Bendix/King news on AvWeb about KI-300

[mike_elliott]

yawn..... this is sooo 2012

[StevenL757]

Yeah, agree.  By the time the thing comes out, the G500-TXi will be near EOSL...

[N6758N]

38 minutes ago, StevenL757 said:

Yeah, agree.  By the time the thing comes out, the G500-TXi will be near EOSL...

We'll all be flying around in our Uber flying cars by then...

[Bryan]

I had reached out to Honeywell/Bendix King on this last week.  They just responded:

Hi Bryan,
The KI 300 will be available early January of 2018 and retail for $5995.00 MSRP. I've attached the PDF brochure for your records.
I've added you to the list to receive product availability information on the KI 300 come January.
If you have any other questions please reply to this email. 
Regards, 
-BendixKing Inside Sales 

Again, new dates, new wait.  We'll see.

[aviatoreb]

Just now, Bryan said:

I had reached out to Honeywell/Bendix King on this last week.  They just responded:

Hi Bryan,
The KI 300 will be available early January of 2018 and retail for $5995.00 MSRP. I've attached the PDF brochure for your records.
I've added you to the list to receive product availability information on the KI 300 come January.
If you have any other questions please reply to this email. 
Regards, 
-BendixKing Inside Sales 

Again, new dates, new wait.  We'll see.

Seems like they are already planning on low sales volume with a high price to try and make up for the stc cost.

[aviatoreb]

1 hour ago, N6758N said:

We'll all be flying around in our Uber flying cars by then...

I'll hang a turbo enhanced nuclear powered unobtainium engine on my plane before that.

[Oldguy]

27 minutes ago, Bryan said:

I had reached out to Honeywell/Bendix King on this last week.  They just responded:

Hi Bryan,
The KI 300 will be available early January of 2018 and retail for $5995.00 MSRP. I've attached the PDF brochure for your records.
I've added you to the list to receive product availability information on the KI 300 come January.
If you have any other questions please reply to this email. 
Regards, 
-BendixKing Inside Sales 

Again, new dates, new wait.  We'll see.

On a likely related point, I reached out to Sandia Aerospace earlier this month to see about getting my Quattro 340 updated to the latest software level and was told they were finishing up a project with "an outside party" and not be able to handle any upgrades until after the first of the year.

Wonder who whey are working with?

 

[aviatoreb]

1 hour ago, Oldguy said:

On a likely related point, I reached out to Sandia Aerospace earlier this month to see about getting my Quattro 340 updated to the latest software level and was told they were finishing up a project with "an outside party" and not be able to handle any upgrades until after the first of the year.

Wonder who whey are working with?

 

Totally different - can’t you see?  One says 100ias and one says 130ias.... totally different products.

[Bryan]

The altitude is way off, too - gotta be different.

[MIm20c]

Is the AP output standard on the $6k unit or an upgrade?

[Mark89114]

And the bezel corners are different...

[N201MKTurbo]

And the BK is 30 KTS faster!

[Bryan]

15 minutes ago, MIm20c said:

Is the AP output standard on the $6k unit or an upgrade?

Without confirming, it is my understanding this is a full replacement for the KI 256, so no upgrades needed. I will confirm with the rep that sent me the message.

Attached is the brochure he sent me.

KI 300_Bro_FF LR.pdf

[M016576]

9 hours ago, aviatoreb said:

Seems like they are already planning on low sales volume with a high price to try and make up for the stc cost.

Sad.... I guess some things never change (in aviation).  Yet another wasted opportunity.

[PTK]

It will probably come in at <6K$ with FD capability. But even at 6K$ I don't think it's exorbitant. Consider it's a digital ADI that directly replaces (by a comparatively simple swap) the KI256 with its associated OH costs and enables the removal of the vacuum system. I don't know of anything else that can do this for less than 3-4x that figure. 

I agree that it was a wasted opportunity...for Garmin who failed to give us AP support in the G5. In this exact case BK is still the King in my book!

[mike_elliott]

by the time it comes out, 6K will be the hourly minimum wage

[aviatoreb]

1 hour ago, mike_elliott said:

by the time it comes out, 6K will be the hourly minimum wage

That will be in 2089, and by then the smallest paper note will be 1k bills that you will spend in the Coca Cola machine for a 12 oz coke.

