Avidyne just obtained FAA approval last week (Dec 11) for the release supporting this kb. The restriction to the Avidyne-supplied kb might be related to difficulty getting FAA approval. Here is the Avidynelive thread with the list of other features added with the same software release: IFD540/440 release 10.1.1.0
That is really nice – many thanks for posting it. I can well see just using the keypad for everything 
The obvious Q… what is the battery life and how does one charge it? Or is there a stow-away holder for it through which it charges all the time?
They don’t actually say this directly but it sounds like the keyboard is integral to the bluetooth functionality approval. IOW, the functionality is not going to be open (well not officially; BT can be reverse engineered unless they put some crypto on it, like Garmin did with the GNS v5+ crossfill protocol, to kill off the Voiceflight voice flight plan entry product).
And a video is here
There is a picture of the likely keyboard (alongside an iPhone for scale) on BeechTalk
In the Avidyne factory-run blog they say all IFD540 owners will receive a free bluetooth keyboard.
I haven’t found any photos, however.
It’s a very positive move.
That’s a wasted opportunity IMHO, to restrict it so much.
What does the “approved” keyboard look like? It can probably be emulated, unless they have some crypto in there.
Back to the topic….
Only a specific BT keyboard that Avidyne provides will work with the 540. I agree it is a killer feature. I believe there is a full FMS keyboard also in the cockpit of an A380 :)
The draft manual for the new update gives some clues about what apps may be connected by looking at features wifi can enable:
The IFD is capable of supporting WiFi operations. Current supported functionality includes connectivity with 3 rd party applications running on WiFi capable devices including:
* Flight plan data streaming from IFD to 3rd party application;
* Approach and transition data streaming from IFD to 3rd party application to allow automatic approach chart selection and display on the 3rd party application;
* Traffic data streaming from IFD to 3rd party application for display on the 3rd party application;
* Weather data streaming from IFD to 3rd party application for display on the 3rd party application;
* Flight plan route data transmitted by the 3rd party application to the IFD for inclusion in the IFD540 stored routes and active flight plan. ( Future Functionality).
It seems initially its mainly sending data such as flight plans from the IFD540 to certain apps. I image its the same ones that work with Aspen’s connected panel, ie ForeFlight. If it included JeppFD that would of course be great. I doubt SkyDemon is included as their European IFD540 customer base must be tiny still and the SkyDemon app doesn’t currently connect to any other product afaik.
Indeed to get standby com audio to your audio panel’s MON function you need a hardware mod and the new software in addition to a wire that wouldn’t be there if you upgraded from a 530W.
I suspect this is something we will continue to disagree on
The way I work this is that for “diversion airports” or Class G airports where sids/stars are a slightly questionable concept, like Southend, Biggin etc I print off just the approaches (ILS usually), not the sids/stars. But for the fully intended destination, I do want the whole lot. And in the context I described, somebody would definitely want to print the whole lot and that’s what Jepp want to make hard.
Also, the new lower Jepp pricing is for a single license only so the only way to make the “last resort backup” (have the plates on say a phone) is by printing to PDFs.
That’s a fair point.
IMO printing 50 pages is never necessary. Printing any at all is v rare for me (I keep a laminated copy of the Biggin and Southend approaches in the aeroplane, that’s about it).
