Name: Brian Rowser

Profession: Pilot, ATP, CFII, MEI, ASES

Pilot since: 1990

Aircraft: Citation 501, Husky, 
                Commander 115TC

Home base: Heber City (36U)

Use: Business and Personal, Part 91, 
        moving to some Part 135

Brian Rowser is a professional pilot flying a Citation 501 installed with a two screen Chelton EFIS. The Citation is a 1982 model, and has been completely refurbished inside and out. During this process, Brian did a lot of research on all the retrofit options for avionics, specifically what was necessary to meet the 2005 TAWS and RVSM mandates set by the FAA. 

“I found that the Chelton system offered the most features and functions in the most efficient way, for the best price. The Collins ProLine 21 was available for aftermarket – Garret held that STC — but the screens, while they were larger than Chelton’s, had less information and more wasted space. The instrumentation presentation was rudimentary, and for $600,000, it didn’t seem worth it. Even if you take the Primus 1000 or others with larger screens, the attitude display area is actually smaller than Chelton’s. On many of these other systems they place the airspeed indicator on the left, the altimeter on the right and a small attitude display in the center. The Chelton screens, while slightly smaller, utilize the entire width of the screen for the attitude display and overlay the airspeed and altimeter, creating an overall larger view of vital information. I find Chelton’s method easier to see and interpret. Unlike the Garmin or the Avidyne, Chelton then combines this large view with synthetic vision, and it’s a win/win! 

I visited Chelton in Boise a couple years ago while we were purchasing a new Meridian. It was a 2005, with the Meggit system. I was not pleased with the EFIS systems that were available on new airplanes. In fact, I am still constantly surprised that none of the new airplanes have the technology that Chelton offers as a retrofit. The Collins Proline, the King EFIS, the Primus 1000, they all lack a substantial amount of functions that are standard with the Chelton. I’ve flown a lot of other glass, and I like Chelton the best. 

When I went to Flight Safety for training, I found it was a relatively unknown system. I was training on glass panels that have much less functionality than I have in my Citation. My instructors were amazed when I explained what the Chelton EFIS can do, and the amount of information presented. When I showed them pictures of the panel, they had never seen anything like it. Traffic presented on the PFD was totally new to them. Airplanes on my TCAS appear right out in front on the screen, exactly where they appear in real life. They had never heard of a flight path marker that shows where the airplane is going, instead of just a static indicator. That was a new concept, and part of the spatial awareness that really makes flying a lot safer. If you want to clear a mountain, you move the flight path marker above it. 

The plane was purchased in February 2005 and we were done with the install in July. We had Aviation Classics at Reno Stead Airport perform the install. They had completed some previous work for me, and had installed a Chelton system into an L39. Their panels were very nice, and we really wanted to have custom work. They also came in with a nice quote. It took longer than we all thought it would. This was the first certified install they had done, plus it was the first RVSM solution with Shadin’s ADC–6000 combined with a Chelton. It wasn’t the STC airplane, but it felt like it. We have Class B-TAWS, and with the RVSM we have flexibility to fly higher, saving fuel and time.

We installed a two screen system, and relocated the larger pilots instruments to the copilots side. We put in an Avidyne EX 500 with XM multilink weather. We have the Chelton showing traffic from a Ryan 9900Bx TCAD and we also put in a new StormScope for lightning. We installed the Chelton auto tuning Nav/Com heads and also the Chelton transponder head. We took the entire panel and changed it to tan, which is easier to look at and makes the instruments stand out better. Besides the panel, and all the instruments, we have a new custom-designed interior. I think it’s the nicest Citation 501 in the country, and we’re going to offer it for some charter service.

