KLN 90B GPS NAV SYSTEM

KLN 90B GPS NAV SYSTEM

By Don Kuhn

[Note: The KLN 90B GPS comes standard in the Pilatus PC-12 Executive.]

$Text Box: The KLN 90B GPS global navigation system by Bendix/King is clearly a state-of-the art navigation system. It contains information regarding the current status of the flight, the current status of a large number of aircraft functions, and allows the user to input information to change these variables. The user can also determine the effects of changing these variables. This information includes navigation, communication, air and wind, altitude, and fuel related information. Also included are several conversion tables, vertical navigation capabilities, and a zoomable moving map. In addition, various alerts and the ability to program the unit for a flight to any location, or point, in the world are available. All included there are over 60 unique information pages available that can be combined to display hundreds of different displays. There are 16 pics presented below that serve to illustrate some of the capabilities of the KLN 90B GPS unit. These represent only a fraction of the available displays.$

Text Box: When the unit is first powered on, this screen is displayed for 3 seconds while the unit performs a self-test.

Text Box: When the self-test is passed, the unit displays a list of data on the right screen and prompts the user to indicate if correct. The left screen displays the distance and direction to the nearest VOR.

Text Box: Typical displays showing the Time Conversion page on the left screen (CAL6) and the APT2 page on the right screen.

Text Box: If the data presented is approved by the user, the unit will (by default) start with the NAV2 page displayed on the left screen, and the APT4 displayed on the right screen. The user can now display any of the available pages.

Text Box: The Super NAV1 page displays the same information as a NAV1 page, but in a larger and easier to read format. A typical CDI needle and scale is displayed at the top of the screen. Text Box: This pic shows a typical NAV3 page on the left screen, and a typical NAV5 page on the right screen. The map displayed on the NAV5 screen is a zoomable, moving map that can be de-cluttered.

Text Box: An example of the NAV1 and D/T1 pages. The information on the NAV1 page is specific to the next waypoint. The D/T1 page displays the distance and time to the next waypoint, and to the destination airport.

Text Box: The D/T1-3 pages change format when the FPL0 page is displayed on the left screen. Note the difference between this D/T1 display format and the D/T1 format displayed in the pic to the left. In this case all legs of the flight plan are displayed with the relevant information.

Text Box: This CAL3 page displayed on the left screen contains current wind information. The closest airport to the aircrafts current position, along with specific information about the airport, is displayed on the NR1 APT1 page (right screen). The user can view up to 9 nearest airport pages.

Text Box: The OTH5 page displays current information regarding the fuel status of the flight. The user can input a value for the fuel on board, and/or define the amount of fuel to save in reserve. The APT3 page displays the runway scheme at the indicated airport. The APT3 page can also be used to obtain specific runway information.

Text Box: The user can use the TRI2 page to obtain flight information about a flight to anywhere in the world. Just enter the distance and direction, and the rest is automatically calculated for you. An example of the NR1 NDB page is displayed on the right screen. There are 9 nearest NDB pages available.

Text Box: The left screen displays the MOD1 page where, among other things, the user can change the CDI scale to 5, 1, or 0.2 nm. The NR3 VOR page is shown on the right screen. There are 9 nearest VOR pages.

Text Box: The OTH6 page displayed on the left screen displays relevant fuel information at any given time during the flight. The D/T3 page on the right screen displays the distance and direction to the next active waypoint and to the final waypoint in a flight plan.

Text Box: The Super NAV5 page displays a zoomable, moving map that covers most of the left and right screens for easy viewing. Information pertinent to the flight is displayed on the left.

Text Box: Another pic of the Super NAV5 page showing the map display at a 200nm range. Also note that the ETE display is now showing a “FLY” display. There are 3 different data displays for each of the 3 lower data lines.

Text Box: The NAV4 page displayed on the left screen shows a typical vertical navigation display. In this case the function is set to descend to 1200 ft ASL at 5 nmiles before the EGLL airport. Communication frequencies for any airport can be displayed on the right screen by displaying the APT4 page.