FAA Approves Removal of Attitude Indicator with Installation of a Single Aspen Avionics’ Pro MAX PFD
Aspen Avionics announces the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved changes to the backup instrument requirements with the installation of Aspen’s Evolution EFD1000 Pro MAX primary flight display (PFD).
The approval allows aircraft owners to remove the attitude indicator when installing a single Evolution EFD1000 Pro MAX PFD with the latest released software (v2.11) and the new extended-duration battery. A turn-and-bank indicator along with airspeed and altimeter must be retained as the three required backups.
“This is a game-changing development for aircraft owners looking for an affordable, full-featured primary flight display while allowing removal of outdated mechanical attitude indicators. We are cleaning up panels while reducing our customer’s maintenance cost and giving them some extra weight-savings as well," says Scott Smith, director of sales.
Key features include:
- Backup attitude indicator not required; the removal of the supporting vacuum system can be accomplished by installer
- Rechargeable, extended-duration backup battery
- Traditional attitude indicator and HSI consolidated into a single display
- Synthetic vision included at no cost
- Patented, unique form-fit design slides easily into existing panel cutout
- Works with existing avionics and interfaces with most industry autopilots*.
Current owners of the Aspen Pro MAX PFD can be field-upgraded by Aspen authorized dealers to the extended-duration battery and latest software. The new software is free of charge from Aspen Avionics.
To be eligible for removal of the backup attitude indicator, the EFD1000 Pro MAX PFD with the extended-duration battery must be installed with the following instruments:
- magnetic compass
- altimeter
- airspeed indicator
- electric turn-and-bank indicator
FAA Advisory Circular permits an electric attitude indicator may be a substitute for the turn-and-bank indicator if it has its own battery-source graphical IFR GPS with moving map.
*Removal of attitude indicator may require an EA100 autopilot adapter if aircraft has an attitude-based autopilot installed, e.g. Bendix/King or Century.