Read the lastest news from Flight Display Systems.

Flight Display Systems has received FAA Parts Manufacturing Approval (PMA) for two popular cabin entertainment products: the Flight View Camera (spec sheet) and the Satellite Radio Amplifier (spec sheet). Both of these products are in stock and available today.

The Flight View Camera (part number FD600CAM, List price $1,250) is mounted on the cockpit glare shield and allows passengers to see taxi, takeoff and landing from a pilot’s perspective. Rich, full-color video is displayed on the cabin monitors.

The Flight View Camera from Flight Display Systems is our favorite part of flying. My passengers love it!" said Richard Grad, a Flight Display Systems customer and owner of a CitationJet.

The Satellite Radio Amplifier (part number DAPS360, List price $1,875) allows multiple passengers to have a personal XM or Sirius satellite radio receiver at their seat. Installation of the amplifier is simplified since existing XM Weather antennas can now be used for cabin entertainment purposes without costly modifications to the airframe.

Our Lear 35 charter customer is very happy with his Flight Display System. The owner has now installed the full cabin entertainment package on three of his aircraft, including the XM Satellite Radio amplifier.” said Chad Goddard, Avionics Manager of Cumberland Avionics LLC.

About Flight Display Systems
Every day thousands of aircraft owners enjoy the great value and high quality of Flight Display Systems products. Established in 1999 and located in Alpharetta, Georgia, Flight Display Systems is the leader in retrofit cabin entertainment equipment. The company manufactures over 45 aircraft entertainment products with FAA PMA approval. This includes affordable Moving Map displays, LCD monitors from 7- to 42-inches, wireless audio systems, DVD players, and flight view cameras.

David Chesmore has been named Product Engineer for Flight Display Systems, a leading manufacturer of affordable in-flight entertainment systems. In this new position, Chesmore will be responsible for sustaining engineering standards and development of new products.

David Gray, President of Flight Display Systems, said the addition of Chesmore to the engineering team will greatly enhance the ability of the company to provide a consistent approach to developing new, low cost products for the industry.

Flight Display Systems has consistently brought affordable technology to the both the cabin and the cockpit,” Gray explained. “With the addition of David Chesmore to our engineering staff, we are in position to not only sustain our industry leadership role, but to move forward with exciting, innovative new products.”

Chesmore has more than 23 years of experience in avionics and electrical maintenance, aerospace, and manufacturing engineering. Previously, he worked as an electrical engineer at Bombardier Aerospace/Learjet in Wichita, Kansas where he developed, implemented, and tracked the Lear 40/45/60/60XR and Challenger 300 electrical manufacturing processes.

Chesmore served over fourteen years in the United States Air Force as an Avionics Technician. He holds an FCC License with Radar Endorsement and is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Basic Electronics School.

About Flight Display Systems
Every day thousands of aircraft owners enjoy the great value and high quality of Flight Display Systems products. Established in 1999 and located in Alpharetta, Georgia, Flight Display Systems is the leader in retrofit cabin entertainment equipment. The company manufactures over 45 aircraft entertainment products with FAA PMA approval. This includes affordable Moving Map displays, LCD monitors from 7- to 42-inches, wireless audio systems, DVD players, and flight view cameras.

Nine PMA Designated LCD Monitor Sizes Now Available; Most in Industry

Flight Display Systems has been granted Parts Manufacturing Approval (PMA) from the Federal Aviation Administration for three new cabin LCD monitors. These monitors are the 10.4-inch LCD (spec sheet, List price $2,989), the 17.1-inch Widescreen LCD (spec sheet, List price $6,094), and the 26-inch Widescreen LCD (spec sheet, List price $10,940).

With the addition of these three new monitors, Flight Display Systems now has the largest selection of PMA designated LCD monitors in the industry with a total of nine and ranging in size from 7 to 42 inches.

All three of these monitors feature the triple video inputs that are standard on all Flight Display Systems LCD monitors. Multiple video inputs easily allow passengers the choice between a Moving Map display, a DVD movie, or the Pilot View camera. These products are in stock and available today. For ordering information, call +1-678-867-6717.

