EVS Display
Skyquest Aviation, Maidenhead, UK, recently launched a 4-inch cockpit liquid crystal display designed for use with an enhanced vision system (EVS). It can show either PAL (phase alternation line) or NTSC (National Television Standards Committee) video through a composite video input and operates at 28 volts DC power. The display weighs 2.2 pounds (1 kg), and its dimensions are 5.7 by 4.1 by 2 inches (14.6 by 10.4 by 5 cm). Designed to be a secondary viewing device, it provides a viewing area of 3.2 by 2.4 inches (8.2 by 6.2 cm), and its resolution is 480 by 234 pixels. The display operates in temperatures ranging from 32 to 140 degrees F (0 to 60 degrees C). Visit www.skyquest.co.uk.
Tracking System
A two-way link that allows dispatchers and logistics managers to track and manage remote transportation assets via satellite has been introduced by Blue Sky Network, La Jolla, Calif. The Sky Router is an interactive Web portal with mapping. It supports Blue Sky Network’s D-series flight tracking and satellite communications terminals. Dispatchers can track aircraft and monitor takeoffs, landings and other activity anywhere, via the Iridium satellite network, by logging into an online account. Tracking can be customized for each user: reports can be accessed by individual assets, all assets in flight, or specific groups of transportation assets. Visit www.blueskynetwork.com
ADS-B Transponder
Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has received both FAA and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approval for automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) functionality on its Mode S transponders. The company’s 108 versions of the TDR-94/94D are fully compliant with the RTCA DO-260A standard, which ensures the integrity and accuracy of data that supports future surveillance applications. Visit www.rockwellcollins.com.
LED Lighting
Emteq Lighting & Cabin Systems, Muskego, Wis., has added three new items to its line of custom light-emitting diode (LED) lighting products for aircraft. They are the following models:
– ELW81–this wide body wash light is 115-volt AC, four-row and step dimmable, with color temperatures ranging from 3,600K (degrees Kelvin) to 6,000K.
– ELR08–this reading light is comparable to Emteq’s ELR07 model, but has a larger diameter. Its color range is 2,850K to 6,000K.
– ELW60–this wash light was designed for installation in "compromising, low-profile applications" and for mounting behind a lens while not producing dark spots, according to an Emteq release.
All of the wash lighting has step dimming capability without the use of power supplies. However, if variable dimming is desired, Emteq also offers the ELP21 power supply. Visit www.emteq.com
Satcom Receiver
The OuterLink subsidiary of Digital Angel Corp., South St. Paul, Minn., recently gained FAA approval for its CommPoint 3 (CP3) satellite radio transceiver, capable of tracking international commercial and military aircraft and ground vehicles in all weather conditions. Similar and compatible with its predecessor, the CP2, the new version is smaller, lighter and designed to be easier to install. In addition, it will facilitate expansion of communication coverage beyond the existing North American coverage to eventually include the entire world. OuterLink has received a supplemental type certificate for the CP3’s use on Bell 206 and 206L helicopters, which means it can operate in a high-vibration environment. Visit www.outerlink.com.
Avionics Controller
Condor Engineering, Santa Barbara, Calif., has announced a new family of multiprotocol interface products, the Modular Avionics Controller (MAC). The MAC line provides a single-slot solution for interfacing multiple avionics protocols on VME and VXI backplanes. A single slot supports up to 32 receive and 32 transmit channels of ARINC 429. For both VME and VXI platforms, MAC products provide two PMC mezzanine slots for Condor ARINC and serial data modules, and all modules come with 6-foot (1.8-m) cables to standard connectors. Visit www.condoreng.com.
FPDP IP Core
VMETRO, Oslo, Norway, has introduced a Serial FPDP IP (front panel data port, intellectual property) core for use on its range of Xilinx Virtex-II Pro field programmable gate array (FPGA) products. The combination of VMETRO hardware, Serial FPDP IP and user programmable FPGAs enables highly integrated solutions for such applications as signal processing, high-speed data recording and real-time imaging. The FPDP IP core is compliant with American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 17.1-2003 and was designed to occupy a small logic resource footprint in an FPGA. Visit www.vmetro.com.
