What's New -- Products and Services

This month AVweb's survey of the latest products and services for pilots, mechanics and aircraft owners brings you a Rotax engine school, wrap-around display for FTDs, flip-up sunglasses and much more.

If you know of a new product or service other AVweb readers should hear about, please send us a note.

LSA Engine School

Lockwood Supply, a distributor for the Rotax series of engines, announced the formation of a new school aimed at the light-sport and sport-aviation community. Aero Technical Institute will begin operations this month at the Lockwood Aviation Supply facilities at the Sebring, Fla., airport.

The mission of the Aero Technical Institute is to help make sport aviation and Light-Sport Aircraft flying safer and more affordable for a much larger portion of the U.S. population. The school will begin to accomplish this by sharing the wealth of knowledge possessed by Lockwood Supply technicians. The experience and expertise of the Lockwood staff spans nearly 18 years of work with Rotax engines, and light and ultralight aircraft.

Early courses will focus on Rotax engines, but the school will expand to other maintenance and inspection courses for Light Sport aircraft.

Initial dates for the two-day Rotax 9-series (four stroke) schools include June 10-11, June 29-30, and July 17-18. The first two-day school for Rotax two-strokes will be June 22-23. The schools will be held at the Lockwood facilities on Sebring Airport and the cost is $395. For more information, go to the Aero Technical Institute Web site.

King Schools' "Practical Radar Use" Course

King Schools has created an online course to help users learn how to master on-board radar units in one to two hours.

Subject areas in the course include:

• Techniques for thunderstorm avoidance
• How airborne radar works
• Using the range control
• Using the tilt control
• Seeing even more with the vertical profile mode
• Avoiding the attenuation trap
• Thunderstorm avoidance do's and don'ts

And when you complete the course, you can download a Radar Operations Cockpit Card so you'll have practical-use tips at hand in the air, plus an endorsement to place in your logbook.

Learn anywhere you can connect with the Internet. The price is $49 and you can enroll (and get more information) from the King Schools Web site.

Clip and Flip Sunglasses

Clip and Flip sunglasses work well in the cockpit because they don't interfere with headsets. They attach to the bill of a hat and never touch the face. They also work with prescription glasses.

Just flip the sunglasses down for sun or flip them up to stow them instantly. The fully adjustable glasses have a polycarbonate gray lens that is scratch- and shatter-resistant. The frames and clips are virtually indestructible and carry a lifetime guarantee. Clip and Flip Sunglasses are available for $19.95 and may be ordered from Sporty's Web site.

P2 Aviation Technology TimeTrac

P2 Aviation Technology has released its latest avionics product, TimeTrac. TimeTrac consists of an FAA-approved recorder and fully integrated software. The hardware, which resides onboard the aircraft, communicates with an existing GPS or Loran navigation system and automatically records the pertinent flight data. At a convenient time, this data is then downloaded to a PC. The TimeTrac software then sorts out the flight data, applies the flight times accordingly (aircraft & pilot) and generates numerous reports.

TimeTrac is FAA/PMA approved and is currently STC'd for installation in over 750 general aviation aircraft.

Benefits and Features:

• One-time cost, no annual contracts
• Works with most GPS or LORAN receivers
• Tracks multiple planes and pilots
• Automatically records and stores up to 700 flight legs
• Automatic departure and arrival airport identification
• Custom "airport" capability
• Tracks flight time for pilots
• Tracks time-in-service for maintenance
• Timers for thousands of aircraft components
• Better record keeping enhances aircraft value
• Quickly pays for itself in maintenance savings
• Operates on 12- or 24-volt systems and weighs 5.5 oz.
• Easy-to-use Windows- and Mac-compatible software
• Online software and airport database updates available

Introductory pricing for TimeTrac is $1,695. More information is available from the P2 Web site.

Precision Flight Controls Wrap-Around Display for FTDs

Precision Flight Controls has introduced a full-immersion, five-screen version of its Modular Flight Deck system (M.F.D.). Combined with worldwide terrain mapping, a global navigation database, and support for 13 single- and multi-engine aircraft, the five-screen M.F.D. produces a realistic and flexible pilot training environment.

