TopDeck Expands
Thales Avionics is positioning its TopDeck integrated avionics suite for the helicopter market. Built around an advanced glass cockpit, the latest TopDeck package meets all civil and military helicopter requirements and boasts an open, scalable architecture that is compatible with new air traffic regulations. The system already has been certified on Agusta’s A109 LUH helicopter and was selected for the A109 Power. It is also a candidate for a projected upgrade to the Royal Navy’s Merlin EH-101 helicopter.
Versions of the integrated modular avionics concept, which derives from work on the Airbus A380, already are employed on C-130s from Venezuela and South Africa, C-295s and Dash 8-Q400s.
The architecture relies on hardware modules plugged into a cabinet that can be configured by the user. Functions include cockpit display, flight control display, flight management and sensors.
The cockpit can feature four or five 10-by-8-inch, active matrix liquid crystal displays for primary flight, navigation, engine and system information, tactical mission data and imagery coupling. TopDeck also provides an interactive flight management and map system, which combines navigation and digital map functions. Thales says that it improves situational awareness and significantly reduces pilot workload.
TopDeck offers real-time map positioning, simpler navigation management–through an interface that covers both basic and complex flight management system functions– and enhanced decision aids.
Thales also gives military helicopter pilots a real-time tactical situation management tool through the Cofeux tactical display system. This improves pilots’ understanding of the mission environment–including terrain, friendly and enemy forces, and weather–making it easier to prepare and modify the flight plan at any time. Cofeux also supports decision aid functions and will help in the development and validation of operational concepts and procedures for helicopter air-to-ground fire control.
Other TopDeck features include: the radio management system, centralized maintenance, health and usage monitoring system, helmet-mounted sight/display connections, and system interfaces for tactical missions. Visit www.thales-avionics.com.
VXI Chassis
Tracewell Systems Inc., Westerville, Ohio, now offers the RHP 11-slot, high-power VXI chassis. It features rugged construction, plugging cooling modules, and an RS-485 monitor. The system comes in two versions with different power supply outputs. The RHP-1, rated for 1,460 watts, has a rear-plugging AC front end and one DC power module. The RHP-2, with a combined rating of 2.2 kilowatts, has an AC front end and two DC power modules. Visit www.tracewellsystems.com.
Firmware Functions
Acqiris, Monroe, N.Y., has announced the addition of new functions to the sustained sequential recording firmware on its AP240 and AP235 dual-channel, reconfigurable analyzer platforms. It now offers "data gating" functions that maximize event transfer rates and allow the setting of pre-and post-markers to predefined threshold gates. It is designed for ultrasound, radar, lidar and other time-of-flight measurement applications. Visit www.acqiris.com.
Autopilot RVSM
New from Innovative Solutions & Support, Exton, Pa., is an analog interface unit (AIU) needed to obtain reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) certification for aircraft that operate the AP-104 autopilot by Rockwell Collins. The P/N 9B-81040-34 provides the altitude hold signal needed to receive RVSM approval. The AIUs are in production and have been delivered to launch customer USA Jet, which plans to use them on Dassault Falcon 20s. Visit www.innovative-ss.com.
Night Vision EHSI
The new night vision-enabled KI 825 electronic horizontal situation indicator (EHSI) from Honeywell has received FAA approval. The unit combines traditional heading and navigation functions with moving maps in a 3-ATI format (3.26 by 3.26 inches). The EHSI is visible in bright daylight or darkness and is designed for helicopters, piston and turbine aircraft. Honeywell claims that it is ideal for military and law enforcement organizations that use night vision goggles. Visit www.honeywell.com.
Link 16 Antenna
European Antennas Ltd., Suffolk, UK, has introduced a high-gain, omni antenna capable of covering the entire Link 16 band. The antenna’s 7-dBi gain (vs. 2-dBi gain of traditional omni antennas) can nearly double the range of a power-constrained system. The higher gain lowers the power required from ground-based transmitters and reduces the need for generators in mobile Link 16 systems. Visit www.european-antennas.co.uk.
Flight Display
The new EFI-890R display system by Universal Avionics Systems Corp., Tucson, Ariz., has received FAA TSO C113 authorization. The system, which features an 8.9-inch diagonal display, can be used for primary flight display or navigation display applications. It comes in two-, three- and four-unit suites and supports existing analog and digital aircraft systems. Visit www.uasc.com.
Trim Speaker
As a result of a memorandum of understanding between the two companies, QinetiQ’s "trim" panel speaker technology is being used as a part of Lufthansa Technik’s networked integrated cabin equipment (nice). The trim speakers can be fabricated in flat or curved panels and can blend in with the cabin lining. They are being used as front and rear speakers in the nice system and are already on a "multiflight" Boeing Business Jet 2 and on the upper deck of a Boeing 747. Visit www.qinetiq.com and www.lufthansa-technik.com.
