Certification for the integration of Universal Avionics EFI-890H advanced flight displays in the Airbus Helicopters AS332L1 is on track for mid-2016. Universal Avionics Photo
Certification for the integration of Universal Avionics EFI-890H advanced flight displays in the Airbus Helicopters AS332L1 is on track for mid-2016. Preparations for certification are currently underway with authorized dealer, Heli-One.
The AS332 installation package includes dual EFI-890H primary flight displays (PFD) (one pilot-side and one copilot side), dual UNS-1Fw multi-missions management system (MMMS) with five-inch flat panel control display units (FPCDU), and a single radio control unit (RCU). Optional night vision goggle-compatible displays, controllers, MMMS FPCDUs and RCU versions are available.
“The first helicopter is a transport configuration and the second helicopter with SAR [search-and-rescue] functionality is well into the modification process at the Heli-One facility,” said Grady Dees, Universal Avionics director of technical sales. “The EFI-890H installation provides a cost effective technology insertion for the AS332.”
“The test, the first for our flight test organization, went extremely well considering the complexity of the project,” said Tor Baustad, head of design, Heli-One Norway. “In addition to our team, we had representatives from our customer, European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Transport Canada, and Universal Avionics on site to provide support and expertise. We were thrilled to see the results of our hard work on this advanced level of modification for this aircraft platform.”
Universal Avionics well-proven, reliable EFI-890H solution is customized for AS332s and supports all CDV-155 modes including SAR. Steering cues for both three-axis and four-axis operations including roll, pitch and collective are provided. The new PFD system replaces existing electromechanical altimeters, airspeed indicators, vertical speed indicators, ADI/FD indicators, radio altitude indicators and HSI indicators.
Display and switching of navigation data is significantly simplified. The MMMS incorporates the advanced technology, system design, features and capabilities included in the satellite-based augmentation system-enabled flight management system with the capability to fly six distinct mission patterns. This integration also includes 3D coupled approaches using Pseudo-ILS with the CDV-155 AFCS.
Support for automatic transition to hover for the SAR variants will be supported with an upcoming software release to the MMMS. The universal radio control unit works with the MMMS systems and replaces multiple existing federated control heads for existing radios.
