Story ID: 093
Aspen Avionics Lowers Multi-display Pricing
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: Aspen Avionics is offering discounts on the purchase of multiple displays and on safety features. 
Word Count: 441
Aircraft owners and operators looking to upgrade old instruments to modern glass avionics can now purchase a multi-display system from Aspen Avionics at lower prices and receive discounts on feature upgrades.

A major change is that synthetic vision is available as standard at no extra charge for new installations of the Aspen Max series primary flight display (PFD) and multifunction flight display (MFD). In addition to synthetic vision and previously included angle-of-attack software, the Pro Plus Max PFD now includes ADS-B-enablement capability for $10,995, which is $3,000 less than previous retail pricing, according to Aspen.

Purchasers of multiple display systems will now get the external battery as standard, which means they can remove a vacuum-type backup system and use one of the Aspen units as a backup. This applies to the Evolution 2000 Max system with a Pro Max PFD and MFD1000 Max, or the Evolution 2500 system, with a Pro Max PFD, MFD1000 Max, and MFD 500 Max.

Aspen Max displays can be installed with one, two, or three units, and they fit into existing instrument-hole panel cutouts, which simplifies the installation process.

Existing Aspen displays can also be upgraded to the latest configuration, Aspen said, “regardless of age or condition and receive the latest avionics glass technology, hardware, faster processing speeds and receive a new two-year warranty at the approximate cost of a steam gauge overhaul.”

Aspen Max displays are certified for more than 600 aircraft types. The units feature six-inch-diagonal 400 by 760 pixel TFT active matrix LCD screens with 16 million display colors. In addition to typical PFD and MFD functions, Aspen features include GPS-aided AHRS in case of failure of the pitot-static system; audio panel interface; chart and countdown timers, 350 nm zoom levels, height above ground level on navigation and terrain maps, and Metar flags on navigation maps on the MFD 500 and MFD1000 Max; and altitude intercept based on climb rate.

New prices for software upgrades include angle-of-attack, now $595 (previously $1,995); synthetic vision for non-Max units, now $595 (previously $1,995); and ADS-B enablement, now $595 (previously $795).

“When reviewing our product offering for the new Max series, it made sense to include the additional situational awareness benefits of synthetic vision, coupled with the price reductions on our other software offerings to complement the noteworthy safety and operational improvements we have made to the Aspen Max displays,” said Aspen president and CEO John Uczekaj. “Our corporate philosophy from the time we introduced the Evolution 1000 display line 12 years ago was to offer new functions and safety features our current customers could affordably adopt and provide future owners the peace of mind that their investment is protected.”