Aspen’s high-valued glass-cockpit is now approved for aircraft weighing up to 12,500 pounds.

“Many of the Class III aircraft are used in revenue-generating activities such as air freight, corporate travel, and air charter,” said John Uczekaj, Aspen’s president and CEO.

“They require feature-rich, reliable, and cost-effective avionics packages that can be installed with minimal downtime.

“The Aspen Evolution flight display system is designed to meet these specific requirements.”

More than 200 Class III models are currently approved, including Cessna 400 series, Piper Navajo and Cheyenne series, turbine Twin Commanders, and most King Air models.

In addition to providing integrated GPS steering, digital HSI with dual bearing pointers and moving map, Aspen’s EFD1000C3 Pro primary flight display system eliminates the recurring costs of overhauling aging mechanical gyros, according to the company, reducing overall operating expenses. The PFD can be bundled with an MFD, providing low-cost glass panel redundancy, reliability, and situational awareness for retrofit steam gauge panels.

The EFD1000C3 Pro PFD has a list price of $12,995, but it’s being offered at a special launch pricing of $10,995 until October 31, 2010.

Aspen also announced that geo-referencing—the display of an aircraft’s relative position on navigation charts—is now available on all instrument approach procedures and airport diagrams displayed on Aspen’s EFD1000 and EFD500 multi-function flight displays (MFDs).

This makes Albuquerque-based Aspen the first certified geo-referenced chart solution.

The data is provided by Seattle Avionics Software, which transforms government aeronautical charts and plates using proprietary algorithms to produce the geo-referenced chart database.

The new functionality will enable pilots to simultaneously view the approach chart and GPS flight plan data without switching between different MFD pages, improving situational awareness and reducing cockpit workload.

“This joint development for the additional ChartData functionality is significant in that it realizes a common goal for Aspen and Seattle Avionics—to bring affordable technology to the general aviation community,” said Brad Hayden, Aspen’s vice president of marketing.

“No other certified avionics manufacturer offers this level of functionality at this price point.”

The geo-referenced software comes standard on all Aspen MFDs. ChartData subscription updates are available from Seattle Avionics Software.

A one-time update costs $99, and annual subscriptions cost $299.

Aspen also announced the addition of new interactive areas to its website, including an online pilot forum moderated by former AOPA President and current Aspen board member Phil Boyer.

Boyer will also share his experiences flying with the Evolution flight display in his Bonanza in an online column, the Evolution Cockpit Chronicles.

The column will include Boyer’s insights into how to transition smoothly from steam gauge to glass instruments, plus tips and techniques for using the Evolution displays.

The company also unveiled an extended warranty program for Evolution display products, extending the system’s coverage for one year. The warranty covers component repair of the Evolution flight display system and offers special pricing options for multi-display installations.

AirVenture attendees don’t have to be Aspen customers to benefit from the company’s dedication to general aviation.

For the third year, the company is hosting its Welcome Center for campers in the North 40, adjacent to the North 40 Admissions Gate.

“The North 40 is truly the heart of AirVenture,” said Hayden. “It’s important for us as a company to find ways to be closer to our customers and foster a feeling of community.”

Aspen invites AirVenture attendees to visit it in Hangar B, Booth 2126.