Thanks a million Jesse 
Aspen just came back to me, they will investigate this, will let you know ASAP.
@ Peter,
8.33 is mandatory now for IFR in CAS. G-regs needs just one 8.33 radio; some others (like D-regs) need two
AOPA Germany has clarified in an article published on Nov 7th, 2013, after bilateral talks with German CAA (LBA and BAF) that
for the time being starting January 1st one 8.33Khz radio set out of two IFR radios is sufficient for IFR flights within Germany.
This article is written in German only.
aopa.de/aktuell/kein-zweites-8.33-funkgeraet-fuer-privates-ifr-vorgeschrieben.html
Rumour says avionic shops are not happy with it …
However, the AOPA standpoint is very very borderline. The avionics can’t really be blamed for taking that position. As always, too manx regulations, too many involved authorities, and the result is total confusion.
What is this, on the back of an EFD1000?
It might be the AHRS which is heated for temperature stabilisation, but I recall seeing one of these at Aero EDNY and commented that the back of it was too hot to touch even with it just sitting in free air on the bench, and the Aspen guy said this is due to the aforementioned heater. But if the heater is separate like this, and above the main compartment, the main bit should not get that hot.
Cooling fan.
The bit sticking out is a fan but what is underneath it?
The fan is used to cool the LCD backlights (and the component board) so I doubt something would be installed beneath it preventing it to function per design. The EFD1000 runs very hot (as in second-degree burns hot) and will fail when overheating so preventing airflow to that fan is to be avoided at all costs.
Yes the Aspen “QA story” is a colourful one, as per various threads here, with this being a recent example. They eventually started soak testing the stuff to take out infant mortality but it helped only partly because thermal cycling will kill all electronics; it’s just a matter of how many cycles and how deep they are, and with the EFD1000 delta-T it is as deep as you can get.
I cannot understand why they don’t mount the AHRS on the back, on an insulating spacer.
