Vaeridion Partners With Garmin for Microliner Test Aircraft

Vaeridion has selected Garmin’s G600 TXi flight displays for its Microliner prototype, marking what the German regional aviation startup believes is a “significant milestone in advancing the electric aircraft’s development.” The choice was announced on Thursday during the Aero Friedrichshafen show.

As Vaeridion pursues further funding to build its first test aircraft, the company said that the Garmin G600 TXi solution was a “natural choice” for its avionics requirements. Vaeridion chief technical officer Markus Kochs Kämper added that “particularly for [the] test aircraft, the system provides reliability, flexibility, and situational awareness needed to support a rigorous flight-test campaign.” A first flight is currently targeted for 2027.

Garmin introduced the touchscreen TXi family in 2017, with the G600 TXi the middle sibling designed for FAR Part 23 / EASA Part 23 aircraft typically weighing between 6,000 and 12,500 pounds. Traditionally, this includes those powered by piston and selected turboprop engines. Customizable seven-inch and 10.6-inch display screens can be interfaced with a variety of safety-enhancing features, and up to four displays can be paired simultaneously.

An optional electronic instrument system also allows the pilot to monitor engine performance. According to Garmin, this offers “additional insight into [the] aircraft’ operational performance in real time.”

The avionics suite's engine indication system includes engine timers, exceedance dynamic engine indicators, wireless data logging. In 2019, Garmin extended the G600 TXi’s engine monitoring capacity to include single-engine turboprop aircraft.

The Microliner concept is aiming for EASA Part 23 certification by the end of the decade, with launch operator ASL Group intending to start commercial services shortly after. According to Vaeridion, its design team is currently in the process of completing a preliminary design review for the nine-passenger aircraft. Speaking to AIN in April, Vaeridion co-founder and CEO Ivor Van Dartel suggested that the first completed test aircraft will be a conforming prototype rather than a technology demonstrator.