There is growing interest by the FAA and the aviation industry in angle-of-attack (AOA) indicating systems, and Bendix/King is entering that market with the new KLR 10 Lift Reserve Indicator. The KLR 10 is available now for experimental airplanes.
The KLR 10 uses both visual and aural alerts to warn pilots that AOA is near the stall angle. Currently, the system is available only for the experimental market (and possibly light sport aircraft, if a manufacturer chooses to incorporate the unit in its designs). An industry committee is working on a new standard for AOA systems, and Bendix/King hopes that the FAA accepts this standard and will allow the KLR 10 to be installed as a simple standard part without a complex and expensive supplemental type certification process.
Priced at $1,600, the KLR 10 requires installation of a milled aluminum probe on a standard-size inspection plate on the underside of the wing. Two polyethylene hoses run from the probe to the KLR 10’s remotely mounted IF module, which delivers information to the glareshield-mounted display. The KLR 10’s audio can be fed into an audio panel or directly wired to a speaker. A button on the display unit can be pushed to mute the audio, for example, during slow-flight practice.
Redbird has already selected the KLR 10 as standard equipment in the RedHawk diesel-powered Cessna Skyhawk, although installation will have to wait until the FAA sanctions the system for certified airplanes.
Bendix/King also introduced a new mode-S ADS-B Out transponder, the KT 74, which is plug-and-play compatible with the tray mounting system of Bendix/King’s KT 76A, KT 76C and KT 78A transponders. Retailing for $2,999, the KT 74 uses the 1090ES ADS-B Out frequency, and it can help meet the Jan. 1, 2020 ADS-B Out mandate if coupled with a qualified GPS. The KT 74 is all solid-state, with no cavity tube, and will begin shipping in November. Bendix/King expects to have an approved model list STC for the KT74.
Also new for Bendix/King is the KSN 765, a version of the KSN 770 without navcom. Bendix/King has submitted all the required paperwork for technical standard order (TSO) approval for the KSN 770 gps/navcom and KSN 765 and expects final approval shortly, possibly before this year’s AirVenture show ends on August 2.
To help owners with upgrade costs, Bendix/King is now offering up to $3,000 trade-in credits for certain older Bendix/King avionics. The credit can be used to help pay for the KMA 30 audio panel, KSN 770 or 765 or KT74.
Bendix/King’s myWingMan iPad app is now available in version 1.3, with new features such as Smart Routing, which can now be done in flight and not just on the ground when connected to the Internet.
To help pilots with situational awareness when flying in complex airspace, the system shows nearby airspace areas at the airplane’s altitude in outline, then when the airplane is inside a chunk of special-use airspace, that segment is shown in color. Bendix/King has added obstacles to myWingMan app, which monitors the distance to the obstacle and shows via colors how close the aircraft is.
A new 3-D terrain awareness feature also uses colors to indicate relative altitude. The myWingMan app now supports ADS-B weather when coupled to a Levil, Dual or Clarity ADS-B receiver. ADS-B traffic is also shown in 2-D, but 3-D traffic is coming soon.
On August 5, Bendix/King is adding coverage for nine new European countries to myWingman. Each country will cost €119 per year or €299 for all nine. In the U.S., myWingMan costs $99 per year for VFR or $149 per year for IFR coverage.
