|
Icon factor
I understand volumes needed for commercial viability, but I think mfgs sometimes overlook the great marketing they are missing by skipping our model.
I can't land at any airport, anywhere, without people wanting to come up and see the BumbleBee. Avidyne, AeroLED, and Garmin with the G5s get tons of positive exposure. It's amplified even more by the fact that at OSH and SNF the curious who pop over for a look are even greater numbers.
I can (mostly) get the Navomatic to fly the G5 heading bug, but it would be so much safer to have a current tech a/p... and the mfg who steps up, will be able to get a lot a free press/marketing.
That being said, I was told by numerous mfgs of the newer age a/p that offer them at reasonable cost: the FAA won't let us certify twins, the goal was to offer these low cost models to singles and keep the twins, jets, etc all paying up for the higher margin versions. Market segmentation.
But now I see that Garmin has certified a twin for the DFC500. With any luck, someone will be able to get a 337 field approval on that basis and then we can all fly safer.
|