Voltage Detector
Fluke Corp., Everett, Wash, has introduced a new line of pocket-sized AC voltage detectors designed for testing energized circuits and defective grounds. The 1AC-II VoltAlert and 1LAC-II VoltAlert testers feature Fluke’s VoltBeat continuous self-test capability, which continually scans for battery performance and circuit integrity, and produces a periodic double flash to indicate that the device is working properly. With the VoltAlert, there is no need to come in contact with a bare conductor. The user touches the tester’s tip to the terminal strip, outlet or cord, and if the voltage is present, the tester glows red and the unit beeps. Voltage sensing ranges are 90 to 1,000 volts AC or 200 to 1,000 volts AC, depending on the model. Visit www.fluke.com.
Lead Acid Battery
Securaplane Technologies Inc., Tucson, Ariz., has received a supplemental type certificate (STC) for a lead acid battery kit installed in the Hawker 400/600/700/800 series of business aircraft. The Hawker 25Ah battery kit consists of two EnerSys/Hawker batteries and the STC data package. (Securaplane Technologies is the distributor and design and certification authority of the Enersys/Hawker batteries.) The battery kit comes with a 30-month replacement guarantee. Visit www.securaplane.com.
Synchro/Resolver Card
A synchro/resolver measurement and simulation cPCI 6U card is now offered by North Atlantic Industries, Bohemia, N.Y. The 78CS1 includes eight synchro-to-digital (S/D) and six digital-to-synchro (D/S) converter channels. It provides 16-bit resolution, accurate digital velocity outputs, programmable single-speed and two-speed operating modes, transformer isolation, wrap-around self-test, PXI compatibility, and optional 5-volt-amp programmable reference supply. The measurement channels’ accuracy is 1 arc-minute and the simulation channels’ accuracy is 30 arc-seconds. Visit www.naii.com.
EMI Cage
The Dual Port SFP EMI cage, developed by dataMate Products, a Chicago-based division of Methode Electronics Inc., is designed for use with both copper and optical, small form factor, pluggable (SFP) transceivers for Fibre Channel, Gigabit Ethernet and Infiniband applications. It has a two-piece hybrid design that incorporates a die cast body, which provides port-to-port spacing. The two ports are mechanically locked and soldered together with lead-free solder. Visit www.methode.com.
DDR SDRAM
White Electronic Designs Corp., Phoenix, Ariz., now makes available a 256-Mbyte (2-Gbyte) registered, double data rate (DDR) synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), which allows high-speed operation by utilizing both edges of the memory clock for sending and receiving data. It is packaged in a 16-by-25-mm, 400 mm2, 208 plastic ball grid array (PBGA) and features bus speeds of 200, 250 and 266 Mbits/s. The DDR SDRAM also features four internal banks for concurrent operation and data mask pins for masking write data (one per cycle). Visit www.wedc.com.
Chip Resistors
Ohmite Manufacturing Co., Rolling Meadows, Ill., recently introduced its HVC series or high-voltage chip resistors for such applications as night vision and laser-related products. Designed to meet Mil-Std-202 specifications, the HVC series utilizes thick film technology to meet applications of up to 3,000 volts. The resistors are available in tape and reel packaging for automated handling. Visit www.ohmite.com.
Smart Switch
A 26.5-GHz, CANbus-controlled SP6T smart switch, targeted for the automatic test equipment market, has been introduced by Dow-Key Microwave, Ventura, Calif. It utilizes microcontrollers that incorporate a CANbus interface compliant with V2.0A and V2.0B standards. The switch’s CANbus architecture integrates into large switching systems that use more than 130 switches in one network. This is meant to reduce complex programming and integration time. DC characteristics include 22 to 26 volts DC; operating current is 250 mA at 20 degrees C. Visit www.dowkey.com.
Reconfigurable FPGA
PMC-AX modules from Acromag, Wixom, Mich., are designed to enable the implementation of customized analog input/output (I/O) for embedded computing. The onboard, reconfigurable field programmable gate array (FPGA), a Xilinx Virtex-II, features up to 24,000 logic cells to control the operation of the I/O channels. The modules support analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog functions for specialized signal processing in applications such as automatic test equipment and simulation instrumentation. Inputs are sampled at up to 65 megasamples per second (MS/s) and processed without CPU assist. Visit www.acromag.com.
Bookshelf
Student pilots and mechanics may want to consult the latest study materials available from Aviation Supplies & Academics Inc., Newcastle, Wash. The company’s Test Preps for pilots and Fast-Track Test Guides for mechanics are arranged in chapters based on subject matter, followed by FAA questions. Visit www.asa2fly.com.