Refurbishment and retrofit projects often require upgraded cabin electronics. The fact that our LCD monitors have PMA approval from the FAA makes it easier for some of our dealers to install our equipment," said David Gray, President of Flight Display Systems. "We keep an on-shelf inventory of 7- to 42-inch displays for customers that have quick turn opportunities. A large number of operators continue to replace their old screens with our new LCDs."

Hot Products, Hot Topics Primary Focus of AEA 2008
By Christine Knauer for Avionics News
June 2008

With Flight Display Systems’ newest products, true in-flight high-definition (HD) video no longer eludes traveling executives. The Georgia-based company introduced a complete HD system with choice of new high-definition monitors ranging from 17 to 42 inches, new PlayStation 3 docking station for playing HD Blu-ray discs, new eight-port HD video switching amplifier and a new HDMI cable produced by Electronic Cable Specialists.

"To display a true HD video signal, you need both an HD source, such as a Blu-ray DVD player, and an HD monitor," said David Gray, president of Flight Display Systems.

Up to seven monitors can be connected to one Blu-ray player and play 1080p HD-quality videos.

Flight Display Systems also announced a new dual 7-inch display for Gulfstream aircraft; a new detachable 15-inch display; a new Flipper in a Box that mounts atop the glareshield; and a new three-channel 2.43 GHz headset with carrying case.

After four years of anticipation, the company’s satellite TV now is FAA-certified for the Bombardier Challenger 600 and will ship in May 2008. STCs are pending for the 601 through 605 series aircraft.

Flight Display Systems also was a nominee for the 2008 AEA Associate Member of the Year award.

Several products from Flight Display Systems were recently featured in the June/July issue of Business Jet Traveler magazine.

Cabin Tech ‘08
by Kirby J. Harrison and Stephen Pope
Business Jet Traveler

Satellite TV Pricing Comes Down to Earth
The biggest impediment to adding satellite television to a business jet is the sky-high cost. Prices top out at half a million dollars for the tail-mounted dish antenna and associated receivers, which can take weeks to install. Another hitch is that most satellite TV antennas are so big that they can fit only on large business jets.

Now, after more than three years of development, Flight Display Systems (the moving map people), has gained FAA certification for its Ellipse TV antenna and receiver system, finally giving buyers a palatable alternative to the big-ticker multi-region systems available from Honeywell and Rockwell Collins. Priced at $99,650, Ellipse TV uses a KVH Industries phased-array antenna (normally found atop mobile homes and yachts) that is housed in a 35-inch-diameter fiberglass-honeycomb radome secured to the fuselage by four leg attachments.

The installation recalls military AWACS aircraft, but designers promise that it doesn’t adversely affect aircraft performance. An advantage of the system is that the antenna can fit on smaller aircraft, down to the size of midsize jets and even large turboprops. So far, Ellipse TV is approved for installation only on the Bombardier Challenger 600, but authorization for use on more models is expected soon. The system’s DirecTV signal is available anywhere over the continental U.S. to a distance of about 200 miles offshore. Two tuners allow passengers to watch different channels simultaneously. Picture quality is excellent, although the signal can drop out during steep banks on takeoff and landing.

A High-Def War Ends
High-definition television, which boasts more than twice the video resolution of the old standard-definition technology, looks as good in an airplane as it does in your den… Blu-ray has emerged as the clear winner. Flight Display Systems of Alpharetta, Ga., has introduced the Fly HD line of cabin displays and an innovative way of playing HD movies - its PlayStation 3 docking station allows the gaming system’s Blu-ray player to link with cabin monitors.

The Moving Map Moves On
It is not uncommon now for the moving map to display satellite imagery and to include a zoom feature for a closer look at the terrain over which the airplane passes. The latest from Flight Display Systems offers a choice of aircraft-type icons. (One option, for the devout Muslim, is an arrow that always points toward Mecca.)

