From TEAC Aerospace Technologies Inc., Montebello, Calif., comes the new AirTracks In-Flight Moving Map Software and Digital Video Playback systems. The high-resolution, moving map software allows aircraft passengers to view different maps, plane views and flight information from an in-seat or overhead cabin display. AirTracks software offers the passengers several viewing options. It can generate two- and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) topographical route maps while the aircraft is in flight. It will provide continuous updates to the maps and the aircraft position indicator as the flight progresses.
AirTracks can display 3D views of the aircraft during takeoff and landing and while in flight. The in-flight view is a landscape taken from 164 feet (50 m) behind the plane, which constantly shifts from a 120-degree view to a 230-degree view. The system also can show views from inside the plane. The pilot view shows the perspective from the cockpit while the passenger view shows the left and right sides of the plane. AirTracks has this capability because it is based on satellite imagery. It has a worldwide terrain image database with 98 feet (30 m) per pixel as standard, with resolutions of 33 or 3.3 feet (10 or 1 m) per pixel available.
There is also a video overlay function for flight data that displays information "ticker tape" style along the bottom of the screen. And the system provides an extra video output for airline advertising. AirTracks software can be customized for each aircraft. Air carriers can preprogram up to four 3D simulated topographical views, plus flight and en-route information into AirTracks. The software and updates are loaded to the onboard video file server via removable hard disk drive, or a high-speed data link. It can also be loaded into an existing in-flight entertainment (IFE) server or used with TEAC’s new map file server.
TEAC recently announced a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Lufthansa Technik, which specified that Air Berlin would be the launch customer for AirTracks and have the mapping system installed on its fleet of Boeing 737s. The first aircraft was to have the AirTracks system installed this summer and undergo test flights while installation on the rest of the fleet is scheduled for the fall. Visit www.teac-aerospace.com.
Single Board Computer
VISTA Controls, Santa Clarita, Calif., has announced the availability of its new commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) single board computer (SBC), the VCP P3A. It uses the Socket 370 Intel Pentium high-speed processor, a 133-MHz system bus and a PC266 memory bus to replace paper maps and voice radio with digital capabilities. It is Force XXI Battle Command Brigade-and-Below (FBCB2)-compliant and equipped with interfaces for GPS, radio, satellite and Army Tactical Internet. Visit www.vistacontrols.com.
Cabin Lighting
EMTEQ Lighting and Cabin Systems, Muskego, Wis., now offers the ELW80 Wash Lighting. The new lighting system is for 115-volt alternating current (VAC) applications. It is available in custom lengths and requires no power supply. Visit www.emteq.com.
Cable Harnesses
New from Aved Electronics Inc., Lowell, Mass., are custom engineered and manufactured multiconductor cable harnesses. They are built on proprietary back-wired systems that allow for production with up to 1,000 conductors. Visit www.aved.com.
Pentium-Based SBC
General Micro Systems Inc., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., claims its P60x is the first single board computer (SBC) based on Intel’s Embedded Roadmap Pentium M Processor 745. The P60x is a busless SBC that consumes 12 watts of power at full speed. Measuring 4 by 4 inches (10 by 10 cm), it is designed for embedded industrial PC control and defense applications that need high-speed numeric, data and video/graphics processing. The P60x can be used in stand-alone fashion or mounted to a single-slot carrier card. The P60x, which has an onboard video controller, can support Windows XP/2000, Linux QNX and VxWorks. Visit www.gms4sbc.com.
VxWorks Driver
New from SBS Technologies, Albuquerque, N.M., are VxWorks drivers for InfiniBand host channel adapters. The IB4X-VxWorks drivers are based on the company’s Mirror API, an application programming interface targeted at real-time embedded applications. The new drivers bring the performance and scalability of InfiniBand to embedded solutions that use VxWorks real-time operating systems. Visit www.sbs.com.
Fifth-Generation SBC
The fifth-generation of the PowerXtreme family of single board computers (SBCs) is available from Radstone Technology, Woodcliff Lake, N.J. The PowerXtreme T PPC7D SBC, designed for military and aerospace applications, uses a Freescale Semiconductor PowerPC G47447 processor running at 1.13 GHz and has double data rate (DDR) SDRAM on a 133-MHz main memory bus. It is further enhanced by Radstone’s new additional flexible interface extension (AFIX) daughter card, which offers new features via a plug-in module. Visit www.radstone.com.
Serial Flash Drive
Adtron Corp., Phoenix, claims it now offers the first commercial serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) flash drive. The model A25FB Flashpak’s SATA technology was designed to replace integrated drive electronics/advanced technology attachment (IDE/ATA) parallel ATA (PATA) that has been in embedded technology solutions for the past 10 years. The 2.5-inch (6.35-cm) version, available now, has a 40-gigabyte (Gbyte) capacity. The 3.5-inch (8.9-cm) version, to be introduced soon, will have a 64-Gbyte capacity. Visit www.adtron.com.
MEMS Switch
Dow Key Microwave, Ventura, Calif., has introduced a new series of latching micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) single pole, dual throw (SPDT) switches. The ultra-miniature, quasi-hermetic MICO6-CDK2 series is designed and qualified for 100 million cycles of operating life for such applications as automatic test equipment, GPS and smart antennas, among others. Visit www.dowkey.com.
Wire Cutter
Eraser Co. Inc., Syracuse, N.Y., recently introduced its HCA20 wire and cable cutter. It is an air-operated unit that cuts materials from 0.010 to 1.24 inches (0.025 to 2.15 cm), outside diameter, including most non-ferrous conductors like copper and aluminum. The HCA20’s guillotine-style blade provides square cuts. Dual activation buttons are included to ensure operator safety. Visit www.eraser.com.
Secure Intercom
Thales Avionics has announced its new TopSIS Secure Intercommunications System, which is to provide secure voice communications throughout a military aircraft. Capable of interfacing with modern software radios, TopSIS is based on Thales’ RA 800 system and is designed to comply with UK Ministry of Defence and U.S. Department of Defense requirements. Visit www.thales-avionics.com.
Aircraft Battery
New from Concorde Battery Corp., West Covina, Calif., comes the RG-131 battery, a direct replacement for 605, CA 54, CA 1201, and CA 154 nickel cadmium batteries. It is used as an uninterruptible power supply for avionics, instrumentation and emergency lighting. Visit www.concordebattery.com.
Information Service
Aircraft Technical Publishers, Brisbane, Calif., offers a new regulatory information service. Navigator V software combines a user interface, workflow and functionality with a current collection of regulatory documents. Visit www.atp.com/navigator.
Charger Upgrade Kit
Bombardier offers an STC battery charger and main ship battery upgrade kit that incorporates Securaplane Technologies Inc.’s BC-1306 battery charger and the Hawker 40 amp-hour lead battery system. The kit is for the Challenger 600/601 bizjet. Visit www.securaplane.com.
Power Converter
The 55PQ1 from North Atlantic Industries, Bohemia, N.Y., is a 200-watt low-profile, high-power density DC/DC converter. The conduction-cooled converter has quad output power supply for VME/cPCI systems and other applications. It accepts a 28 volt DC input and provides outputs of 3.3 volts DC at 15 amps, 5 volts DC at 15 amps, +/- 12 volts DC at 2 amps, plus a 5-volt DC standby output.Visit www.naii.com.
Circuit Breaker
E-T-A Circuit Breakers, Mount Prospect, Ill., now offers its new, lightweight 4140 temperature-compensated circuit breaker, with current ratings up to 50 amps. Visit www.e-t-a.com.