[Bob - S50]

1 hour ago, PTK said:

It will probably come in at <6K$ with FD capability. But even at 6K$ I don't think it's exorbitant. Consider it's a digital ADI that directly replaces (by a comparatively simple swap) the KI256 with its associated OH costs and enables the removal of the vacuum system. I don't know of anything else that can do this for less than 3-4x that figure. 

I agree that it was a wasted opportunity...for Garmin who failed to give us AP support in the G5. In this exact case BK is still the King in my book!

It kind of depends.  That will be $6000 plus just a small amount for installation to maintain a 40+ year old analog autopilot system.  For a little more than $2000 more and a significantly higher install cost you will be able to replace that old system with a modern digital autopilot.  In a way it would be throwing good money after bad.  I'd probably lean toward spending a fair amount more to replace the entire KFC200 and save about 20 lbs to boot.

If you install the KI300 and some other part of you KFC goes bad (the computer or servo for example) you'll have to spend a lot of money to have that component repaired.  You are then out the same amount of money but stuck with an old (but still good) autopilot.

It's going to be a race to see which happens first; KI300 available or the Garmin/Trio/TruTrak autopilot is certified for the Mooney.

[aviatoreb]

By the time this thing comes out, it will be competing against a slew of complete digital autopilot systems, trutrek, trio, Gfc, that will be better.  Consider what a GFC500+dual G5 will be like and a $6k alternative for just a HSI makes that even more attractive.

[Aerodon]

I wonder if it will have the GMCT style connector to make it true plug and play?  And if they will have the non standard KI256 mounting holes or the standard 3.25 round mounting holes?

If it lists for $6k and has a street price of $5k, its not a bad price point.  I think the electro mechanical KI256 has a new price of around $15k.

I have a SAI340 and am quite impressed.  Allowed me to take out the whole vacuum system and clean up the panel nicely.

Don

 

 

 

[MIm20c]

I think the pricing is in line IF it comes with the AP interface.  Probably the street price will be $3k higher than the G5. A good investment for planes that have good - great working AP’s. 

This unit is TSO’d for AI replacement and the altitude and airspeed are also tso’d. Does this mean you can legally remove all other guages except for a hsi (g5 or 525) with no other backups?

[carqwik]

When did BK announce this KFC 230 digital a/p?  Looks like a slide in replacement for the KFC 150...of course, it's probably vaporware for now. 

 

http://www.bendixking.com/V4/KFC-230-AeroCruze

[Oldguy]

1 minute ago, carqwik said:

When did BK announce this KFC 230 digital a/p?  Looks like a slide in replacement for the KFC 150...of course, it's probably vaporware for now. 

 

http://www.bendixking.com/V4/KFC-230-AeroCruze

I saw it hit the news around Oshkosh this year. If I recall correctly, it has a Q4-2018 delivery date. At least it does now. Who knows what it will be by that time.

[PTK]

6 hours ago, MIm20c said:

I think the pricing is in line IF it comes with the AP interface.  Probably the street price will be $3k higher than the G5. A good investment for planes that have good - great working AP’s. 

This unit is TSO’d for AI replacement and the altitude and airspeed are also tso’d. Does this mean you can legally remove all other guages except for a hsi (g5 or 525) with no other backups?

The KI300 is primary for attitude and advisory for air speed and altitude.

[Bryan]

5 hours ago, MIm20c said:

I think the pricing is in line IF it comes with the AP interface.  Probably the street price will be $3k higher than the G5. A good investment for planes that have good - great working AP’s. 

This unit is TSO’d for AI replacement and the altitude and airspeed are also tso’d. Does this mean you can legally remove all other guages except for a hsi (g5 or 525) with no other backups?

I’d think you should factor steet price AND installation compared to the G5. I think they are making the Ki300 easy replacement.

 I’d love to see the G5 control the ATT roll steering for the KFC units. Some think it might in the future with another or updated adapter. I’d rather have 2 G5’s vs a Ki300 and a G5 HSI.