Flight Display Systems met with some of our dealers at the Aircraft Electronics Assocation’s European Meeting in Cologne, Germany (15 - 17 May 2008). We also exhibited at the European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland (20 - 22 May 2008).

Nick Gray (Flight Display Systems) and GG Lombardo (Northern Avionics)

Nick Gray (Flight Display Systems) and M. Truelsen (Scandinavian Avionics)

Nick Gray (Flight Display Systems) and Harry Lees (Lees Avionics)

Peter Harland (Avionicare), Shelly Buckley (L3), and Nick Gray (Flight Display Systems)

Jorg Gorkenant (RUAG) and Nick Gray (Flight Display Systems)

Nick Gray (Flight Display Systems) and Pierre Loup (Pilatus Aircraft)

Gerhard Gsaenger (Aero-Dienst), his wife, and Nick Gray (Flight Display Systems)

Nick Gray (Flight Display Systems) and Evert Pruys (DAC International)

Nick Gray (Flight Display Systems) and Gunnar Rosenfeld (DAC International)

DAC International is the exclusive distributor of all Flight Display Systems products overseas. Please conctact Gunnar Rosenfeld at +41-32-842-3909 for ordering information, or call Nick Gray at +1-404-518-9842 for marketing support.

Flight Display Systems will be exhibiting again at the European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland. Held at the PalExpo convention center, the EBACE show occurs May 20th to 22nd, 2008.

Visit Flight Display Systems at the Banner Aerospace booth #431. Several employees from Flight Display Systems and DAC International will be on hand.

• Nick Gray, International Marketing for Flight Display Systems
• Gunnar Rosenfeld, Director of International Sales for DAC International
• Evert Pruys, Director of International Sales for DAC International
• Terry Armstrong, Vice President and COO for DAC International

DAC International is the exclusive distributor of all Flight Display Systems products overseas. To schedule an appointment with any of our staff, please call Gunnar Rosenfeld at +41-32-842-3909.

Nick Gray and Gunnar Rosenfeld at the EBACE 2007 Convention

Various business aircraft on display in Geneva, Switzerland

Flight Display Systems, a leader in developing in-flight entertainment solutions, unveiled their proprietary ‘Fly HD’ product, the world’s first true in-flight High-Definition (HD) video system. The new Fly HD system is the only in-flight product on the market capable of delivering a true high-definition digital video signal which supports Blu-Ray and other HD sources.

“To display a true HD video signal, you need both an HD source, such as a Blu-Ray DVD player, and an HD monitor,” said David Gray, President of Flight Display Systems. “Although the industry has a few HD monitors approved for in-flight use, there has been no HD source equipment produced for private aviation applications. With our Fly HD solution, we have engineered the missing links to allow an off-the-shelf Blu-Ray product to successfully communicate with the HD monitors on board the aircraft.”

For one of the missing links, Flight Display Systems has engineered and manufactured an 8-port HD Video Switching Amplifier facilitating the ‘digital handshake’ between the source input and the monitor. For the HD source, Flight Display Systems has also designed a proprietary docking station for the Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) which supports the Blu-Ray and DVD signals.

2×4 HD Video Amplifier, part number DAPSHDMI-1
Watch your movie throughout the aircraft without losing High-Definition quality. This product will allow multiple HD monitors to display a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) signal. Using one Blu-Ray player, a maximum of seven monitors can be connected.

Sony PlayStation 3 Docking Station, part number PS3DOC
Now you can enjoy Blu-Ray movies and HD video gaming in your aircraft. This product allows operators to easily dock a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) into aircraft power and video ports. Since its introduction in November 2006, more than 10.5 million PS3 units have been sold world-wide. The PS3 docking station allows the gaming unit to be removed from the aircraft. For certification purposes, the PS3 can be considered carry-on equipment.

