According to Tecnam, the company is now on track to begin deliveries to U.S. flight schools.

• READ MORE: We Fly: Tecnam P-Mentor

“The FAA certification of the P-Mentor is another significant milestone for the Tecnam team,” said  Giovanni Pascale Langer, Tecnam managing director. “We look forward to working with all U.S. flight schools to improve the quality of training and help them keep hourly rates low.” 

The performance specs of the Tecnam P-Mentor put its hourly fuel consumption at 3.7 U.S. gallons per hour.

• READ MORE: Tecnam Signs Deals for HCH Aviation Fleet Transition

Deliveries of the aircraft in North America will begin soon, with the first 20 going to HCH Aviation/Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. Deliveries will also be made to Kilo Charlie Aviation in New Century, Kansas, and EpicSky Flight Academy in Des Moines, Iowa.

About the P-Mentor

The two-place P-Mentor sports a Rotax 912isC3, with a variable pitch propeller, simulated retractable landing gear, and optional ballistic parachute. The cockpit features a Garmin G3X IFR touchscreen suite compliant with the latest CS-23 EASA and FAA amendments. The aircraft is designed to take a learner from private pilot and instrument training up through commercial certification on a single platform.

According to Capua, Italy-based Tecnam, the P-Mentor is one of the most environmentally efficient designs available, with very low carbon dioxide emissions. 

“Recent study shows that flight schools operating with Tecnam single- and twin-engine fleets can reduce emissions by up to 60 percent: 10 tons of CO2 for each student by the time they receive their commercial pilot license,” the company said in a statement.

The post Tecnam P-Mentor Earns Full Part 23 FAA Certification appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

During a press conference at the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo (SNF) on Thursday in Lakeland, Florida, the Italian aircraft manufacturer announced HCH Aviation, a Part 141 school based in Nacogdoches, Texas, is transitioning to an all-Tecnam fleet.

According to Tecnam, the school, which is operated in partnership with Stephen F. Austin State University, uses twin-engine P2006Ts for multiengine training. HCH Aviation has ordered 15 of the single-engine Tecnam P-Mentors to augment its fleet. At the present time the school has 75 students—a number expected to double within the coming year.

• READ MORE: Oregon Flight School to Buy 10 Piper Aircraft

“Tecnam has been a wonderful partner in assisting our team in our aircraft needs,” said Kristen Conklin, HCH Aviation president. “Having a standardized fleet using Tecnam makes complete sense for our team from both a business and training perspective.”

Tecnam Aircraft to Brazil

Tecnam and EJ Escola Aeronautica Civil have announced a letter of intention for the Brazilian flight school to add 30 Tecnam P92 MkIIs to its fleet. The school is particularly intrigued by the aircraft’s state-of-the-art glass cockpit designs.

EJ Escola Aeronautica, based in São Paulo, has been training pilots since 1999. It boasts more than 60 aircraft in the fleet, which are spread out in three locations.

Tecnam noted the P92’s short-field performance, excellent climb and efficiency are now combined with the MkII’s composite fuselage for improved cruise performance. The cabin volume has also been increased to allow for wider seats, additional forward and aft adjustment, and improved ergonomics.

The aircraft are equipped with advanced Garmin G3X touch avionics and available with synthetic vision and ground proximity warning, providing additional navigation and situational awareness.

“Tecnam is our choice to take EJ into the new era of modern flying, where fuel efficiency, sustainability, digital technology, and good flight characteristics are a must,” said Josué de Andrade, director and co-founder of EJ Escola Aeronautica Civil.

Said Walter Da Costa, Tecnam’s chief sales officer: “We are very pleased that the most important flight school in Brazil has chosen Tecnam to replace and upgrade its fleet. Today’s students are very demanding and deserve brand new aircraft with the latest technology.”

Throughout the industry there has been an initiative to reduce carbon emissions in aviation, both at the airline level and at flight schools. One of the selling points for the Tecnam designs is its relatively green operation.

According to the company, flight schools operating Tecnam’s single- and twin- engine fleets can save as much as 10 tons of carbon dioxide emissions for every single student graduated with a commercial pilot certificate, which represents a 60 percent reduction compared to fleets using 100LL fuel in 155 flight hours.

Kenai Aviation Adds Tecnam to Fleet

Flight schools are not the only entities relying on Tecnam for fleet operations. During a press conference at SNF, Tecnam and Kenai Aviation announced the Alaska-based operator has added a third Tecnam P2012 Traveller to its fleet.

