Honeywell Launches Life-Like Graphics for GA

Honeywell is developing a new avionics system that promises to make instrument flying like clear-weather flying through the use of "life-like graphics."

Branded the Bendix King APEX, the new system is earmarked for the business and general aviation market, with versions for single and multi-engine piston aircraft, helicopters, turboprops and light jets.

John Murphy, Honeywell's general aviation avionics chief, described the system as a "breakthrough development" that uses hardware developed for the Space Shuttle and the Boeing 777.

The key to APEX is Visual Cueing and Control, or VC2, which provides an "out the window"-type picture that depicts not only the distant horizon, but a life-like view of the ground passing under the aircraft.

As such, VC2 eliminates the need for pilots to create a mental picture of the aircraft's position from numerous dials and gauges. Some traditional symbology is used, however, such as a compass presentation and degrees-of-pitch markings.

In place of spinning gyros, APEX uses six micro-electromechanical sensors--part of Honeywell's air-data attitude-heading reference system. The ADHRS system has no moving parts. It is so accurate, Honeywell says, that it does not require updating from a global positioning system.

APEX incorporates the digital engine operating system that Honeywell built for Primus Epic. DEOS meets the FAA's criteria for use in "flight critical systems," unlike existing systems that use PC-based operating software.

Three basic APEX versions will be offered: APEX 1000 for single-engine aircraft and helicopters; APEX 2000 for high-end singles, twins and helicopters; and APEX 9000 for turboprops and light jets.
The system features "scalable architecture" with an open data bus to accommodate different aircraft configurations and third-party devices, Honeywell says.