Diamond Aircraft Now Available With ADS-B!

Foreword by John Armstrong, Founder and CEO of LifeStyle Aviation

As more and more of our clients have been calling to ask about their ADS-B upgrade path we’ve been handing out “patience pills” encouraging our G1000 clients to wait to see what other developments come along before the 2020 mandate deadline. We’ve been awaiting new developments we could not talk about. 

We are very pleased to announce the wait is over for our Diamond clients. Your ADS-B upgrade path has arrived and its very exciting. Diamond today announced collaboration with Garmin to roll out the GTX-345 series of ADS-B transponders that offers a feature rich ADS-B In and Out solution for all Diamond aircraft versions. This approach will provide more than just compliance for a good price but include viable dual band traffic and weather display features. The company is making the new transponders and Garmin’s Electronic Stability & Protection System (ESP) standard on all new 2016 DA40 XLT aircraft and the full line of planes. This is a tremendously exciting development for us as we have been hoping for this for several years. The GTX 345 is a new Garmin product that is just being released and as of today is not even in the hands of the avionics shops yet. Stay tuned for availability, installation pricing and further announcements from LifeStyle Aviation soon.  We will be offering our used Diamond Aircraft with this new equipment and helping our clients access this technology upgrade as it becomes available in the field.  

For more information contact a LifeStyle Aviation Counselor at 406-FLY-1NOW or email to [email protected].

Here are the press announcements as put out by Diamond today along with further details from Garmin.

Diamond Aircraft Announces Electronic Stability Protection System and ADS-B In/Out As Standard Equipment For New Production DA40 XLT

Diamond’s Lycoming IO360 powered 2016 DA40XLT is equipped with a long list of standard features and equipment that now also includes GARMIN’s Electronic Stability & Protection System and GARMIN’s new ADS-B In/Out and Mode S GTX-345R Transponder.

“GARMIN’s Electronic Stability and Protection System is an effective active safety feature that helps to avoid loss of control, the leading cause of fatal accidents.“ said Peter Maurer, President and CEO of Diamond Aircraft Industries Inc. (Canada). “It is an effective safety enhancement, consistent with our proactive approach of active safety first and we are pleased that we are now able to offer it as standard equipment on all of our GARMIN GFC700 Automatic Flight Control System equipped aircraft.”

The DA40 series offers a superb balance of performance, comfort, and efficiency to please private pilots, while delivering the reliability, durability, and high resale value, expected by high utilization training operators and leaseback owners. With over 1,800 DA40’s delivered since 2000, a superb safety record and a choice of jet fuel or avgas piston engines, the DA40 presents a versatile, well proven yet technologically advanced 4 seater for private pilots and commercial operators alike. 

Diamond Aircraft Announces GARMIN GTX Series Transponders with ADS-B IN/OUT for All Models

Diamond Aircraft Industries Inc. (Canada) will be equipping all newly ordered US registered DA20, DA40, DA42 and DA62 aircraft with standard ADS-B IN /OUT GARMIN 345 series Transponders. All, GARMIN’s STC for installation of the GTX335 and 345 series transponders provides affordable FAA mandate compliant retrofit solutions to all owners of US registered Diamond aircraft, regardless of vintage and equipment and if their airplane is WAAS GPS equipped or not. Depending on the installed equipment and software configuration of the existing aircraft, the GTX-345 and GTX-345R (Remote) will display enhanced traffic information and subscription free weather information on the MFD and SVT enabled PFD’s. Additionally, regardless of whether the existing aircraft is equipped with WAAS or not, the GTX345 with GPS will not only met the FAA’s 2020 ADS-B mandate, it will also enable the display of ADS-B traffic, subscription-free weather, GPS position data and back-up attitude information within popular apps such as Garmin Pilot and ForeFlight Mobile via Connext® wireless technology, on suitable mobile devices. 

More info from Garmin below

All-in-one Transponder Solution for ADS-B “Out” and “In”

• 1090 MHz ADS-B “Out” enables aircraft to operate at any altitude, in airspace around the globe
• Combines Mode S Extended Squitter (ES) transponder and optional WAAS/GPS position source in a single unit
• Provides access to dual-link ADS-B “In” traffic and subscription-free weather on compatible displays
• Wirelessly stream weather, traffic, GPS position and backup attitude via Connext™ link to Garmin Pilot™ and ForeFlight Mobile apps as well as the aera® 795/796 portables
• Easy replacement for your existing transponder, with common 1.65-inch tall form factor

Meeting ADS-B equipage rules for NextGen airspace just got easier – and more beneficial – for thousands of aircraft owners worldwide.

With the introduction of the GTX 345 series of Mode S Extended Squitter (ES) transponders, Garmin provides a one-box, one-swap solution that enables owners and operators to meet ADS-B requirements with minimal expense, downtime and disruption to their panels – while providing all the weather and traffic benefits of ADS-B “In”.

Your Transition to NextGen Made Simple

The IFR-certified GTX 345 looks and operates like a standard Mode S transponder. It fits in the same 1.65-inch high slot in your avionics stack. It boasts a bright, sunlight-readable digital display, a pressure altitude readout, handy timers for approaches and other operations, plus dedicated pushbuttons numbered 0-9 for quick and easy squawk code entry. But where other transponders leave off, the GTX 345 is just getting started. The addition of 1090 MHz ADS-B “Out” transmission capability (using precise GPS-referenced positioning information) enables the transponder to automatically output the more accurate, more dynamic traffic surveillance data that the NextGen airspace system requires. Plus, available ADS-B “In” reception unlocks even more capabilities for pilots, enabling them to display ADS-B traffic, weather and more on a variety of installed or portable displays.