Optical Fiber Cards
Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing has unveiled two optical fiber XMC modules, the RazorBlade III-SX and IV-LX. These devices, together with the company’s SVME/DMV-680 SwitchBlade Gigabit Ethernet switch, provide 24 ports of Gigabit Ethernet over copper and optical fiber, a high-density, single-slot VME switched solution. Given optical fiber’s insensistivity to electromagnetic interference and radio frequency interference, the products are suitable for communications applications requiring high signal quality, secure data transmission and survivability. Visit www.cwcembedded.com.
VME/VXI Power
A new AC/DC and DC/DC power supply for VME, VXI and general purpose applications is available from North Atlantic Industries, Bohemia, N.Y. The 57S81 provides up to 500 watts of output power over an operating temperature of -55 to 85 degrees C, measured at the baseplate. The baseplate conduction-cooled design allows mounting to a VME or VXI system. The power supply is manufactured to NAVMAT component derating guidelines, and each one receives ESS screening, including burn-in and temperature cycling. The unit includes electromagnetic interference filtering and input transient protection. Visit www.naii.com.
Torque Transducers
New flange-mount, rotating torque transducers from the Force/Torque Division of PCB Piezotronics Inc., Depew, N.Y., use non-contact, rotary transformers to send excitation voltage to and receive measurement signals from rotating strain gauge sensors. The design is intended to require less maintenance than conventional slip-ring, rotating sensors. Visit www.pcb.com.
Laser Ceilometer
All Weather Inc., Sacramento, Calif., has announced a new version of its Model 8339 laser ceilometer. The product is able to measure cloud height to 30,000 feet, using an eye-safe, low-power laser transmitter. The 8339 also can measure the thickness of each layer in up to four layers of clouds. The product outputs the following information: vertical visibility, ground-based obscurations and cloud base measurements, as well as the national Weather Service sky condition algorithm, which provides information on sky coverage and variable ceilings. Visit www.allweatherinc.com.
Compact Weather Station
Using ultrasonic technology, Columbia Weather Systems Inc., Hillsboro, Ore., has introduced a line of meteorological instrumentation dubbed the Orion Weather Station Systems. The Orion product measures temperature, baro pressure, wind speed and direction, relative humidity and rainfall. The 9.4-inch (24-cm) tall sensor can be mounted on a 10-foot (3-m) tripod with telescoping mast. The system’s 320-by-240-pixel liquid crystal display console can be packaged as a wall mount, panel mount or 19-inch rack mount. WeatherMaster 2000 software offers automatic logging of all measured and calculated parameters. Visit www.columbia-weather.com.
RF Connector Series
A new microminiature RF interconnect from Tyco Electronics, Harrisburg, Pa., offers a single-connector assembly with spring-loaded contact for board-to-board connections, eliminating the need to use multiple connectors. One side of the compression coax board-to-board Blindmate connector is soldered on the base circuit board surface and the other side mates directly on the opposite target board, using applied spring pressure. Initially the product will support board spacings of 6.65 mm, 10 mm and 14 mm. The connector operates over a range of -40 to 125 degrees C at up to 6 GHz, with an impedance of 50 ohms. Return loss at frequencies up to 2.1 GHz is a minimum of -20 dB. Visit www.tycoelectronics.com.
Imaging Turrets
The L-3 Communications subsidiary, Wescam, Burlington, Ontario, has added features to its MX line of multispectral imaging turrets: MX-15i, MX-15D and MX-20. The new features include the following:
– Integrated master control unit (MCU) to offer an installed weight savings;
– Charge multiplied charged coupled device (CMCCD) night spotter camera, designed to provide improved resolution;
– Laser illuminated night spotter, also to improve resolution;
– 20?m infrared (IR) imager, offering a 20 percent increase in IR range magnification and resolution; and
– MX-GEO Gen. 3, a combination of new technologies that include GEO-Scan, automated Video/GEO-Tracking, Integrated GEO-Tracking and Adaptive-GEO-Tracking. All of these systems are to improve target location accuracy.
Wescam produces a variety of stabilized imaging sensors. Visit www.l-3com.com.
Networking Solution
KUKA Controls, Augsburg, Germany, a developer of real-time operating system (RTOS) solutions for Windows XP, recently announced the integration of VxWin with the open architecture Network Data Distribution Service (NDDS) provided by Real-Time Innovations Inc., Santa Clara, Calif. This integrated tool allows developers to take advantage of VxWin with NDDS without having to make modifications or configuration changes to either system. KUKA Controls’ VxWin enables Wind River VxWorks and Microsoft Windows XP Embedded to run on the same host processor with no real-time performance penalties or modifications to either operating system. NDDS allows networked applications to connect with multiple data sources for communication of real-time data via an application programming interface (API). Visit www.kuka-controls.com and www.rti.com.