The first P2012 Traveller entered into service with Kenai Aviation in 2022, coming immediately after the delivery ceremony at the Sun ‘n Fun. The second P2012 was delivered a year later. 

The twin-engine aircraft have been used to transport passengers and freight, and according to Kenai Aviation officials, the Traveller is the “aircraft of choice” for the short haul operations in the Anchorage area.

• READ MORE: Tecnam Delivers P2012 To Kenai Aviation at Sun ‘n Fun

The Traveller is a turbocharged twin-engine high-wing aircraft that can be used for freight or to transport nine passengers with one or two pilots. The aircraft is equipped with TKS deicing capabilities, which is a must in Alaska’s challenging and dynamic weather environment.

“Our third P2012 is the proof we have found the aircraft that is perfectly suited for our commuter markets in the state of Alaska,” Joel Caldwell, Kenai Aviation CEO and owner, said in a statement. “The P2012, designed specifically to meet the needs of our scheduled commuter markets in south central Alaska, has exceeded our expectations.”

The post Tecnam Signs Deals for HCH Aviation Fleet Transition appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Much like it was during the early days of Popular Aviation—FLYING’s precursor—one of the first aviation magazines in Italy, L’Aquilone, featured plans for building model aircraft used by enthusiasts enamored by the idea of flight. These kit-built machines catalyzed the dreams of Luigi and Giovanni Pascale as they reached their majority in Campania north of Naples.

In league from the beginning, the brothers would nurture and support each other’s imaginations until they could launch their aircraft design and manufacturing efforts in 1948, 75 years ago. The Pascales built their unique airplanes at first incorporated under the marque of Partenavia in 1957—and within the company we know today as Tecnam.

Training Legacy

The latest of Tecnam’s single-engine airplanes to come to fruition, the P-Mentor, joins a legacy of aircraft destined to help aspiring pilots learn to fly. The first true Pascale design to reach production, the original P48 Astore, looks a lot like the Piper Pacer taildragger from which the brothers drew inspiration. The P-Mentor breaks from one tradition, in that it is one of the few of the Pascale designs not named after the year in which it began development—for example, the P48 sprang from the drawing board in 1948, and the P2012 Traveller started in 2012, though it didn’t see European Union Aviation Safety Agency certification until 2019, with FAA certification to follow later that year.

• READ MORE: Tecnam Unveils P-Mentor Training Aircraft

While Tecnam has enjoyed recent success in the U.S. with its modern version of the Astore LSA, and the latest edition of the P92 Echo, the P-Mentor makes a compelling case for a primary trainer that goes beyond the light sport category. The P-Mentor achieved EASA certification under CS 23—equivalent to the FAA Part 23 type certification basis for light aircraft—in 2021. Though the P-Mentor is powered by a version of the same engine found on many LSAs—the Rotax 912iSC3—the airplane’s heft and sophisticated cockpit take it up a notch from the entry-level category to create a platform that will serve to educate new pilots intent on progressing into a career—or just larger, more capable airplanes.

A. The FADEC-equipped Rotax 912iSC3 engine has an easy preflight check sequence.

B. The simulated landing gear switch is also tied to a gear warning horn to help facilitate training in preparation for more complex aircraft.

C. The Garmin G3X Touch displays can be configured in multiple ways, including a base map, engine information system, and the primary flight display. A Garmin GTN650Xi in the RNAV-capable edition enables a complete IFR training program.

D. The control sticks have a shape to them that falls nicely in the hand, and the seats are adjustable, rather than the rudder pedals, for a comfortable fit.

E. An optional Garmin GFC 500 autopilot outfits the P-Mentor for extended cross-country missions and advanced aircraft training.

A Walkaround

My introduction to the P-Mentor began on the ramp at the company’s headquarters in Capua, Italy, following a detailed production-line tour that took in several of the models in various stages of readiness for first flight and eventual delivery. Witnessing how the machines come together always gives insight to how they will perform, so I felt particularly well versed in the P-Mentor’s genesis after hearing Giovanni Pascale—managing director of Tecnam and the latest in the family line to lead the company—walk through each step in that process.

