UPS Aviation Technologies (UPS AT) plans to complete development this month of a new version of its Apollo MX20 multi-function display (MFD) for general aviation. It will incorporate full terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS) display capability as well as displaying uploaded NEXRAD weather radar data and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) information.
The work builds on a version of the MX20 modified with the Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) datalink for the US Federal Aviation Administration's Capstone trials in Alaska, and allows graphical weather data to be received in the cockpit. "The aim is for the new version to interface with a wide range of input, from weather radar to TAWS and EGPWS [enhanced ground proximity warning system]," says UPS AT.
Hardware for the new version was built in March and the software interfaces, gain and range adjustments are expected to be completed by July. UPS AT believes the TAWS and datalinked weather capability will provide significant safety enhancements.
Source: Flight International