May 22, 2009

E-Mail This Article Dynon EFIS-D60

Dynon Avionics has added to its catalog of EFIS products with the new EFIS-D6 and EFIS-D60. Based on the EFIS-D10A and D100, respectively, these screens have slightly reduced feature sets to go along with their lower prices. The 7-inch-diagonal D60 is $1900, compared to $2400 for the full-featured D100; the D6 runs $1600 against $2200 for the D10A. The premise is to offer low-cost alternatives to steam gauges where the device is likely to be a standalone instrument.

Inside, both new units include the same ADAHRS module, same basic operating system and overall the same air-data features. The reduction in price comes from eliminating a few components and features. For example, the D6/D60 units cannot be networked with other Dynon screens, and they cannot display HSI (horizontal situation indicator) information. They also lack data logging, heading and

Dynon EFIS-D6

altitude bugs, a clock, OAT functions, GPS-derived data, and the ability to do split pages (not necessary since they can't be networked with other displays).

Angle-of-attack software remains; it's activated by installing Dynon's own AOA airspeed-boom probe. A backup battery is optional for both and, to make the deal even sweeter, an external remote compass module is now standard on the smaller D6; it was an option on the D10A.

Finally, the D6 and D60 are expected to ship with a new version of Dynon's software that employs something called "GPS Assist." This feature, currently in testing, will use GPS-derived groundspeed to stand in for pitot pressure in case the pitot tube becomes blocked. (Dynon's systems have always used airspeed aiding for attitude resolution, and now that methodology has some redundancy.)

For more information, visit Dynon's web site.