King Airs Will Have Class 3 EFBs

Hawker Beechcraft Services (HBS), Wichita, Kan., has developed a supplemental type certificate to install the DAC International Gen-X Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) in a majority of Beechcraft King Air turboprops. The STC will hard mount the Gen-X display as a Class 3 device and support single and dual installations, HBS said. The Gen-X EFB features a touchscreen, active matrix display coupled with a 40 gigabyte hard drive capable of storing and displaying aircraft technical information, electronic charts, graphical weather and other applications, including infra-red enhanced vision. Operators will have a choice between JeppView or Maptech electronic charts, XM or WSI graphical weather and the entire Hawker Beechcraft electronic technical publication library. The Gen-X STC is expected to be available for first-quarter 2009 installation at company-owned HBS locations. “Operators of our King Air fleet will truly enjoy this unique EFB,” said Andy Plyler, vice president, Hawker Beechcraft Services. “It significantly improves flight crew situational awareness while reducing work load to enhance safety. Additionally, we stand by our installation by offering a lifetime warranty on workmanship.” DAC International, based in Austin, Texas, will cover repair and replacement of its parts under its standard five year parts warranty.