Its low-wing, side-by-side seating evokes similar LSAs I’ve flown recently—such as the BRM Aero Bristell SLSA—yet with an aspect to the way the canopy slopes into the fuselage that recalls its design heritage, as we saw earlier in the tour, from the mid-’50s designs of the firm, but still modern and inspiring confidence as you approach it on the ramp. Tecnam chose to certify the P-Mentor with a maximum gross weight of 1,587pounds, a good 267 pounds higher than the top of the LSA class. Having done so allows for a useful load of up to 628 pounds and the flexibility to have two healthy adults plus full fuel on board.

Walkaround takes in the normal checkpoints with few unique aspects to the process. Tecnam flight test pilot Massimo de Stefano oriented me to a few items, mostly to do with getting in and out of the airplane. Early Pascale designs—and all of its twins—feature a high wing, in part to aid ingress for pilots and passengers. But the low wing has an easy step-up and good handholds for settling yourself into the seats.

De Stefano guided me to the right seat, which was perfect for this review, as it allowed me to assess the P-Mentor as an instructor and see how it would perform and feel flying from that familiar CFI’s perch.

The flight deck features a twin Garmin G3X Touch installation in the complete IFR package—called the “Sport” version—that we flew with in I-PDVF, the company’s demonstrator. Those displays are accompanied by a Garmin GTN 650 Xi nav/com/GPS, a Garmin GAD 29c ARINC data module, and a remote-mounted Garmin GTX 345R transponder with ADS-B In and Out capability. All of that—in addition to the engine management system—is powered by a 14-volt electrical system that utilizes two electrically isolated alternators (A and B) and a main ship’s battery.

Startup and Taxi Out

Starting the Rotax involves a simple process, with a couple of nuances—you first flip a toggle switch to energize the starter in addition to having the master switch on. Then, it’s both FADEC Lane A and B switches on, fuel pump on, and push the red starter button to swing the prop—which caught quickly on the warm engine (from previous flights). There are separate avionics and autopilot masters as well.

Run-up was guided by the engine information display on the right-hand G3X Touch screen, checking both FADEC lanes using the 4-cylinder exhaust gas temperature readouts, along with coolant and manifold temperatures, oil pressure, and volts.

De Stefano took on the task of taxiing out in order to familiarize me with the special procedures at the Capua Airport (LIAU), both of the day—rain showers earlier left the grass runway in varying states of rough—and in general. LIAU has a flight information service staffed by the local fire brigade—and therefore non-English speakers. Unusual, but not wholly unanticipated.

We left our abbreviated flight plan with the FIS and de Stefano guided me through the first takeoff, taking a line that was relatively smooth on the left-hand half of the runway, which measures 1,097 meters, or 3,599 feet.

We took just over one-third of the runway on that takeoff roll, not bad considering the condition of the turf, which appears to be a running source of amusement amongst the Tecnam pilots and their dealers. Test flying is often frustrated by the weather at Capua, with winter rains rendering it unusable for stretches of time.

One clear benefit to the location? I saw the airplane’s performance on a truly soft field. All Tecnam aircraft must pass this test or never reach the skies at all. The local council plans to finally pave the runway sometime in the next year—and we hope that’s on schedule, though the current field has its, well, charm.

In-flight Feel

For our mission, we took off to the northeast from Runway 26 to stay clear of the military field—Grazzanise—on whose control zone perimeter Capua sits, at 64 feet msl. I had the controls through the climbout to 3,000 feet for our high work, and we saw 450 to 700 fpm at the V_X of 70 knots and power set at 28.9 inches and 5,550 rpm.

During steep turns the controls felt solid, and even between aileron and pitch (in the baseline I use, aileron control feel is usually a degree lighter than pitch). However, I found the P-Mentor easy to keep coordinated both in 30- and 45-to-50-degree-bank turns and the proper pitch attitude facile to find in each direction.

Stalls broke mildly—more of a mush in an approach to landing (power off) stall, with a level break in the departure (power on) mode. Recover came swift and sure. I performed a few additional coordination maneuvers, seeking the marriage between aileron and rudder, and with a brisk roll left and right and back to center, again, straightforward to keep the nose on the horizon in its place.

• WATCH: We Fly the Tecnam P-Mentor

I made a power-off glide at 70 knots to test that handling, and the P-Mentor preserved the good gliding characteristics of the P92 Eaglet—precursor to the Echo—that I first flew back in 2006, with a reasonable 9.7:1 glide ratio. No surprises—just honest flying.

In Cruise

Where the P-Mentor trades off its weight for performance shows up in two places—the not-quite-as-short takeoff roll, and in the modest cruise speed of 117 knots. That’s at a power setting of 27 inches MP and 5,480 rpm.

