14 MAY 2020 ÇPlane&Pilot
GARMIN APP UPGRADE BRINGS
NEW CONNECTIVITY
Garmin recently released
an extensive update for its
Garmin Pilot app, which
ushers in a big advancement
for safety and awareness
in GA cockpits. With the
update, pilots can control
their Garmin panel-mount
devices directly from their
tablet or phone. This means,
for example, a pilot can now
activate an approach on
their panel-mount GTN 750
by inputting actions directly into the Garmin Pilot App.
In addition to the increased connectivity the upgrade
brings, the revised app also enhances a pilot’s ability to
visualize the different components of a flight. Pilots can
now pull up multiple different approaches or departures
and compare them directly to determine what course of
action is right for them. The app also offers pilots new
views of the vertical aspects of a given flight, enabling
a sharp visual understanding of altitude dangers that
commonly pose serious threats.
NTSB HIGHLIGHTS NEED
FOR SAFETY IN ALASKA
The National Transportation Safety Board has urged
the Federal Aviation Administration to form a task
force specifically focused on improving the aviation
accident rate in Alaska, which is more than twice as
high as the national average. The NTSB said that while
the FAA has initiated several programs to address the
issue, its “silo-like” nature requires the creation of a
stronger comprehensive approach.SUPERIOR AIR PARTS TO PAY
MILLIONS FOR RV-8 CRASH
The manufacturer of a faulty engine that was implicated
in the fatal crash of an RV-8A in Florida four years ago
has agreed to pay a settlement of $5 million to the fami-
lies of the two individuals killed in the accident. The
company’s Superior XP-400 engine had been installed
in the airplane for approximately 20 hours when its
failure triggered an attempted forced landing and
subsequent stall.AVIONICS SALES ON THE RISE
In addition to a surge in general aviation deliveries, the
avionics market performed better year-over-year inPISTON, BIZJET
MARKETS THRIVING
The General Aviation
Manufacturers Association
(GAMA) recently released its
year-end report on industry
activity for 2019, and it notes
some positive news for key GA
segments. Among the highlights
is a $2.5 billion jump in over-
all aircraft deliveries in 2019 in
comparison to the year prior, an
increase of more than 10%.
In terms of high-performing
segments, piston aircraft and
bizjets saw a particularly strong
year, with the former increasing
by 16.4% and the latter seeing
its strongest year in a decade. Piston airplanes
made up the biggest market in GA, with over 1,deliveries made throughout the
year. The majority of those went
to North American customers,
while the Asia-Pacific market
was responsible for the second-
highest level of demand for the
fifth year in a row.
While the airplane market
flourished, the rotorcraft market
cooled, seeing nearly a 12% drop
in comparison to 2018. Demand
for piston rotorcraft saw the big-
gest decrease of any single seg-
ment, with deliveries plunging
more than 36%.
All told, GAMA President and
CEO Pete Bunce said the overall
numbers bode well for the future
of the industry, especially given its focus on new tech-
nologies such as electronic and supersonic aircraft.News Of Note
BY BETHANY WHITFIELD AND PLANE & PILOT STAFF