Story ID: 326
Avidyne IFD Flight Management Systems Now NVG-compatible
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: The optional NVG feature is available for $3,600
Word Count: 195
Avionics manufacturer Avidyne has added optional night vision goggle (NVG) compatibility to its IFD series flight management system (FMS) products. These include the IFD550, IFD545, IFD540, and IFD510, and the option retails for $3,600. Avidyne is adding the NVG option for other FMS models.
Adding the NVG compatibility to the IFD avionics involved adding “special LEDs that change the spectral distribution of the backlighting—generally making reds and yellows much less bright while not affecting greens and blues,” according to Avidyne. Pilots can switch the NVG lighting to normal during daylight operations.
Avidyne’s FMS products offer additional helicopter-specific features such as helicopter approaches, helipad database, powerline database, radar altitude, RS-170 video, wireless connectivity, and Avidyne’s “hybrid-touch” user interface, which allows pilots to use either a touchscreen or knobs and buttons to control the IFD. The wireless connectivity enables importing of ForeFlight search-and-rescue patterns.
“The Avidyne IFD5-Series is an easy slide-in replacement option for customers with aging [Garmin] GNS-5XX series navigators,” said Ed Paulsen, Avidyne v-p of sales and business development, “and this NVG option adds significant utility and safety enhancement for our helicopter customers.”