Avidyne Introduces PFD/MFD for Vintage Aircraft
Has 'The Look'
There's something kinda strange about those
vintage fliers, you know. They'll spend four months looking for the
"right" rivet to use under the wheel well, and then glitz up the
cockpit better'n Flash Gordon.
All that newfangled Loran and satellite stuff just doesn't fit
the image of most vintage aircraft.
Avidyne has come to the rescue, with its unprecedented new
"Antiqua" line.
Sporting most of the features of the state-of-the-art Entegra
series, now showing on the most-modern aircraft in the business, the
Avidyne "Antiqua" PFD/MFD series keeps the functionality, but in a
number of attractive and authentic "classic" packages.
- The Antiqua's features are controlled by a series of large,
brown Bakelite knobs.
- Instead of flat-panel technology, the Antiqua's screen is
dramatically convex, and sports realistic distortion of the image,
near the edges.
- Instead of instant-on graphics, the Antiqua
(though its solid-state electronics are truly modern) features a
"warm-up" circuit, that keeps the image from achieving full
brightness for several minutes after it's turned on.
- To simulate "classic" electronics, the Antiqua has an integral
heater that cannot be turned off. Its resultant current drain (50
amps) makes old-style charging systems think they're dealing with
the "real thing."
- There is an intermittent "horizontal flipper" that
activates an annoying image-flopping; it needs to be adjusted
away, with the "horizontal hold" knob. [While we don't approve of
this particular feature, Avidyne says it not only gives the
Antiqua an authentic aura, it also is a safety enhancement.
Spokesman Tod Harpen told us, "When that screen starts flopping,
everybody pays instant attention. There's no going to sleep with
the Antiqua."]
-
...and of course, all graphics are available
in in low-res black-and-white (optional), even down
to an authentic 1950's style test pattern (these Avidyne guys
don't miss a trick!) during the warm-up period.
Available at Avidyne's Sun 'n Fun booth this week, the Antiqua is
priced competitively.
(FAA TSO'd Rabbit Ears sold separately.)