Avidyne Announces Major Vantage 12 Update with GNS/GTN Navigator Compatibility, New DFC110 Autopilot with VNAV

New capabilities give Cirrus owners more flexibility, more upgrade paths, and coupled vertical navigation guidance as Vantage approaches its one-year anniversary in the field

MELBOURNE, FL. — Avidyne Corporation today announced a major update to its Vantage 12 flight deck for Cirrus aircraft and introduced the DFC110 autopilot with vertical navigation (VNAV). The update also includes support for approach minimums on the primary flight display, upgraded nationwide VFR charts, and dozens of additional enhancements developed in response to feedback from the growing Vantage dealer and pilot community.

The new DFC110 joins the DFC family as a slide-in upgrade for the DFC90 and for legacy S-TEC 55 autopilots, bringing coupled VNAV capability to Cirrus aircraft equipped with Vantage 12 and dual IFDs. In addition to supporting the DFC110, Vantage software release 12.1 opens the door for Entegra-equipped Cirrus owners flying with GNS or GTN navigators to upgrade to large-screen Vantage displays without replacing their existing GPS navigators.

More Configuration Flexibility for Entegra Owners

With Vantage 12.1, Avidyne is expanding supported configurations to include GNS WAAS and GTN navigators, giving Entegra-equipped Cirrus owners significantly more flexibility as they plan their upgrade to Vantage. Owners can now sequence their upgrade in the order that best fits their budget and schedule.  GNS owners can now upgrade their displays first and upgrade their navigators with slide in IFD replacements at a later time. GTN owners now have a straightforward path to large-screen Vantage displays.

The only equipment requirement for a Vantage installation in a GNS/GTN-equipped aircraft is a DFC90 autopilot, keeping the upgrade path simple and cost-effective for owners taking their first step toward a modern, large-screen flight deck.

DFC110 Brings VNAV to the Proven DFC Platform

The DFC110 builds on Avidyne's proven digital flight control platform, adding full coupled vertical navigation guidance while retaining all of the capabilities of the DFC90. The DFC110 is available for new Vantage installations and as a slide-in upgrade for existing DFC90 and legacy S-TEC 55 installations on Vantage- and IFD-equipped Cirrus aircraft.

Building on a Year of Vantage Momentum

The announcement comes as Vantage approaches its one-year anniversary in the market, with a broad network of dealers and thousands of flight hours logged across installations throughout the United States. Avidyne developed the Vantage 12.1 and DFC110 enhancements based directly on feedback gathered from dealers and Cirrus pilots.

“This release reflects the voice of our rapidly growing Vantage community, said Fabrice Kunzi, Avidyne’s President. “Many of the features in Vantage 12.1 and the DFC110 came directly from requests we heard from dealers and pilots, and we're proud to bring them to market so quickly”

“Our goal to is to give pilots the flexibility to configure their avionics to best suit their mission and their budget.” added Pete Sinclair, Avidyne Vantage 12 Tech Evangelist. “The introduction of the DFC110 and Vantage 12.1 with expanded navigator support reinforce Avidyne’s commitment to providing pilots with easy-to-use state of the art avionics, interoperability, and low-cost installations.”

Pricing and Availability

• DFC110 autopilot with VNAV: MSRP $14,276 for new installations; $2,000 MSRP exchange upgrade for existing Vantage/DFC90 customers (requires Vantage software version 12.1 or later and dual IFDs with software release 10.3.3.2).  For more information on the DFC110 visit https://www.avidyne.com/shop/general-aviation/dfc110-digital-autopilot/
• Vantage GNS/GTN Enablement: MSRP $3,500.  Requires Vantage software version 12.1.
• Introductory promotion: The Vantage GNS/GTN Enablement will be offered at $0 for a limited time for customers who register in advance and take delivery of their Vantage system before December 15, 2026.  For more information and to register for this promotion visit the Avidyne website.
• Availability: The Vantage 12.1 software release and the DFC110 are expected to be certified and available in Q4 2026.

For additional information on the Vantage flight deck visit https://www.avidyne.com/shop/vantage/vantage-flight-display-systems-solutions/.

About Avidyne Corporation

Avidyne Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets a family of avionics systems for the general aviation, business aviation, helicopter, and advance air mobility markets. Avidyne’s continuing leadership in innovation and product design make flying simpler, safer, more accessible and more enjoyable. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has additional facilities in Concord, Massachusetts.

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