While we've been enjoying the fruits of the certified EFIS developments that have popped up over the last few years, we are duty-bound to mention that the experimental aircraft industry has been developing these technologies for many years... and flying them for nearly as long. As a matter of fact, a number of certified products started with the experimental industry. Aero-TV spent some amusing moments with Blue Mountain Avionics' boss, Greg Richter, an irrepressible sort of fellow who has spearheaded a phenomenal amount of glass panel development programs for sport aircraft. In addition to being quite an innovator, we must note that its hard to come away from this feature without also noting that he's a bit of a character... this was a wild (and fun) interview -- despite the fact that we had to brave some uncharacteristically cool temps in central Florida on the closing day of the 2008 US Sport Aviation Expo. Greg's first EFIS flew in 1997, and since then, he has driven Blue Mountain to become one of the preeminent suppliers of EFIS, FMCS and Autopilots for homebuilts and light-sport aircraft. Richter tells ANN that his product line boasts, "the fastest AHRS available (at 420 deg/sec, 4x the nearest competitor), the brightest sunlight-readable displays, built-in WAAS GPS, moving map, 3D terrain avoidance, engine monitor and automated nav/com control." Blue Mountain EFIS installations can be seen in any number of sport aircraft... ranging form Van's speedy RVs to L-39s and even experimental rocketplanes. FMI: www.bluemountainavionics.com Copyright 2008, Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved.