Entertainment System
Raytheon Aircraft Services, Wichita, Kan., has developed an entertainment program for Beechcraft King Air, Premier I, Beechjet, Diamond and all legacy and current Hawker series aircraft. Operators of these aircraft can choose between prepackaged tier options that include such components as XM satellite radio, JetMap II, Honeywell DVD players, flat-panel color monitors, Sennheiser wireless headsets, wirelesss remote control, and an optional speaker package. The equipment is installed as a field-approved modification via FAA form 337. Called MAX Entertainment, the program is available through Raytheon Aircraft Services facilities. Visit www.raytheonaircraftservices.com.
Downconverter
Pentek Inc., Upper Saddle River, N.J., has added to its GateFlow field programmable gate array (FPGA) intellectual property (IP) library a 256-channel narrowband digital downconverter (DDC). The Model 4954-430–designed for use in Xilinx’s Virtex II, Virtex II Pro or Virtex 4 FPGAs–achieves 64 times the channel capacity of conventional quad, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) downconverters, according to Pentek officials. The IP core was designed for developers of applications requiring a high number of digital downconverter channels with size, weight, cost and power constraints, such as military radios and commercial wireless. Visit www.pentek.com.
Development Environment
Mission-critical software developer Aonix has released the latest version of its ObjectAda development environment. The Eclipse-based environment initially targets the Linux operating system. ObjectAda 8.2 provides a number of new features, such as the ability to attach the symbolic debugger to a running Ada application. This makes it useful in correcting errors that surface after a program’s test and debug development phase has been completed. The new release allows developers a choice between the traditional Aonix IDE and the new AonixADT Eclipse plug-in. AonixADT includes Ada project awareness, an Ada language-sensitive editor, Ada compile and build capabilities, and a complete Ada debugger interface. Visit www.aonix.com.
Controller Modules
Intelect Technologies Inc., Richardson, Texas, has launched enhanced OmniLYNX controller modules through a joint venture with Singapore Technologies Electronics Ltd. The OmniLYNX communications equipment has been used by New York airports, according to the company. The new OL-2488E and OL-600E include the following features: 64-Kbit/s channels direct to the interface modules; multipoint connections at all bandwidth levels; SONET/SDH-bandwidth mapping. Visit www.intelect.com.
High-Speed Camera
The Hyper Vision HPV-1 video camera, capable of recording up to 1 million frames per second, has been introduced by Shimadzu Scientific Instruments Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Japan’s Shimadzu Corp. Image resolution ranges from 312-by-260 pixels up to 80,000 pixels. Visit www.shimadzu.com.
Termination Networks
IRC Inc., Corpus Christi, Texas, has unveiled a series of termination and ESD protection networks. Called the QDN Series, these devices are available in three circuit configurations designed to provide effective termination for both controlled and uncontrolled line terminations. According to Debasis Roy, director of the company’s thin film business unit, QDN Series networks do not require impedance matching, and can terminate load impedances and clamp both high- and low-state reflections and noise, making them appropriate for high-speed data lines, particularly those involving PCI and synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM) buses. Visit www.irctt.com.
Air Data Display
Revue Thommen, Waldenburg, Switzerland, now offers its AD32RL, 3-inch air data display, designed to "emulate the output of the old Sperry BA 141 system," according to a company release. The AD32RL, with analog barometric potentiometer output, enables existing air data sensors to provide baro-corrected altitude on the ARINC 429 output, avoiding additional aircraft wiring. Visit www.thommen.aero.
Headset
LightSpeed Aviation, Portland, Ore., has introduced a magnesium alloy headset with gooseneck boom and noise cancelling electret mic. the Mach 1 headset uses in-the-ear communication technology and provides up to 40 dB of passive hearing protection. A control box gives the user phone and music interface, stereo/mono options and volume control. Visit www.lighspeedaviation.com.
Salary Survey
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) recently published its 2005 annual survey of general aviation service employee compenstation. It includes the salaries and benefits for pilots, line service personnel and maintenance technicians, broken down by geographic region, company size, and the size of the town or city in which the company is located. For non-participating NATA members, the survey costs $50, and for non-NATA members, $100. Visit www.nata.aero.
Calendar
Sporty’s is selling the 2006 Aircraft Owner’s and Pilot’s Association (AOPA) calendar at $14.95 for one or $9.95 for an order of two or more. Visit www. sportys.com.