Data Modem
Innovative Concepts, McLean, Va., has released its personal computer improved data modem, version 2.80 (PCIDM V2.80). It allows users with a computer to send and receive–over any tactical digital or analog radio–various military protocols and message sets, such as variable message format, tactical fire direction system, and Mil-Std-188-184 messages. The PCIDM V2.80 employs the same protocols as the avionics version of the improved data modem and is interoperable with all Innovative Concepts’ IDM technologies. Visit www.innocon.com.
TAWS Solution
Mid-Continent Instruments, Wichita, Kan., will offer solutions for Class A, B and C operators in order for them to meet FAA’s terrain awareness warning systems (TAWS) mandate, which goes into effect in March 2005. The MD41 terrain awareness control unit provides primary or secondary annunciations from TAWS or an enhanced ground proximity warning system and fulfills all of the mandate’s requirements. Visit www.mcico.com.
Terrain Awareness
Aspen Avionics, Albuquerque, N.M., has announced its AT300 terrain awareness display for the experimental/homebuilt aircraft market. It combines a vertical speed instrument with a moving map display that shows aircraft position and terrain. Aspen also plans to integrate the WSI InFlight weather system, which allows the user to access WSI NOWrad weather radar mosaics, graphic and textual meteorological aviation reports. Visit www.aspenavionics.com.
VME Card
The 64RS3 from North Atlantic Industries, Bohemia, N.Y., is a digital signal processor-based VME card. It includes 18 channels of full-duplex serial communications that can be software configured for RS-232C, RS-423, RS-422 or RS-484 synchronous (4-Mbits/s) or asynchronous (800-Kbits/s) communications. The card is designed for military and commercial applications. Data transfers are performed in the hardware rather than the software, allowing for high-speed operations. Visit www.naii.com.
Electronic HSI
Sandel Avionics, Vista, Calif., has announced a new line of electronic horizontal situation indicator systems. Members of the SN3500 line offer combinations of navigation and safety features, such as compass, map, flight plan, radio magnetic indicator, and traffic, terrain and weather displays. Thanks to a collaboration with WSI Corp., some units (SN3500W and SN3500TW) come with an interface to WSI datalink weather reports. Visit www.sandel.com.
Online Information
Teledyne Controls, Los Angeles, now offers E-Services, an online information tool designed to provide customers, partners and suppliers with a secure Web portal to access vital information. Through E-Services, customers can track service requests in real time, download software, and access technical and quality assurance manuals. Business partners and installers can view product presentations and installation guides, while suppliers can look up part numbers and review the company’s supplier policy. Visit www.teledyne.com.
RTOS Approvals
Green Hills Software, Santa Barbara, Calif., has announced version 5.0 of its velOSity microkernel and Integrity real-time operating system. New features include enhancements for resource-constrained and multiprocessing applications and support for porting from existing kernels. According to Green Hills, Integrity 5.0 is the first operating system to be certified to a product standard based on the latest edition of IEEE 1003.1, "Standard for Information Technology–Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX)." Visit www.ghs.com.
For the Library
From the Naval Institute Press comes The Fighting Flying Boat: A History of the Martin PBM Mariner by Richard Hoffman. The seaplane saw service during World War II and Korea and was the Naval Air Transport Service’s mainstay. The book sells for $32.95.
From Aviation Supplies & Academics is a book on night flying techniques by David Robson. Sunset to Sunrise gives information and describes the techniques usually involved with night-time operations. The book lists for $19.95.
And from Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, London, a new book called Communications Satellites: Global Change Agents discusses satcom technology’s impact in terms of security, economics, policy, news, entertainment, culture and politics over the past 40 years. It was edited by Joseph Pelton, Robert Oslund and Peter Marshall. Visit www.navalinstitute.org, www.asa2fly.com and www.erlbaum.com.
IDE for Ada
Aonix, San Diego, has released AonixADT, an Eclipse-based integrated development environment (IDE) for the Ada language. It provides built-in support for the project manager, editor and other features, yet retains a large set of plug-ins for third-party tools. Visit www.aonix.com.
Cut & Strip
Following the recent introduction of its HCA20 wire and cable cutter, Eraser Co., Syracuse, N.Y., unveiled its fully automated CS800 "cut and strip machine." This can process wire from 10 American wire gauge (AWG) to 30 AWG and has programmable batching and 10 variable feed rates. Visit www.eraser.com
ARINC Line Driver
Device Engineering Inc., Chandler, Ariz., has unveiled its DEI3182A line driver and DEI3283 dual-ARINC 429 line receiver. These units are form, fit and function replacements for the obsolete Fairchild/Raytheon ARINC 429 products using a compatible bipolar process with thin film resistors. Visit www.deiaz.com.
RF Matrix
The Model 40-726 is a new 3U PXI module from Pickering Interfaces, Clacton, UK. The 40-726 has a 12×8 RF matrix and is available in both 50-ohm and 75-ohm versions with subminiature B (SMB) and mini SMB connectors. Visit www.pickeringtest.com.
Contactors
Leach International, Buena Park, Calif., has introduced three contactor series. The HT- and W-series AC contactors and P series DC contactors have a rugged, lightweight design and provide up to 3PDT auxiliary contacts. Visit www.leachintl.com.