While FAA Administrator Marion Blakey and GA industry leaders wrangled over aviation user fees and taxes at the Aircraft Electronics Association’s 50th annual convention, avionics makers and dealers got down to the business of discussing new products and market opportunities. As much a “networking” event as a product showcase, the show, and especially the exhibit hall inside Reno’s Grand Sierra hotel and casino, was a hive of activity as attendees and exhibitors crisscrossed the aisles to renew old acquaintances and forge new ones.
It doesn’t get much newer than TrueNorth Avionics, a freshly formed Canadian company that introduced its first product line at the AEA show. TrueNorth’s Simphoné (pronounced “symphony”) line of satcom products includes three versions (Solo, Duo and Chorus) with increasing levels of functionality built into each. The basic Solo unit includes interfaces for standard Iridium and Inmarsat satcom systems, while the Duo adds a dual-channel Iridium transceiver and, finally, the Chorus product includes the Iridium transceiver as well as integrated Wi-Fi, data routing and firewall functionality. Alto is the trade name for TrueNorth’s cabin handsets. Founded by former EMS Satcom executive Mark van Burkel, the company is based in Ottawa.
More In Avionics
