Bendix King Av8or Review

"The Bendix Av8or GPS Might Have Saved My Life!" On Wednesday, January 28, Pilot Eric Venissat received his Bendix/King by Honeywell AV8OR, that he had purchased just days before. Little did he know that a mere few days later, he would credit the handheld multifunction display for saving his aircraft, and more importantly, his life and the life of his passenger.

"Just a few weeks prior to this incident, I was perusing through one of the general aviation trade publications, when I came across an advertisement for the Bendix Av8or handheld GPS. I was quickly drawn to the large display and the easy-to-use touchscreen and the fact that it comes from one of the most respected brands in the industry. The weather function is a huge draw also. I called my local aircraft equipment dealer and when I heard the price, I jumped on it right away - it was hundreds of dollars less than competing devices."

On January 31, Venissat had just 39 minutes left, of a ten and a half hour trek, to land at his home airport in Gueydan, LA. Flying at night in his Cessna 140, which he had done many times before, he couldn’t have imagined what was about to happen.

He was smoothly maintaining an altitude of around 5,000 feet just a few miles west of Lake Charles, when suddenly he felt a terrible vibration throughout the cockpit, jarring his passenger awake. After a minute the shaking stopped as quickly as it started. Thinking it an anomaly, Venissat steadied his Cessna and proceeded in the dark. However, a few minutes later, the vibration returned, this time much worse.

"It sounded like the prop was about to come off," he said, reflecting upon the experience. "It shook so hard and I realized I was facing almost the 'perfect storm' of undesirable flying conditions - engine failure in unfamiliar terrain, at night, above trees. The Cessna could not maintain altitude. Within just a couple minutes we had gone from 5,000 feet down to 4,000 and the engine was missing badly.

"I instantly pressed the 'Nearest Airport' button on the Bendix King Av8or touchscreen. Within seconds it pointed out an airport we had passed not six miles back in DeQuincy, LA (5R8). I turned and headed back hoping we could make it there in time. We could see an airport ahead of us, but there would have been no way that we could have made that airport.

"At this point, we were unable to hold altitude, descending from 4,000 feet all the way down to 1,500. Although it was shaky, we, luckily, were able to land at DeQuincy.

"Flying in broad daylight, I probably could have landed the aircraft on one of the few strips of clear cut in the area, however there is no way I could have saved my Cessna. It would have been a total wreck. Not only did we make it out unscathed, I landed the aircraft without incident.

"We drove home that night, planning to return in a few days to fix the engine. When we returned, it turns out that the cylinder valve had pushed out the keepers. I pulled the valve cover off of the suspected cylinder and noticed that the valve came all of the way out of the guide and re-entered the head on the side of the valve spring. We were lucky that the engine kept running at all, because if we had to go any further, we may not have made it.

"Being a pilot for many years, I have used other navigational products in the past sometimes with less than favorable results - but every feature and function on the AV8OR is simple to understand and to use. There are not too many other products on the market that can get me to the airport (via the 'Go Drive' application) and guide me to my designated airport (via the 'Go Fly' application). I then simply pop it in the rental car and it guides me to my destination, all while I listen to music I downloaded. I use the photograph application too. I really can’t say enough about it.

"I am truly thankful for my Bendix King Av8or GPS and rest assured, it will be right by my side, whether traveling day, or night, in my car or my Cessna."