The M.F.D is designed for flight schools, aviation colleges and universities, corporate flight departments and others who require quality and capability but at a fraction of the cost of other advanced flight training devices. The system comes standard with dozens of features including an avionics stack, interchangeable single- and multi-engine throttle quadrants and a comprehensive instructor's station. Options include GPS, standard or "glass cockpit" instrumentation, bezeled or non-bezeled instruments, control loading, motion and custom aircraft development.

The M.F.D. includes FAA-approved software with flight models for 13 general aviation aircraft and a worldwide navigation database. The M.F.D. system can be purchased with the configuration needed -- single or dual controls, desktop, partial deck or full cockpit -- and customized or expanded over time.

M.F.D. systems are available immediately with pricing ranging from $25,500 to $55,000 and visual systems from $10,000 for one channel to $52,000 for the five-channel, 180-degree visual system with worldwide navigation data.

More information is available from the Precision Flight Controls Web site.

AvShop's leftse.at Online Pilot Tools

AvShop has created an online suite of pilot tools including logbook, aviation-chart subscription management, irport maps and more.

leftse.at enables pilots to plan their flights using tools that are compiled for their benefit. Before take-off, pilots can see aerial views of any U.S. airport to plan their approach and manage the aviation charts needed to stay current in conducting their flight. After landing, pilots can record their information in an easy-to-use online logbook -- with the added peace-of-mind that this version can never be lost, stolen, or damaged.

With AvShop's leftse.at logbook, related flight information can be shared with other pilots by inviting them to view it using Web 2.0 technologies, or set specifically for personal viewing only. Pilots have the ability to login to review or record flight information anywhere there is an internet connection and update their most recent flights. leftse.at also offers the option to print a PDF version of the logbook.

leftse.at also provides tools enabling pilots to create and maintain subscriptions to aviation charts using interactive maps. Email reminders are also offered for those wanting a currency prompt on everything from a medical to a biennial flight review.

Also noteworthy is the feature to visually locate and identify airport information. Aerial views of every U.S. airport help pilots become more prepared. leftse.at also provides important airport information for trip planning, including facilities available and their "condition," price of gas, accommodations, attractions, and more -- all as reported by fellow pilots. Further, pilots can review narrative feedback from other leftse.at members who have recently flown to that airport.

leftse.at members also receive special discounts on many AvShop products. Sign-up at their Web site.

Heads Up Flight Desk

The Heads Up Flight Desk was developed by a CFI and honors student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. While studying human factors in aviation safety, he noted that on virtually every airline flight deck you would find a yoke-mounted chart desk. The reason for the board being mounted there is to keep important information in the normal field of view for the pilot. Having to look down and away from this normal field of view is recognized as being a hazard to flight, because it takes the pilot's eyes away from scanning either the instruments or outside the aircraft for conflicting traffic.

This product for general aviation is a great safety enhancer. You can keep important documents in view, such as instrument approach plates, airport diagrams and flight logs. As an additional safety enhancer, important safety briefing items are imprinted on the surface of the desk. Included are a passenger briefing, crew briefing, engine failure during takeoff briefing, engine failure in flight memory items, and a pre-landing checklist.

Features include:

• Aircraft-quality aluminum clipboard for durability
• Low-profile spring steel clip holds documents in place
• Velcro® included for attachment to yoke
• Heavy-duty steel spacer and spring steel clamp
• Perfect size for approach plates and airport diagrams
• Easy fit in flight bags due to low profile hardware
• Guaranteed against breakage for the life of the product
• Yoke tube clip fits 3/4 to 1 1/8 inch tubes (other sizes available)

The lighted version has an LED on a flexible neck that illuminates the entire surface for ease of reading at night. The LED can last 100,000 hours and the included batteries last for 100 hours.

The standard Heads Up Flight Desk is available for $24.95 and the lighted version is $39.95. More information is available from the SafeAviator Web site.