A new line of Flight Display Systems’ HD monitors complete the Fly HD system and range in size from 17 inches to 42 inches. Electronic Cable Specialists (ESC), a leading global supplier of advanced electronic cabling, has manufactured a special HDMI cable for the new system. Working with Flight Display Systems, ECS is credited with engineering and manufacturing the first compliant HDMI cable for the aviation industry. Aircraft installation and modification companies can order this new cable direct from ECS to fit their customer’s aircraft configuration.

About Flight Display Systems
Every day thousands of aircraft owners enjoy the great value and high quality of Flight Display Systems products. Flight Display Systems manufactures more than 50 cabin entertainment products to enhance the flight experience. Besides the new Fly HD system, products include Moving Map computers, LCD monitors from 7″ to 42″, wireless audio systems, DVD players, Glareshield cameras and the new affordable Ellipse TV system for under $100,000. Flight Display Systems is the leading manufacturer of in-flight entertainment equipment for retrofit aircraft.

About Electronic Cable Specialists
Founded in 1984 by Paul Smyczek, ECS is a leading manufacturer and global supplier of advanced electronic cabling, mechanical support structures and products, and engineering services to the aerospace, medical, and industrial markets. From its modern 80,000 square foot engineering and manufacturing facility in Franklin, Wisconsin, ECS also offers comprehensive design and engineering services with in-house DER, DAR, and DMIR personnel to provide approved design data packages, STCs with PMA approvals, and conformity inspections. www.ecsdirect.com

Flight Display Systems exhibited at the Aircraft Electronics Association 2008 Convention in Washington, DC. Many dealers visited us at Booths 522 - 524 - 526. New in-flight entertainment products were introduced, including the Fly HD line of high-definition cabin monitors.

Several company employees were on hand to answer your technical questions. From left to right,

• Nick Gray, Marketing
• David Gray, President
• Andy Shoenbrun, Technical Specialist
• Steve Lord, Northeast Sales Manager
• Jay Healey, VP of Satellite Systems
• Bob Hala, Southeastern Sales Manager

David Gray is pictured above with Fly HD promotional marketing materials.

Steve Lord and Jay Healey enjoyed meeting dealers and friends from the avionics industry.

Technical Training Workshop - HD in Aircraft
Saturday, April 26th, 2008 - 2pm

Flight Display Systems presented a technical training workshop about the installation and integration of high-definition video in the aircraft cabin. Attendees learned about the differences in 720p and 1080i video, then saw our new HD aircraft products. The workshop was held in the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center on Saturday, April 26th at 2pm.

FREE DOOR PRIZES were given away at the workshop, including a DVD/CD/MP3 player and noise-canceling headsets.

Experienced salesman to work with North American dealer network

Flight Display Systems, manufacturer of in-flight entertainment equipment, today announced that Steve Lord has joined the company as Northeast Sales Manager. Lord brings more than thirty years of avionics sales experience at Jet Aviation, Wiggins Airways, and Max-Viz.

“We are very happy that Steve joined our team,” said David Gray, President of Flight Display Systems. “Steve has a history of field sales and business development. His experience will help us continue to deliver the best products and services to a growing market.”

Lord will work from his Manchester, New Hampshire office and be responsible for the Northeast dealership network. This territory includes Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota. In Canada, Lord will work with dealers in Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Ontario.

Prior to joining Flight Display Systems, Lord was with Max-Viz where he served as Field Sales Manager for the Eastern United States. He has also held positions of increasing responsibility at Jet Aviation and Wiggins Airways where he served as Vice President of General Aviation Services as well as Business Development. Lord has 20 years of avionics installation, sales, marketing, and vendor relations experience. He has a private pilot’s license and holds DOD security clearance.

The region was previously covered by Jay Healey, who continues to act as Sales Manager and Vice President of Satellite Systems at Flight Display Systems.

Sales Contacts at Flight Display Systems

• Las Vegas - Jay Healey - 702-361-0958
  
• Alpharetta - Bob Hala - 678-365-1774
  
• Manchester - Steve Lord - 603-965-6132

For international sales, please call DAC International at 512-331-5323. Flight Display Systems also works directly with military and special operations customers. Please call Bob Hala at 678-365-1774.