Reducing the power to 24 inches and 5,030 rpm brings us to 100 knots indicated at 2,000 feet msl and13 degrees C—nearly ISA conditions. The panel is setup for cross-country missions in the sport package we tested—and you can do so at the modest fuel burn afforded by the Rotax, which sips 3.7 gph at that economy cruise setting. The company prides itself on the efficiency of its models, which certainly holds true here.

Training to Land

One unique feature of the P-Mentor that places it squarely into the training class is the simulated landing gear lever on the pilot’s subpanel. Though the airplane’s gear remains fixed firmly in place, if you don’t actuate the gear lever to the down position when bringing the throttle to idle, a warning horn sounds—just as it would in a true retract, and it’s tested during the run-up. The idea is to ingrain each of the steps into the thinking process of a new pilot. However, one could argue that because the airplane doesn’t reflect the aerodynamic change of the gear moving and the swinging of the gear doors, it’s a tenuous transfer of learning.

However, Sporty’s sells the same portable type of device in its catalog towards the same purpose, and I suppose it holds merit for building that habit of always checking to see if the gear is down on final.

Short and Soft Techniques

The long-span flaps can be set at the takeoff position (roughly 15 degrees) as high as 106 kias, with full deflection of about 30 degrees—the landing position—at 96 knots, aiding greatly in the ability to slow the airplane.

De Stefano wanted to demonstrate a landing first (and the right line to take on the rutted field), and I was keen to try out the go-around profile of the airplane. A nice, easy approach speed of 70 knots kept us on a smooth path to the touchdown point—and I braced myself for the bounces I figured would be inevitable—but the P-Mentor’s tires handled the uneven turf with aplomb. He pushed the power up for a touch-and-go, and handed the controls back over.

We did a low approach first, and I kept myself purposefully high, and slipped on final to see if the P-Men-tor’s good coupling held true, and it did. During the pass, I flew just off of the deck by about 15 feet, so I could continue to get a sense of things. I pulled up into a nice fly-by for the folks on the Tecnam ramp and entered the pattern again, level at about 750 feet agl—about 800 feet msl.

Remembering to put the “gear” down as I throttled back, it didn’t take long to find the approach speed that seemed to give the best mix of low speed and positive control authority on final. I aimed for the good line in the grass, and I was rewarded with a pleasant touch-down—stick in my lap and a little bit of power in to keep us going as the tufts of turf snatched at the tires.

We readily made the turn off just past midfield to taxi back into the factory—and de Stefano was all smiles as I did—a mark of approval that goes beyond translation. That grin matched my own, as the P-Mentor had been a true pleasure to fly—and would likely be just as much fun to use, yes, mentoring new pilots into the skies.

Tecnam P-Mentor

Price (fully equipped, as tested): $350,750

Engine: Rotax 915iSC3, 100 hp

TBO (or equivalent): 1,200 hours

Propeller: MT V.P. hydraulic with governor, two-blade

Seats: 2

Wingspan: 29.5 ft.

Wing Area: 128.1 sq. ft.

Wing Loading: 12.39 lb./sq. ft.

Power Loading: 15.87 lb./hp

Length: 22.1 ft.

Height: 8.2 ft.

Baggage Weight: 66 lb.

Standard Empty Weight: 959 lb.

Max Takeoff Weight (EASA CS 23): 1,587 lb.

Standard Useful Load (EASA CS 23): 628 lb.

Fuel: 140 liters/37 gal.

Max Rate of Climb: 750 fpm

Max Operating Altitude: 13,000 ft.

Stall Speed (flaps extended): 44 kias

Max Cruise Speed: 117 ktas, at sea level, max continuous power

Max Range @ Max Range Power: 950 nm

Takeoff Distance, Sea Level (over a 50 ft. obs.): 1,706 ft.

Landing Distance, Sea Level (over a 50 ft. obs.): 1,280 ft.

This article first appeared in the July 2023/Issue 933 print edition of FLYING.

The post We Fly: Tecnam P-Mentor appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Based in La Rochelle, France, Elixir Aircraft is a fourth-generation Part 23 aircraft manufacturer.

The Elixir is a low-wing, T-tail design. The cockpit for the two-place trainer consists of dual Garmin G3X touchscreens, a GTN750xi, and Garmin GNC355a comms and nav backup unit.

