Diamond DA40 2002

This customer’s photos (click for larger image window):

Diamond Aircraft Industries DA40 2002
n607c
Owner: John Uczekaj

About Me

I am new pilot having received my private pilot’s license in July 2009. I bought my aircraft in December of 2009. I have been in the aerospace business since 1980 where I started as an avionics engineer at Boeing. I am now the President and CEO of Aspen Avionics. I have been involved in the design and certification of avionics my entire life and finally got my pilot’s license to experience flying first hand.

My Panel (Before and After)

My DA-40 had a standard steam gauge cockpit with a KLN94 GPS. I chose to upgrade my aircraft with a three tube Aspen system with weather. I also added an Avidyne TAS. I chose to retain my panel and slip in the Aspen units in existing holes as well as retain the KLN94. This simplified my installation and reduced my installation costs considerably.

My Aspen Experience

Transitioning from the steam gauges to the Aspen units was very easy. Using the system has improved not only my flying but my safety. The reversionary mode of the MFD to provide the exact representation of the PFD in case of a failure of the PFD is incredible. It allows for easy transition in case of an emergency. The ability to have an approach chart up on the MFD500 while still having a full map capability on the MFD1000 is not only unique in the industry but improves situational awareness during the highest workload time on approach is incredible and a major safety improvement to flying. The integration of the traffic, terrain and weather such that I can have terrain on an MFD500 and weather on the PFD of MFD1000 again is something that improves safety. The cursor function on version 2.2 is very unique and versatile. I continue to find more and more uses for this function. With all of the situational awareness I have with the Aspen system, my flying has improved and my confidence to use my aircraft has improved. When I started my career at Boeing in 1980 working on the glass cockpit of the 757/767 I would have never imagined that something like this would have ever been available for small aircraft, and today I find myself actually flying it!