Following up on my earlier post in the thread “ARNAV receives FAA TSO…”, I received a further email from Avidyne. They are expecting to deliver the EX5000 for installation in production aircraft in January 2002.
The datalinked weather will be mid-2002.
Here is the email I received 11-16-01 from Jamie Luster:
"Thank you for your email. We currently haven’t outlined the datalink services yet including the features offered such as ceiling/visibility, wind vectors etc. We expect to announce the service packages closer to product launch which is scheduled for mid 2002. Cirrus will dictate when datalink will be available on the Cirrus version of the EX5000, but we expect it to be around the same time as product launch. As with all FlightMax products, the EX5000 will be upgradeable so datalink and other enhancements can be added as new technology arises.
Cirrus has indicated to us that they will begin Avidyne installations in production aircraft in January, 2002. We will have the portable loader and subscription services available at that time for Nav Data updates. We haven’t finalized the subscription services yet, and the loader may or may not be included with the subscription. The services will only offer Nav Data, no charts or sectionals (they are not available on the EX5000). The NavData includes updates on all airspace, waypoint, airway, airport etc. information. It will also include obstacle and curved flight path information.
We haven’t looked into interfacing with the Garmin GTX 330 yet. Cirrus is dictating to us the interfaces they want to see. If they request us to research interfacing with the Garmin GTX 330, we will do so. You may want to discuss this with Cirrus Representatives. If you have any other questions, please let me know. Thanks and have a great weekend.
Regards,
Jamie Luster
Sales Representative
-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen M. Shirley [mailto:shirleylaw@earthlink.net]
Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2001 7:09 PM
To: Jamie Luster
Subject: Re: EX5000
Jamie Luster:
Thanks for your reply. I spoke with a Avidyne representative Monday and they are sending a CD with the demo programs. If I should by chance get two of the CD’s I’ll send one to my CFII. I appreciate your sending a brochure in the mail. Some of the “airport” and “nearest” and “flight plan” pages are too small to read on the .pdf version.
On the weather display on the EX5000, in addition to NEXRAD, what other weather options are there: e.g… ceiling/visability, wind vectors, temperature/dew point, etc. Do you have any subscription information?
More importantly, when will Avidyne begin deliveries to Cirrus. My SR22 is scheduled for completion on 2-5-02, and I would like to have one available at that time. When will the weather receiver option be available?
What about the portable data loader. I noted on the brochure for the EX5000C a mention of a front panel port for portable data loader. How much is that unit, and when will it be available?
There is mention on your web site of the “Jeppesen North America Database”. Does this include all sectionals, or just the airport and runway and frequency information? What is included in the Jeppesen North America Database? How much are the Sectionals, WACs, TACs, and NOAA Low Altitude Enroute charts? Are these all sold separately, or are they part of the North America Database?
Do you have any information on whether the Avidyne EX5000C will interface with the new Garmin GTX 330 Mode S transponder and the Traffic Information Service? Apparently, the GTX 330 interfaces with the Garmin GNS 430, and the GNS 430 interfaces with the Avidyne EX5000C. Is the data format compatible for the Traffic Information Service display on the Avidyne? Is this standard ARINC 429 data in the same format that the Skywatch data is? What will the screen display look like on the Avidyne of the Traffic Information Service. According to some early information I got from Garmin, the Traffic Information Service display will include vectors showing groundspeed and track of the displayed traffic. Will this display on the Avidyne?
I’m sure there will be other questions in the future. I appreciate your information.
Sincerely,
Stephen M. Shirley"
This is clearly good news! The previous delivery forecast was simply “first quarter 2002”.
On the chart and sectional issue, they are not going to be in the EX5000.
On the Traffic Information Service data and the Mode-S transponder link, they are open to the possibility. There is some delay from Garmin, as the introduction of the Mode-S GTX 330 is not until April 2002 per Garmin’s West Coast representative. I have already indicated to Cirrus that I plan to put the GTX 330 in the aircraft as soon as possible and that the reason for doing so is to have T.I.S. For those of us who want a Skywatch-like traffic data display and don’t want to spend an additional $21,500 for the Goodrich version, T.I.S. looks like the best option.
I plan to see Walt Conley today and I’ll let him know that I definitely “want Cirrus to request Avidyne to research interfacing with the Garmin GTX 330”. I would suggest anyone else having similar intentions should contact their Cirrus sales representative and let them know what your plans are vis-a-vis the Garmin GTX 330 and T.I.S. display.