According to the company, the Garmin avionics suite is “built to withstand the rigors for flight training” in addition to offering an aircraft that is more environmentally friendly than its predecessors in the training market as it reduces “carbon emissions by nearly 70 percent compared to other old generation aircraft.”

The company is pursuing FAA Part 23 certification.

The Elixir comes equipped with a ballistic parachute, AoA indicator, double-slotted electric flaps, an explosion resistance fuel tank, and reinforced oleo-pneumatic landing gear and combined nose wheel, which offers a wide track and low center of gravity to minimize bounced landings associated with loss of control accidents and runway excursions.

The cockpit is designed to appeal to the global training market, said Mike Tonkin, worldwide head of sales for Elixir Aircraft. Tonkin noted that the average age of the single-engine piston training fleet is 48 years old.

• READ MORE: Elixir Trainers Land at Airbus Academy Europe

“As we know the aging single-engine piston fleet needs replacing globally,” Tonkin said. “At Elixir Aircraft we feel we have the perfect EASA CS Part 23-certified aircraft to meet the current market requirements. The Elixir is modern, safe, versatile, and extremely cost-effective with an average hourly operating cost of around 50 euros per hour [$53.97] for any ATO/FTO flying around 500 hours per year per aircraft.” 

About the Company

Elixir Aircraft was established in 2015 with a goal to create safer, more economical, and versatile aircraft for the global training market. According to the company, the aircraft are designed to be resistant to technical failures and learner friendly. To that end, Elixir Aircraft uses the Carbon Oneshot, a technology utilized in competitive sailing, to simplify the structures.

According to Elixir, “more simplicity means less failure, therefore more safety, but also less maintenance and less costs.” The company estimates the hourly operations cost for its aircraft to be approximately $60, factoring in fuel and maintenance.

In June, Elixir announced an expansion of its headquarters in La Rochelle to 150,000 square feet. The company plans to produce more than 300 aircraft a year and employ more than 1,000 people by 2033.

The post Elixir Aircraft Glass Cockpit EASA Certified appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

If the airplane is equipped with a Garmin G3X avionics package, the owner has the option to add a wing-mounted, forward-looking IR camera that displays directly on the G3X main screen in real time. According to CubCrafters, it is the same field of view, at the same image scale, and with the same horizon as Garmin’s built-in synthetic vision but with much more detail, helping the pilot navigate when flying in smoke, shadow, dusk, or night.

The Details

Developed in collaboration with Hood Tech Aero for CubCrafters aircraft, the new camera system is fully integrated with the Garmin G3X avionics package used by a wide spectrum of backcountry pilots. According to CubCrafters, the camera features the smallest pixel pitch long wave infrared (LWIR) sensor available and is intended to augment the safety-enhancing features of Garmin’s synthetic vision display. 

With the simple turn of a knob, the wing-mounted camera easily penetrates smoke, haze, shadow, or even full darkness to show terrain, roads, buildings, bridges, antennas, and/or runways, giving the pilot better situational awareness.

“We’re really proud of what we’ve developed,” said Brian Prange, project manager for Hood Tech Aero. “We have an amazing amount of technology designed into a very small package. We’re only adding a few ounces to the aircraft and only using a very small amount of power, yet it’s a huge new capability that is always there and ready to go whenever the pilot needs it.”

According to Brad Damm, CubCrafters vice president, the camera system was originally developed as part of a government contract for Department of Agriculture predator-control aircraft, but the company was quick to see how it could be beneficial to backcountry pilots.

“Nearly every backcountry pilot has experienced the scenario of a late afternoon flight with the sun low on the horizon, haze in the air, and a remote mountain airstrip nearly impossible to see down in a valley and deep in shadow,” Damm said. “With this system you just quickly flip over to the IR camera, and you can see everything that’s going on.”

According to Damm, the camera weighs just a few ounces and can be installed into the leading edge of the wing in a few hours. “It comes with a special 3D-printed job that fits over the wing leading edge to help align everything properly,” he said.

CubCrafters president Patrick Horgan notes the camera represents the latest in a chain of flight safety developments from the Yakima, Washington-based company.

• READ MORE: We Fly: CubCrafters Carbon Cub EX-3 & FX-3 Made for Backcountry

“Our company has always been an innovative leader in flight safety,” Horgan said. “From toe brakes to whole aircraft parachutes, we’ve often adapted big aircraft technology to be smaller, lighter, and better for the backcountry. This system is yet another example of our ongoing commitment to give consumers the safest aircraft and best performing aircraft in our class.”