In a single pilot operation, the situational awareness offered by Chelton is really valuable: the amount of information presented in one place, and the way it is presented is the key. On one occasion I was flying an instrument approach into Reno, Stead Field. The charts dictated a required course reversal back towards the Sierra Mountains at the initial approach fix. When I turned toward the Sierras, according to the procedure, ATC radioed, and questioned what I was doing. ATC thought I was wrong, and so I had a discussion with them in the middle of a single pilot instrument approach. I knew right where I was, and that I was exactly on track, the Chelton EFIS and all the other instruments were right on. If I had not had the Chelton, I may have started second-guessing myself. In this case, ATC backed down and said they had to ‘look at the issue,’ and would get a few ‘pilot types to look at it.’ With the spatial orientation that Chelton provides, I knew I was following exactly what the procedure called for. I felt that even though I was not completely familiar with the airport, I had all the information needed to make good judgment calls. I was sitting in the airplane, but it was like sitting at a desk, managing the information. Had I been in a less capable airplane, I may have taken the vector out from ATC. 

We’ve flown the system over 300 hours now, with the trips split between business and personal. We are based in the mountains in Utah, near Park City and fly single pilot operations throughout North America, both in the US and Canada. We frequent Sun Valley, Idaho, so the terrain display has been invaluable. You can always see what is under you, on the screen, even if you can’t see out the window. When we are flying VFR into small runways (some are 3000 feet), with tight turns into canyons, the EFIS is very useful. Sometimes we’re the only jet flying in there, the Citation is very versatile and the Chelton avionics compliment the airframe capabilities.

 If other pilots ask about the system, I tell them there’s nothing out there like it. Nothing on the market offers the features and functions in this package. Every time we talk about upgrading to a bigger airplane it’s not that inviting. I don’t want to give up this avionics package. When we have looked at new jets, the displays are just disappointing, with none of the terrain, traffic, or TAWS displayed like the Chelton. It also seems like pilot feedback is important to Chelton when they take input and add new features.

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Name: Steve Rushmore

Profession: Hotel Consultant

Pilot since: 1965

Aircraft: TBM 700

Home base: Farmingdale, NY (FRG)

Use: Personal Transportation

When Steve Rushmore sold his Duke two years ago and purchased a Socata TBM 700, he was looking to upgrade to a faster, more versatile plane. The 1991 TBM 700 was already outfitted with a one tube Bendix King EFIS displaying the route, a flight director and an HSI. But Steve wanted newer, more versatile avionics as well, and started looking for a compact EFIS that would combine more instruments in one place. 

He first saw the Chelton system in the aviation trade publications: AOPA Pilot and Flying. The features looked promising, and the size was right. "I wanted to be able to keep the instruments I'm used to, for backup and redundancy," Steve said. 

Columbia Air Services also recommend the Chelton EFIS: "Columbia has done all my electronics, and understood that this would be a major overhaul. It was a large undertaking, because of the panel redesign, Socatas' type of panel, and structural features of the plane. I wanted to keep the King EFIS. It still displays the route and the flight director. The Chelton EFIS is integrated with L3 traffic, L3 Stormscope, and a KFC 275 autopilot."

The plane was delivered in May 2005, and Steve had about 50 hours on it at the time of the interview: "For training, I combined different offerings in the Chelton training network. I had training from Ed Stark, as well as one day of simulator training from Richard Kaplan. That was very useful because we were able to simulate various emergencies that you would never be able to practice in a plane. I also flew with Nick Cain, Chelton's chief pilot. That was very valuable, because I was flying my own plane." 

"Although TAWS is nice to have, my favorite feature is the Highway in the Sky. It is fantastic. And one of the smaller features, the Victor airways, are great …particularly when I go to Florida. I can put in my whole flight plan very quickly using them." 

If other pilots ask about the system, I tell them it is the best system out there. I strongly recommend everyone get one. I'm sold on it. I think Socata should install it from the factory. In fact, if I went out and bought a brand new TBM I would tell them to forget the electronics, and I would have a Chelton EFIS installed." 

For more information on Columbia Air Services, Inc., www.columbiaairservices.com

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