Honeywell Brings Synthetic Vision to Epic 2.0 

On the 10-year anniversary of the original Primus Epic platform, Honeywell unveiled an upgraded “Epic 2.0” version with access to the aerospace and defense manufacturer’s SmartView synthetic vision system, among other new features. 

 

 

[PHoto, courtesy of Honeywell.]

 

The upgraded flight deck also features an ADS-B Out function, WAAS LPV approaches and Honeywell’s IntuVue digital weather radar system. But the biggest upgrade is the addition of synthetic vision with terrain mapping and a view of the outside world on a head-down display. 

 

“A clear as day out-the-window view on a head-down display,” is how Tom Lawler, director of marketing and product management at Honeywell, described it during an interview with Avionics Magazine.

 

“It’s all the benefits of situational awareness, whether or not you’re flying above the terrain, flying left or right of the terrain, there’s going to be just fantastic imagery of the destination airport when that comes into view. 

 

“Then some of the runway designations will show up on the primary flight display such that the pilot can put some guidance symbology up on the flight deck monitor, put it on the end of the runway, and while the automation is engaged, the airplane is going to head straight for that runway point,” said Lawler.

 

Primus Epic 2.0 will also make aircraft data more accessible to pilots and maintenance personnel with the new Data LAN management unit (DLMU-W) wireless database loader, which allows for the transfer of downloaded material to tablet-based electronic flight bags (EFBs). The database loader also allows pilots to wirelessly transmit EFB-created flight plans to the system. 

 

Honeywell calls the Epic 2.0 “mandate proof.” For example, it complies with Europe’s Link 2000+ mandate, which requires operators flying into European airspace to equip their aircraft for datalink communications with air traffic controllers.