IFD440 Certification

We're very happy with how the IFD440 development is going. I'm flying it quite often now.  For planning purposes, everybody should assume it's a December cert.   That's 6 months after the 540 cert and means we go pencils down in Oct to get all material in the hands of the FAA in Nov to get cert in Dec.

Working on it.   It's a middle priority right now so it might be a fall kind of thing.

Hi Jack,

No plans for a pilot program (pre-TSO) for the 440.

BTW, did you get word of your units ship date?

Ok, chill on the adrenaline...

Max,

I'll check with the Marketing folks.  I can say we have that configuration running in our Integration Test Lab and it's all working just fine.

Of course in those installations, they typically have two 430s and since the 440s are plug & play with the 430, from our perspective, they are exactly the right size (and you get bigger, brighter, and higher res glass).

(IFD440 Certification Update - 19 Sep 2014)

We have concluded that we need to re-run environmental qual on the IFD440 hardware ("re-run" in the sense that we ran environmental qual for the 540 and all the internal cards are the same).  There are enough physical differences (different custom glass, different bezel, different internal fan configuration, and different back plate) that we need to re-run these tests.   That's going to result in a 10-12 week delay in cert so instead of looking at a Christmas-time cert, it looks like a spring 2015 cert.

We're frustrated by this since the software appears to be done but we don't see any other option.

On the hopeful front, we hope that delay means the software that supports the internal wifi functionality can actually be enabled with each shipping 440.   Since there is so much cert friction on the wifi functionality, we had been expecting to ship the initial 440s with the wifi functionality software-disabled.  We're running the wifi cert in parallel and *maybe* we'll be through all the hurdles in time for a concurrent approval.  We'll see.

Jake

Well, another year goes by and another annual, once again without being able to install the new electronics. Very frustrated that the 440 delayed until spring. I will probably not be able to pass my medical by the time this gets sorted out. Yes, a good deal to buy early but was it really considering the delays?
Dan

Will the 440 provide terrain alerts (audio) just like the 540?

2years 5 months

Thanks for the reply back in Dec. any updates?

2 1/2 years. Still waiting.

That remains to be seen. My issue is not the equipment but as most all bloggers have expressed it is the lack of meeting promises and Avidyne's treatment of early adopters vs retail sales today that approach the value we should have received. As pointed out in other parts of this forum, they haven't a clue about how to truly treat and appreciate the customers that have supported them with their capital, patience. I really should have kept my cash and bought a 540/340 this month.

You are missing the point.

Dnally, The Avidyne sales team is quite accommodating.   I'm sure you can exchange your preordered 440 for a 540 and a transponder.  You should give them a call.

The specific point is I am 60 yrs old with medical issues that challenge me in maintaining a Class III medical every year. Foolishly or not, I counted on Avidyne to do what they said they would do. I wanted to use this equipment while getting an IFR rating. Hasn't happened yet. So it is not only the price thing that has put me off but the whole situation. Trust was given, it wasn't appreciated. The overall timeline on this was/ is unacceptable. The economic piece is just salt in the wound.

And yes, Orest is missing the point.

Thanks-me too.

Hi Alan,

Alan, interesting, I'll have to find the video.

I have about 6000nm on my IFD540.  I dunno if that's a lot or not compared to others. I have not had it get lost as I've flown around the US with it.  I have flown several approaches without issue.  Having nearly one of the very first shipping units, my unit was not without glitches, but all have been addressed promptly, and I should stress the current shipping units do not have these initial issues I experienced.

I was a tentative/conservative person as well. I only purchased one IFD540 and kept a 430W in my plane as a fall back if the unit didn't work as advertised. Things have worked so well, I just dropped my plane off this Thursday to install a 2nd IFD540 and a APX340 ADS-B transponder to replace this Garmin 430W and my 330 transponder.  Mainly because I have not touched my 430W on any flight for the last 20+ some flight hours as my IFD540 has been used exclusively.

As for software packages, I don't know what you are asking. I did purchase data from Jeppesen just like I did for my GNS430Ws, but I haven't sent Avidyne a cent for anything after buying the GPS. As for expired data, if the Jeppesen data is out of date, I believe the only feature you lose is the aircraft geo-referenced on the Jeppesen IFR terminal procedure charts.

I don't think you can buy directly from Avidyne anymore, but only through a distributor, but someone from Avidyne should comment on this. I think the best deal right now is with Gulf Coast Avionics (where I purchased my 2nd unit), and it took literally 3 business days from when I picked up the phone till I had all the equipment.  I placed my order about two weeks ago, so almost all manufacturing backlogs have been addressed.

You mentioned the smaller 440 GPS.  This unit currently is not finished with certification. Steve (a.k.a. Jake) can comment on it's exact state, but I think its very close.

I guess the take-away is I put my toe in the water and got my first IFD540 unit back in October, I've flown about 6000nm with it, including in and around very busy DC/NY airspace.  I was so pleased with its performance that I purchased a 2nd one.

For what it's worth I did replace my GMA340 audio panel with the PS Engineering PMA450 instead of buying an Avidyne 240 audio panel, so I'm not some Avidyne loyalist.  I just thought the PMA450 user interface to be better, and it does support every feature the Avidyne audio panel has including the standby MON feature. I tried them both out at Oshkosh last summer, and suggest anyone buying equipment try to do the same.

Alan, hope this helps.

Regards,

Ryan

The You tube video  is 540 Confusing Display. Jake , yes you have helped some but i will contact more dealers for further questions and the one name you sent. Thanks for the help. And the same for you guys who sent comments.

(IFD440 Certification Update - 5 Feb 2015)

Really.

2 years 7 months

Jake

Yes I have been waiting or over 2 years as well.  I have switched planes and models since this all began and I'm looking forward to the shipping of the IFD440s soon. 

Has Avidyne published a 440 simulator?

I know the main focus has been on the 540 and I have been playing with that simulator but it would be nice to have a simulator with the same screen real estate as the model I'm going to eventually get.