Oshkosh, WI -- (ReleaseWire) -- 07/29/2010 -- A Virtual HUD (Heads Up Display) developed by Bill Steele was awarded the Roy LoPresti Innovation in Aviation Award on opening day of AirVenture.

The low-cost HUD projects critical information on an aircraft’s propeller, putting the images “right in front of the pilot’s eyes,” said Steele, who also has developed the Wingman, a portable display that is a complete EFIS.

Steele (left) explained he had a “Eureka” moment while playing with a laser pointer at his father’s house during a Thanksgiving visit. When he shone the laser on the ceiling fan, he realized that he could use his airplane’s propeller to project information. It took him 18 months of “trial and error” to develop the HUD, which features full-color displays.

Virtual HUD is the third winner of the LoPresti award, which was designed by the late Roy LoPresti. Previous winners include DeltaHawk’s diesel engine and Bede Corp’s retractable wheel pants. Winners must meet three criteria, according to Rj Siegel, LoPresti CEO (pictured right): It must be innovative; it must be practical; and it must offer a user experience is that “seamless.”

“Bill Steele’s Virtual HUD passes all these tests with flying colors,” Siegel said.

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LoPresti Company Profile
LeRoy LoPresti, world renown for speed and performance, designed and built the LoPresti Fury. For more than three decades, he has been the reigning prince of light aircraft design. LeRoy designed the FURY with cutting edge technology, the eye of an artisan and the soul of a fighter pilot. His sons continue his legacy and the brand LoPresti is known as the worlds leading provider of aviation PERFORMANCE solutions.

The LoPresti family has been in business in Indian River County, Florida since 1987 and have been in their new headquarters in Sebastian, FL since 2009. In addition to the Fury aircraft, the family has a variety of high performance STC's for aircraft including, Hawker jets, Bell helicopters, Mooney, Grumman and Piper piston and turbine aircraft. Their designs and manufactured modifications dramatically improve the safety, performance and efficiency of all types of aircraft. Modifications include cowlings, lighting and paint and surface protection.

Curt LoPresti President of LoPresti Aviation continues the family tradition with dozens of Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs), Parts Manufacturing Authorizations (PMAs), Patents and Copyrights. LoPresti leads the way in performance and innovation time and again.