GRAHAM WARWICK / WASHINGTON DC
Company to focus on avionics upgrades with its Apex integrated system until general aviation market recovers
Honeywell plans to team with 10 to 20 dealers to offer its Apex general aviation integrated cockpit for retrofit into turboprops and light jets. The Apex/R retrofit system, with its large flat-panel displays and cabinet-based architecture, will provide substantial weight savings, says Marc Szczerba, Honeywell general manager, business, regional and general aviation.
The company is pursuing retrofit applications while it awaits a GA market recovery. Szczerba says Apex has been picked for two aircraft programmes that have yet to be announced, but Honeywell lost the contest to equip Cessna's Citation Mustang entry-level business jet to Garmin International's G1000.
Initial retrofit targets are the Beech King Air 200 and Cessna Citation II, as well as Cessna's Conquest, says Szczerba. The company will team with selected dealers to develop and share the supplemental type certificates. As well as providing increased functionality at reduced cost, the retrofit could save an average of 90kg (200lb) in line-replaceable units and wiring, he adds.
Flight testing of the complete Apex package will begin in the third quarter. In addition to the high-resolution displays, the package includes dual-channel, solid-state air-data, attitude and heading reference system; dual digital radios for communication, navigation and datalink weather and traffic; dual GPS with wide-area augmentation system capability; and three-axis digital autopilot.
Source: Flight International