Your WAAS, Your Way

The extra-precise GPS position reference needed to meet the traffic monitoring requirements of ADS-B can be provided either by the WAAS/SBAS-compliant navigation system that you may already have in your panel – or by an optional built-in GPS position source available with your GTX 345 transponder. However your aircraft is currently equipped, the Garmin GTX 345 series offers a simple, minimally intrusive ADS-B solution to meet your needs. For even more flexibility, optional remote mount GTX versions are available for compatibility with the GTN™ 750/650 series of GPS/Comm/Nav systems, as well as select Garmin G1000® integrated flight deck systems – all of which provide built-in remote transponder code selection and control.

See the Benefits of ADS-B “In”

In addition to 1090 MHz ADS-B “Out”, the GTX 345 also makes available the subscription-free weather and traffic display capabilities enabled by ADS-B “In” – which can be interfaced with compatible cockpit displays or streamed wirelessly via Garmin Connext™ to our aera 796/795 series portables, as well as to popular tablets/mobile devices by way of apps such as Garmin Pilot™, or ForeFlight Mobile. The ADS-B weather link is continuously broadcast on the 978 MHz Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) frequency, and is similar to the basic services offered by leading commercial satellite weather providers. For example, you can access NEXRAD imagery, METARs, TAFs, winds and temperatures aloft, PIREPs, NOTAMs, and more1: Along with this, you can also receive ADS-B traffic position reports (and threat-level symbology) to help you see-and-avoid converging targets in busy airspace. Spoken audio alerts call out potential flight path conflicts (“Traffic, 10 O’Clock, same altitude, two miles”) to get you looking in the right direction. Meanwhile, on your display, Garmin’s patent-pending TargetTrend™ relative motion display1 offers a faster, more intuitive way of judging target trajectories and closure rates in relation to your flight path. As an added safety feature, available on most new Garmin products, our TerminalTraffic™ technology provides a comprehensive picture of ADS-B equipped aircraft and ground vehicles in the airport environment. ADS-B equipped aircraft in flight are easily distinguished from ground vehicles and taxiing aircraft, which are displayed using distinct colors and symbols. All of this information is presented on a simple, easy-to-understand SafeTaxi® diagram which references the location of runways, taxiways, hangar locations and more.

Dual-link Completes the Picture

The GTX 345 ADS-B receiver is a dual-link system. So, it can receive on both frequencies (978 MHz and 1090 MHz) authorized for ADS-B operations in the U.S. Not only does this provide the most complete traffic picture from aircraft transmitting on either frequency, but it also enhances your aircraft’s ability to access ADS-B transmissions and services from virtually anywhere. When integrating an active traffic system with the GTX 345, ADS-B traffic and active traffic targets are merged on the display to give pilots a truly comprehensive traffic picture.

ADS-B for Your Integrated Flight Deck

With a variety of compatibilities covering most fielded displays, our ADS-B enabled GTX series transponders offer the easiest NextGen upgrade path available from Garmin – especially for owners of select G1000-equipped aircraft. For these systems, a remote mount version, the GTX 345R, interfaces with either the aircraft’s existing WAAS position source for navigation or uses an optional built-in WAAS position source to meet ADS-B “Out” requirements. The G1000 series displays interface with the remote GTX transponder to provide onscreen squawk code entry and control in the conventional manner. Depending on the software version installed, your Garmin glass displays can also support subscription-free weather on the MFD – as well as ADS-B traffic targets on both the MFD and PFD displays for aircraft equipped with Synthetic Vision Technology (SVT™).

Alerting and Altitude Encoding Made Simple

For added situational awareness, the GTX 345 incorporates a built-in audio output for audible traffic and altitude alerts1, which can be integrated into your existing audio panel. You can also pair the GTX series with an optional Garmin altitude encoder to satisfy data transmission requirements for IFR. As opposed to other transponders with altitude encoding built in, the Garmin altitude encoder mounts separately on the install rack. So, should the transponder ever require removal, there’s no need for the static line to be disconnected. Which, in turn, eliminates the need for a follow-on leak check – and thus helps minimize ongoing service costs.

An easier path to NextGen

The Garmin GTX 345 series is being FAA approved for installation on hundreds of today’s most popular aircraft makes and models. For decades, Garmin has led in the development and deployment of ADS-B technology. And when you compare all the options available, it’s clear that Garmin is committed to making your transition to ADS-B operations as simple, economical and worry-free as possible.

¹Garmin ADS-B compatibilities cover a wide range of systems and displays; however, not all functions may be available for every configuration. Please check the Compatibility tab for more specifics or limitations that may apply to your system.

About LifeStyle:

Lifestyle Aviation (LifeStyleAviation.com) is in the business of helping people achieve and enjoy an “Aviation LifeStyle” through the acquisition of modern personal aircraft. The organization is comprised of several components:

LifeStyle Aviation offers a wide range of quality, modern aircraft from Diamond, Piper, Mooney, Cessna, Cirrus and more via its listing site LifeStyleAircraft.com. In addition, LifeStyle Aviation is a leading Diamond Regional Distribution Center (DRDC) offering a full range of new and used Diamond Aircraft including entry level DA20 and DA40’s and high performance Jet-fuel burning DA42-VI’s and the all new DA62 7 place 200kt aircraft.

The LifeStyle Aviation Network includes flight centers, aircraft brokers, industry affiliates and international partners to create a productive, pooled source for buying and selling modern aircraft, learning to fly, accessing shared ownership programs and transitioning from entry level aircraft into advance high performance planes.

DiamondShare.com – LifeStyle Aviation is also the creator of the unique DiamondShare program (DiamondShare.com) that provides attractive shared “member access” to modern aircraft while completely changing aircraft ownership economics. DiamondShare has expanded to cover a full range of modern aircraft.