TK Kallenbach, Vice President - Marketing & Product Management
Since this is my first appearance on the Customer & Product Support blog, I figured it would be fitting to talk about another first – launch of Honeywell’s synthetic vision technology to the marketplace.
Launched this week after several thousand hours of development and flight testing, is the first certified application of Honeywell’s Integrated Primary Flight Display (IPFD) technology, or as it is commonly called, “synthetic vision.”
I’m also pleased to say that Gulfstream has announced it is offering Synthetic Vision-Primary Flight Display (SV-PFD) software option on its PlaneView® advanced cockpits featuring the Honeywell Primus Epic® Integrated Avionics System and using our synthetic vision technology.
Honeywell synthetic vision technology produces a natural 3-D rendering of terrain on your primary flight display with a 600 ft. by 600 ft. terrain grid, providing a view that pilots see only on a clear VFR day. What this really means is that the glass panel in your cockpit closely matches the actual terrain around and in front of you… more closely than any other synthetic vision product available today.
I’ve flown on Honeywell’s SV-PFD-equipped G450 and G550 for numerous test and demonstration flights, seen this revolutionary decision-making tool perform in real-world applications, and noticed how it helps the pilots with their workload and awareness in IFR and night conditions. I’ve also heard from the pilot’s themselves how it increases confidence with accurate and intuitive information while decreasing anxiety levels – especially in low-visibility and unfamiliar terrain situations.
Does this technology enhance safety and situational awareness? Absolutely. The foundation of our synthetic vision is Honeywell’s Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS), found on just about every commercial aircraft flying today, and has a record of 800+ million flight hours of proven operation. In another industry first, we received a Letter of Authorization from the FAA allowing Honeywell to update the terrain and obstacle database without recertification of the synthetic vision application.
While SV-PFD is an option on Gulfstreams equipped with the PlaneView® Advanced Cockpit, watch for the new, recently announced G650 business jet, where SV-PFD will be standard equipment.
This month, the Honeywell Aerospace Internet features Gulfstream SV-PFD. The site includes an interactive product demonstration, where you’ll find a 2D flight simulator, video overview, and in-depth descriptions of flight path and runway symbology. Be sure to roll your cursor over the navigation menu on the left to fully explore the variety of features. I really think you’ll enjoy this website… I sure enjoyed it!
Gulfstream’s SV-PFD delivers on the promise of the Primus Epic® architecture – enabling continuous upgrades via software – and keeping your cockpit “state-of-the-art.”
Let me know what you think of the Honeywell Synthetic Vision technology. I look forward to your comments.
