Aero-TV: Reasons To Retrofit -- Aspen Avionics Expands

Growing Avionics Powerhouse Keeps Making Progress

As we noted in some of our end-of-year coverage, 2008 was a pretty miserable year for a number of companies eking out their existence in the world of aviation. It was, however, a great year -- maybe even an astounding year, for Aspen Avionics… and it's no wonder. 2008 is the year that Aspen turned the retrofit avionics business on its ear with a glass panel retrofit that was everything an upgrading flyer could ask for… easy to install, simple to use, highly capable, affordable and cooler than the observation deck on the Titanic.

Announced at Oshkosh 2007, Aspen bills its Evolution Flight Display system is an affordable glass cockpit solution for general aviation aircraft. With prices starting under $6,000, the modular and upgradeable Evolution system breaks the price barrier and makes the safety benefits of the most advanced glass cockpit technologies finally accessible to the vast majority of the GA aircraft fleet.

By the end of the first quarter of 1008, Aspen's newly issued AML-STC enabled Aspen Avionics to start shipping, and its dealers to start installing, Evolution Flight Display systems... on track with the schedule Aspen promised to its customers.

Certification of the Evolution Flight Display was the second TSO Aspen Avionics has received. The company's innovative AT300 Hazard Awareness Display received certification in November 2005. The certification process for the EFD1000 PFD took approximately 18 months to complete.

While the initial TSO allowed the Aspen PFD to be installed in over 400 types of aircraft, Aspen added several more Class II airplanes, including some heavier twins, to its FAA Approved Model List Supplemental Type Certificate (AML-STC) for the EFD1000 Primary Flight Displays (PFDs). These latest additions include the Beechcraft Baron 58-series, and a subset of the Aerostar 600-and Twin Commander 500-series twin-engine airplanes. Over 650 models can now be equipped with the Aspen EFD1000.

With certification of ...

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