Thanks for the update Mike.

I'll hit 'em up again this year at OSH to see what they say. If they repeat
what they told you I'll ask them where the Garmin booth is because if they
are going to make me spend big bucks on something I don't want, I'll do it
with a company that is innovative. To show you what they currently care
about, the last survey I got was about what they should call themselves (can
you believe it? a new name on a box will definitely help me get through the
clag... hmm how about Honeywagon, yeah try that one on, sheesh.)

Synthetic vision? Maybe it'd be great for hard IFR in the mountains, but
how many of us do that?? How many VFR 172 pilots in Kansas will buy their
unit just because it features synthetic vision?

Ok, you guys, how many newsgroup jokers flooded Honeywell's survey In-box
with "you should really get into this synthetic vision thing, it's the next
big hit!! I'd spend more than my plane is worth for that!" Sounds like
Larry the Cable Guy signed up with Garmin and pulled one over on the guys at
Honeywell... I can't believe they took that bait.

If they want to be innovative, how about a full function panel mounted box
that could bluetooth to a handheld, tablet, PDA, or cell phone? Maybe so
you could upload your flightplan info to the box, download track, fuel,
time, info into the pc or pda. Or allow you to have a second display, say a
clean GPS overlay of an approach chart while XM weather is displayed on the
panel mounted box? or vice versa? Yeah, probably something Un-FAA about
wireless... but I digress....

I agree with your view of their decision not to make a KLN94 replacement.
They've had great success in the past with their upgrade programs, I think
they are shooting themselves in the foot and should prepare to loose many
current customers unless they offer us some serious $ to trade in a 94 and a
155 to get their new all in one box. Personally, I'd prefer to keep my 155s
if they would offer a direct replacement stand alone WASS GPS with real GPSS
roll steering output. If rack size or panel space is their problem, why not
make part of it remote?

Oh well.... when one door closes another one opens, all it takes is for
someone with vision and guts to walk through it... Garmin are you listening?
how about a slide in replacement for our KLN94s?

jim



"Mike Granby" wrote in message
ups.com...

So, I spoke to the Honeywell guy at the AOPA fly-in today and asked
abou the long-awaited WAAS replacement for the KLN-94. If you remember,
last year they were saying that they'd got the GPS engine done, and
were looking how to productize it. They even sent round a questionaire
to figure out if people wanted a stand-alone navigator or a
GPS/NAV/COM. The story today was that nothing will be happening this
year, and but that something will be forthcoming in 2007. (Hmmm. Heard
that before from anyone else???) The guy said it will NOT be a
stand-alone navigator, but will be an integrated GPS/NAV/COM with
synthetic vision as a key feature. He didn't know if it would fit in
the same space as a KLN-94 and KX-155/165 combo. He also said they
"badly needed" this unit, and seemed a little disconsolate about how
long it's taking to get to market, and presumably about how they're
getting their ass handed to them by Garmin.

My own take on this is that not having a KLN-94 replacement is a dumb
move, as they still have a solid installed base that they could retain
with such a unit. If someone's going to have to re-wire and re-rack,
other options will get a much bigger look-in. The next best will be an
integrated unit that fits in the 94/155 hole, and hopefully provides an
upgrade route that doesn't involve redoing the whole stack. Otherwise,
as I say, what do you gain by sticking with King rather than looking at
the other options available? King have proved they aren't winning the
technical battle, so they need to leverage what advantages they do
have. Not providing a clean upgrade route would be failing in this key
area.