-- WSI Corporation and Aspen Avionics bring WSI NOWrad®
and METAR data into the cockpit of the typical general aviation
aircraft --
Oshkosh, WI - July 27, 2004
WSI Corporation and Aspen Avionics, LLC announce today the planned
integration of the WSI InFlight cockpit weather system onto
the Aspen Avionics AT300 Terrain Awareness Display. Continuously
updated WSI NOWrad weather radar mosaics, graphic and textual
METARs will be accessible on this revolutionary replacement
for a Vertical Speed Indicator. Aspen is initially offering
this capability to the experimental/homebuilt aircraft market,
and will introduce it to the certified market following certification
of Aspen's AT300 Terrain Awareness Display. Deliveries of the
WSI InFlight enabled homebuilt/experimental version of the AT300
equipment are forecast to begin by the end of this year. The
company will also offer existing AT300 customers an easy upgrade
option to add datalink weather capability to their display.
"We are thrilled to be working with WSI to deliver the
WSI InFlight weather service" said Peter Lyons, President
of Aspen Avionics. "WSI is a name that most pilots know
and trust. Adding their weather product to our display is
an exciting development for us."
"We are pleased to be working with Aspen Avionics. We
see a lot of synergy between their display product and our
award winning cockpit weather service. The combination of
the two allows us to offer our customers tremendous value
in the delivery of in-flight weather" said Lynne Wilson,
Executive VP of WSI's Aviation and Marine Business Group.
"The low price point of the Aspen AT300, combined with
its ease of installation will let us deliver reliable WSI
weather to a greater number of pilots, thereby increasing
the safety of General Aviation."
Pricing and Availability
The WSI InFlight enabled AT300 will be available direct from
Aspen Avionics as a non-certified instrument. Associated necessary
WSI InFlight hardware is available separately from WSI Authorized
Dealers. MSRP for non-certified and certified weather enabled
AT300 orders received before October 1st 2004 is $3,195. Orders
for the non-certified AT300 afterwards will be priced at $3,995.
Deliveries of these systems are anticipated before the end
of the year.
Certification of the AT300 is anticipated mid-2005. Certified
AT300s will be available through an Aspen Dealer Network.
Pricing for the certified display is $4,495.
WSI InFlight system hardware is available in non-certified
and certified versions. MSRP for WSI InFlight systems begin
at $3,495 and $4,995 respectively. For complete pricing of
WSI InFlight systems and a list of WSI Authorized Dealers
visit: www.wsi.com/solutions/aviation/inflight
About the Aspen Avionics AT300 Terrain Awareness
Display
The AT300 is a small form factor display
that combines a vertical speed instrument and moving map display
to show the pilot aircraft vertical speed, nearby terrain,
and now datalink weather. The unit uses the same mechanical
form factor as a traditional Vertical Speed Instrument (VSI),
and is designed to replace that instrument. This combination
allows the equipment to be easily retrofitted into almost
any aircraft that has a VSI indicator and a GPS navigation
computer. Presenting terrain and weather information to the
pilot helps to increase pilot situational awareness of in-flight
terrain and weather hazards, allowing pilot's to make better
in-flight decisions.
About WSI InFlight
The WSI InFlight system uses satellite technology to continuously
broadcast the most accurate, up-to-date weather and related
mission critical information to any aircraft equipped with
the WSI InFlight antenna and receiver. WSI InFlight delivers
the industry's highest quality radar mosaic, WSI's NOWrad®,
directly to the cockpit.
About Aspen Avionics LLC
Aspen Avionics is in the business of designing, developing and
distributing technically innovative low cost avionic products
to meet the economic and operational needs of their customers.
The company, headquartered in Albuquerque NM, was formed in
2004 to introduce affordable advanced avionic display technology
to the piston-engine general aviation aircraft market.
About WSI Corporation
WSI Corporation is the world's leading provider of weather-driven
business solutions for professionals in the aviation, media
and energy markets, and multiple federal and state government
agencies. WSI is headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts with
offices in Birmingham, England, and is a wholly owned subsidiary
of Landmark Communications.
More information about WSI can be found at: http://www.wsi.com
Contacts:
Paul Devlin
WSI Corporation
(978) 983-6766
pdevlin@wsi.com
Peter Lyons
Aspen Avionics, LLC
(505) 856-5034 |
