King Survey

[Mike Granby]

I just completed a survey from the Bendix-King pilot's club wherein I
was asked about my interested in two hypothetical products -- an
integrated 5" WAAS GPG and NAVCOM with traffic, terrain and weather,
and a 3" standalone WAAS GPS with traffic terrain and weather. Looks
like they've still not quite made up their mind about how to package
their new WAAS engine -- I'm obviously voting for the 3" standalone to
replace my KLN-94!!!

[Jim Burns]

Hey Mike,
I questioned 2 different Honeywell-Bendix-King reps at OSH and basically
they wouldn't tell me much, but I was able to squeeze a few things out of
them.

They acknowledged that they have a product in the works that should come out
in the next 18 to 24 months. It's based on the new Honeywell APEX WAAS GPS
engine. The GPS board is done and ready to go, they are just trying to
figure out how to market it to the non-EFIS customer.

They reconfirmed that they would have a KLN94 upgrade program, and that the
new panel mount would fit into the KLN94 tray, so it looks like they will
produce the 3" size and are questioning the demand for a 5" model. When I
pressed them on the Com/Nav addition to the GPS, they laughed and acted like
I knew something that I shouldn't. My comeback was that they were behind
Garmin, and everybody wondered if Honeywell/Bendix/King was going to support
the non-APEX user, afterall, they sure wouldn't have much demand for APEX
with us fellows that own a 30+ year old plane. They got more serious and
said absolutely and that one of the options that they are looking into for
the new panel mount was adding the traditional Com/Nav, similar to Garmin's
units.

I asked them if we would have to rebuild our entire panels if we purchased
the larger 5" version and they said no, the size profile would be the same
as a KLN94 stacked on top of a KX155. So my response was "then the 5"
version would absolutely have the traditional Com/Nav but that the 3" may
not". They both agreed.

That was about all I could get out of them. But it looks like the 3" is a
go, and the 5" is a maybe. They both commented that the Honeywell people
are a lot more ambitious than the Bendix people were.

Jim

"Mike Granby" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> I just completed a survey from the Bendix-King pilot's club wherein I
> was asked about my interested in two hypothetical products -- an
> integrated 5" WAAS GPG and NAVCOM with traffic, terrain and weather,
> and a 3" standalone WAAS GPS with traffic terrain and weather. Looks
> like they've still not quite made up their mind about how to package
> their new WAAS engine -- I'm obviously voting for the 3" standalone to
> replace my KLN-94!!!
>

[Mike Granby]

> I asked them if we would have to rebuild our entire panels if
> we purchased the larger 5" version and they said no, the size
> profile would be the same as a KLN94 stacked on top of a
> KX155. So my response was "then the 5" version would
> absolutely have the traditional Com/Nav but that the 3" may
> not". They both agreed.

Excellent!

> But it looks like the 3" is a go, and the 5" is a maybe.

Excellent, again!

[Dan Luke]

"Jim Burns" wrote:

> They reconfirmed that they would have a KLN94 upgrade program, and that the
> new panel mount would fit into the KLN94 tray, so it looks like they will
> produce the 3" size and are questioning the demand for a 5" model. When I
> pressed them on the Com/Nav addition to the GPS, they laughed and acted
> like
> I knew something that I shouldn't. My comeback was that they were behind
> Garmin, and everybody wondered if Honeywell/Bendix/King was going to
> support
> the non-APEX user, afterall, they sure wouldn't have much demand for APEX
> with us fellows that own a 30+ year old plane. They got more serious and
> said absolutely and that one of the options that they are looking into for
> the new panel mount was adding the traditional Com/Nav, similar to Garmin's
> units.

They are nuts if they don't make their new WAAS boxes integrated
GPS/NAV/COMM. They would beat anything Garmin's got if the new products also
did satellite weather.

--
Dan
C-172RG at BFM

[Jim Burns]

I imagine that they are contemplateing the demand knowing that a 430/480
type box would require the KLN94 owners to buy a new tray with com and nav
antenna connections, plus extra work by an avionics shop. Not saying that a
new 3" box wouldn't require more than a direct swap such as the 89B to 94,
but it will be interesting to watch this develop. I hope they don't drop
the ball and price it beyond reality. I for one would favor a 3"
non-nav/com direct swap for the KLN94, and a 5" GPS/Nav/Com version, both
with upgradeability to traffic (no doubt requireing a new transponder) and
XM weather (no doubt requireing another upgrade box).
Jim

"Dan Luke" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Jim Burns" wrote:
>
> > They reconfirmed that they would have a KLN94 upgrade program, and that
the
> > new panel mount would fit into the KLN94 tray, so it looks like they
will
> > produce the 3" size and are questioning the demand for a 5" model. When
I
> > pressed them on the Com/Nav addition to the GPS, they laughed and acted
> > like
> > I knew something that I shouldn't. My comeback was that they were
behind
> > Garmin, and everybody wondered if Honeywell/Bendix/King was going to
> > support
> > the non-APEX user, afterall, they sure wouldn't have much demand for
APEX
> > with us fellows that own a 30+ year old plane. They got more serious
and
> > said absolutely and that one of the options that they are looking into
for
> > the new panel mount was adding the traditional Com/Nav, similar to
Garmin's
> > units.
>
> They are nuts if they don't make their new WAAS boxes integrated
> GPS/NAV/COMM. They would beat anything Garmin's got if the new products
also
> did satellite weather.
>
> --
> Dan
> C-172RG at BFM
>
>

[Jim Burns]

Mike, did they call or email you? I just dropped them a note to say that
I'd be interested in putting my 2 cents down on paper for them if they just
tell me where. I'm also a member of their Pilot Club but haven't heard
anything about the survey.
Jim

"Mike Granby" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> I just completed a survey from the Bendix-King pilot's club wherein I
> was asked about my interested in two hypothetical products -- an
> integrated 5" WAAS GPG and NAVCOM with traffic, terrain and weather,
> and a 3" standalone WAAS GPS with traffic terrain and weather. Looks
> like they've still not quite made up their mind about how to package
> their new WAAS engine -- I'm obviously voting for the 3" standalone to
> replace my KLN-94!!!
>

[Jim Burns]

I've got a contact email at Honeywell/Bendix-King if anybody would like to
participate in the King survey, email me and I will pass on the contact
info. You can contact them directly to participate in the survey.

Jim

[Mike Granby]

I got an email as part of their Pilots' Club.

Re the question of pricing, they were saying ~$5-6K for the 3"