IFD440 Certification

I'm glad you asked.  I was just about to make a IFD440 post.

Yes, a lot of the 540 cert data will be reused for the 440 cert.

The 440 and 540 software lines are one in the same.    Among other things, that means the release of the IFD440 software (which will be called "Release 10.1.0.0" or just "Release 10.1" for short) will simultaneously be a release for the 540.   It is premature to provide a precise definition of the new features that both the 440 and 540 will get when compared to the initial release of the 540 but I'll do that as we get closer to the cert finish line.

Most of my flights each week now are IFD440 test flights. I've got a 540 in the top slot and a 440 in the bottom slot for the test flights. I evaluate the software changes on both boxes at the same time.

The software loaded on the components of the units (e.g. VHF, GPS, I/O, main processor, maintenance modes, Operating System and drivers, etc) are identical so we can take previously certified credit and that's a huge help/times savings.

We still believe we're looking at an end of the year cert (~ 6 months after IFD540) for the 440 and Release 10.1.   I'll be sure to provide updates if that changes but I'm not expecting it.

One of the more interesting changes that has come out of flight testing the 440 is that we're going to shave off some of the top edge of the IFD440 bezel in order to improve the viewing angle of the top edge and not make the top few pixels of the glass unviewable without moving your head significantly.  Imagine shaving the top thin bezel such that we make it concave.  So, when you're viewing it from above (as will be the case with many installs) you can see the entire glass with no un-natural effort on your part.

One of the things we'll work on during the early fall is to get an iPad app for the 440 out.