Lavs, Mags, and More

July 30, 2016 - Every year, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh serves as the launch pad for a host of new aircraft, avionics, and a rainbow of aviation products. Here are some of the exciting developments unveiled and announced at this year’s fly-in.

Cessna Denali Debuts at AirVenture

A year after announcing its intent to produce a single-engine turboprop aircraft, Textron Aviation (booths 78-82, 100-123), home to the Beechcraft, Cessna, and Hawker brands, announced the Cessna Denali at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016. The clean-sheet design is engineered to achieve cruise speeds of 285 knots and a full fuel payload of 1,100 pounds. It will have a range of 1,600 nm at high-speed cruise with one pilot and four passengers.

Power will come from GE’s new advanced turboprop engine. The FADEC-equipped, 1,240 shp-rated turboprop engine is expected to ease pilot workload with single-lever power and propeller control. A McCauley 105-inch diameter composite, five-blade, full-feathering, constant-speed propeller will round out the propulsion package. A mock-up of the craft’s interior can be seen at Textron’s booth in the Main Aircraft Display area. Cessna.txtav.com/turboprop/denali

Yingling Enhances Ascend 172

After unveiling the comprehensively remanufactured Ascend 172 single-engine aircraft at AirVenture 2015, Wichita-based Yingling Aviation has improved the model by outfitting it with 180-hp power, a fully overhauled Sensenich propeller, Garmin G500 EFIS, and a Garmin GTX 345 ADS-B “out” and “in.” A new tri-color paint scheme rounds out the package.

Yingling was Cessna’s first dealer and is uniquely qualified to restore previously used Cessna airframes to an essentially brand new configuration. In addition to the avionics and power upgrades the package includes a second GNC 255 nav/comm, a GMA 350 audio panel with marker beacon, a Davtron M800 digital clock, flight instrument backlighting, a USB port, LED nav lights, an LED beacon light, Rosen sun visors, and wheel fairings. The new model can be seen at Garmin’s booth (322-328, 339-345). www.Yinglingaviation.com/department/ascend-172

Factory-Assisted Build Will Be Option for Murphy Radical

Murphy Aircraft, a Canadian builder of utility aircraft kits, unveiled its newest design at AirVenture 2016: the Radical. The craft will accept engines ranging from 130 to 220 hp, and it’s expected to have a useful load of 950 pounds. A unique feature of the craft is bicycle racks, allowing a bike to be carried under each wing.

Test flights are expected to begin yet this year, with aircraft becoming available in 2017. The plane will be available as a kit, a 49-percent quick-build kit, and a factory-assisted build. The factory-assist program is the first time Murphy has offered the option. Murphy has the Radical on display at Booth 652. 03e2159.netsolhost.com

Daher Intros Lav-Equipped TBM

Daher (Booth 387-392) introduced its Elite Privacy configuration, adding an integrated lavatory to the company’s TBM 900/930 single-engine turboprops, available beginning with its 2017 models. The result of a yearslong development project, according to the French company, the lav serves as a bench-type seat with a low divider wall when not in use, and converts to a fully private toilet compartment at the touch of a button. Two electric motors drive a deployable multi-segment partition with an anti-lock door, and the enclosure includes a large courtesy mirror. The option adds just 90 pounds to the aircraft’s empty weight. The option will be “appreciated by pilot/owners who use the TBM’s long-range capabilities,” as well as charter operators, said Nicolas Chabbert, senior vice president, Daher Airplane Business Unit. www.TBM.aero

RANS Unveils S-21 Outbound

RANS Designs (Booth 620-621) introduced its in-development S-21 Outbound, a “fast cruising” STOL aircraft. Powered by a 180-hp Titan 340 engine (other engine options will also be available), the two-place, all-metal high-wing has a cruise speed of 155 mph at 75 percent power. It features side-by-side seating, wide cabin doors, big windows, and a skylight, along with a 23-cubic-foot cargo space that can carry 200 pounds. The metal parts are powder coated, requiring no paint, and the pre-welded steel tubing cage accelerates the build process. The kit isn’t yet available, but RANS is showcasing parts of the aircraft here. A full list of options will be posted as developed and may include, based on customer demand, Rotax engine options, enabling it to be certified as an S-LSA. RANS.com

New Ignition System From Electroair

Electronic ignition system (EIS) manufacturer Electroair (Booth 3174) announced its RC4000 series hybrid magneto, designed to replace four-cylinder Bendix dual magnetos in Lycoming engines. The hybrid magneto uses engine rotation to charge a coil-near plug ignition system, delivering a high-energy spark to the spark plugs, while an ignition-timing adjustment mechanism adds an additional 6 amps of power output. The EIS eliminates common failure items found in traditional magnetos including the impulse coupler and points. Certification is expected in about a year, and a magneto for six-cylinder engines is expected to follow. The company plans to develop similar magnetos for Continental engines, according to Electroair president Michael Kobylik. The company has also received EASA certification for its EIS-41000 series four-cylinder ignition systems. Kits shipped to European customers will contain all appropriate airworthiness document for approved installations. Electroair.net

Portable Solar Power From Wicks

Wicks Aircraft & Motorsports (Booth 2057-2059) is showcasing its Solar X-Press, a portable, 400-watt solar power generator. The panels, weighing only 4 pounds, are automatically controlled by an MPPT charge controller, a waterproof computer that maximizes energy output. The unit has both a solar panel gauge that displays how much power is being generated and is stored and a battery meter indicating battery charge level. The inverter that comes with the unit provides access to 1,500 watts of AC power, enough to power a campsite or operate small lawn maintenance tools, and also features a remote switch and a 2-amp USB charger port for charging smartphones or tablets. WicksAircraft.com

SocialFlight App Grows With Communities

SocialFlight, an internet resource for finding aviation events and interesting places to fly, has added community forums to SocialFlight.com and the SocialFlight mobile app. Experts from companies like Jeppesen, Piper, Lightspeed, Bose, CamGuard, Aspen, and FreeFlight will participate in the forums to answer questions about technology, training, products, and more.

SocialFlight is free to use and includes an interactive map listing more than 20,000 aviation events, rated destinations, aerial tours, local points of interest, and more. The new community forum functionality is available now on SocialFlight.com and available in version 5.1 of the mobile app. www.SocialFlight.com