Aspen Avionics Delays Evolution Deliveries

Aspen Avionics earlier this week told customers that it has been forced to delay initial deliveries of its Evolution primary flight display (PFD) until March due to unexpected problems with environmental qualification testing. Aspen had planned to begin deliveries of the PFD in the third or fourth quarter of this year, and 240 authorized avionics dealers have ordered “huge, scary numbers” of the units, according to Aspen vice president of marketing Doug Cayne. The company’s multifunction display should start shipping by the end of next year, he added. Aspen expects to conduct its final informal flight tests this week with the FAA, and certification flight tests are to begin next month. “It’s all working great,” he said. “We’re not expecting any surprises from the FAA and we’re feeling good about the new schedule.” Aspen has already delivered preliminary manuals to authorized dealers so they can prepare for installations. The first approval for the EFD 1000 Pilot and Pro PFDs will include more than 600 Part 23 airplanes under a blanket STC.