers apprised of work progress and/or problems. Use an experienced shop and expect an initial shake-down period. The problem, the SAIB said, appears to be related to the ADS-Binterface, and the FAA recommended that operators suspend night and IFR operations until the problem has been straightened out. GSS stands for Geological Simulation . Not sure if the E5 is governed by the same STC for IFR flight. I don't trust it. It is probably rare but shows the importance of a thorough test flight after installing equipment such as this and hopefully you guys can learn something like we did. Since the E5 uses pitot and static pressure input as part of the AHRS attitude calculations, loss or corruption of the pitot or static pressure (perhaps an iced up pitot tube) can influence the accuracy of the displayed attitude data. Went for a test flight after an install of an Aspen EFD1000 in a Cessna 310. @bd95ras you may already knowthe FAA has issued an AD on Aspen boxes: https://www.bonanza.org/news/aspen-flight-display-ad/jan-2019/aspen-flight-display-ad/, SAIB SW-18-31 was issued to notify the public that an unsafe condition may exist. Thank you for reaching out to me directly. Aspen has continued to innovate through the years since, and rolled out its most recent upgrades to the Evolution MAX line in 2019. With competition from the G5, I would think they would be motivated to keep you happy. Coming Soon: The Semi-Professional Pilot. Aspen Technology. The short answer is: The Aspen Evolution system is generally performing as advertised. Share More sharing options. This is our policy. The left knobs primary function is for setting the E5s course value, and its also used to bug an airspeed. During our E5 bench evaluation, we also powered up a new MAX display for comparison with the legacy Evolution Pro. At this time, the airworthiness concern is not an unsafe condition that would warrant airworthiness directive (AD) action under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 39. Availability of an aircraft approval and expandability were the next strongest selling points, with 18 percent and 16 percent of respondents noting it, respectively. Also Aspen does not have repair capability, so does that mean the equipment is being manufactured overseas? Penn's quote broke down as follows: Our policy states that the unit must be installed by an authorized dealer. I'd go for it otherwise TBH. The fact that now itsa different box than whats on the AD illustratesthat Aspen hasvery, I do think part of the reason Garmin has fewer failures is the closed architecture that allows them to control what is interfaced with the pfds. December 30, 2019 in Avionics/Panel Discussion. - E5 has a backup battery but never "goes to battery", ie like in a loss of power situation Going out of cal is a big issue with these. What we find interesting here is that the older instruments are far more likely to be the ones in error. This is a very exciting development for our current and future customers as well as our employees and allows us to take our business to a higher level.. These design changes are defined in the 900-00003-001, Revision CC, EFD1000, and EFD500 Software Version 2.X installation manual, dated March 2020.. Any one else having problems? Aspen Avionics Evolution Flight Display system, glass cockpit digital deck management products and upgrades. At extreme pitch attitudes, some sky (blue) or ground (brown) will always be displayed to help maintain situational awareness, even though the horizon line may be off-scale. Penn Avionics was $11,551.00.