The camera system is available for new experimental category CubCrafters aircraft. Damm predicts factory installation will run about $16,000 on new aircraft. The cost of field retrofits has not been determined yet, and the company expects to have kits for retrofitting older designs and certified aircraft approvals by the end of the year.

The post CubCrafters Adds Camera Option appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

CubCrafters is known for its Part 23 certified “Cub-inspired but improved upon” designs as well as its light sport and experimental aircraft. The company was founded in 1980 by Jim Richmond, a backcountry pilot who made it his mission to build Cubs with more modern materials and manufacturing techniques.

The XCub will be used in place of the USDA’s fleet of 30-plus-year-old legacy Piper PA-18 Super Cubs that are currently in service.

The USDA utilizes turbine-powered helicopters and single-engine airplanes in multiple operations, such as the aerial application of herbicides, fertilizer and insecticides, surveying crops and wildlife, feeding fish, the application of seed in remote areas, and for support of wildland fire-fighting services.

Airplanes are usually significantly less expensive to operate than helicopters, said Brad Damm, CubCrafters’ vice president of sales and marketing, noting the operational cost of one of their Cubs is about $250 per hour while a turbine-powered helicopter runs approximately $2,500 per hour.

“The first two aircraft [for the USDA] are in production now and scheduled for delivery in August and September of 2023,” Damm said. “Under the contract, they have fixed price options to purchase additional aircraft in both 2024 and 2025. Our goal here at CubCrafters is to provide them with such a good platform (an aircraft that is more capable, more cost effective, and safer), that they ultimately replace their entire current fleet of around 40 legacy aircraft with the XCub.”

The aircraft are equipped with a CubCrafters CC393i, a lightweight 4 cylinder 215 HP fuel injected engine with dual electronic ignition that CubCrafters developed for the XCub in partnership with Lycoming.

It is Damm’s understanding that the USDA aircraft will be somewhat customized for the intended mission. 

“Probably the most exciting modification will be an experimental FLIR camera,” he said, “set up to display directly through the Garmin G3X, to help identify wildlife and increase pilot situational awareness in low light or low visibility situations.”

Damm noted that CubCrafters is hopeful this infrared (IR) technology could eventually be offered to the civilian market, noting it would provide a great pilot situational awareness tool for seeing terrain in low light or low visibility—for example, flying in the backcountry during a smoke event.

• READ MORE: CubCrafters Advances Towards Becoming a Public Company

“The pilot would have both synthetic vision and enhanced vision on the G3X, in addition to what they could see out the windscreen. Similarly, in low light or at night, the IR camera allows a view of terrain that the human eye simply can’t see,” he said.

CubCrafters Popular with Pilots

Last summer CubCrafters announced the company was going public, with a goal to raise $50 million. Within a few days, 10 percent of that goal had been achieved, said Rod Turner, CEO of Manhattan Street Capital, adding, “It’s a true testament to the reputation CubCrafters has earned over their 40 years in business.”

The post CubCrafters Secures Department of Agriculture Contract appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Icon Aircraft’s Jason Huang said, “Our owners have put more than 20,000 total hours on their A5s, and one theme we’ve heard from them, in addition to the incredible fun they’re having, is the desire for an upgraded avionics and navigation package.” As Icon’s president, Huang listened to customers’ pleas. By early 2021 customers will be able to order their new airplane’s with the G3X Touch, which includes a 7-inch touchscreen and a two-axis autopilot. The new Garmin avionics suite replaces the non-standard Garmin aera 796.

In a news release, Icon said, “The Garmin G3X Touch flight display features a bright, high-resolution screen with infrared touch control interface that seamlessly brings all essential flight information to your fingertips. It is designed to make navigation and communication easier, with intuitive graphics and menus to increase situational awareness and simplify data entry and display. The G3X Touch provides controls for the radios, transponder, and navigation on a single display; and the Garmin GMC 507 control panel for the optional autopilot manages a variety of advanced in-flight modes that significantly decrease workload when activated.” The G3X also includes a dedicated return-to-level (LVL) mode.

To celebrate the new avionics package, Icon is offering 50 percent off the price of the upgraded avionics package for US delivery orders placed by the end of February 2021. Icon says the new avionics package is not currently available for retrofit.

The post ICON A5s Will Soon Include Garmin’s G3X appeared first on FLYING Magazine.