EIT Avionics, LLC has announced completion of company ground and flight testing, and DO-160 testing, for its Flight/Operations Data Recorder (FODR) and Enhanced Situational Awareness Information Display (ESAID). The EIT Avionics team anticipates scheduling Federal Aviation Administration flight testing shortly.
FODR is a data recorder designed to meet 14 Code of Federal Regulations part 135.607 helicopter flight data monitoring requirements.
ESAID is a touchscreen display and annunciation device designed to enhance safety and pilot situational awareness by calculating, displaying, and providing aural alerts for operating performance limitations.
The initial supplemental type certificate will be for the Robinson R44 Raven II, with additional models following soon.
I have personally flown the FODR/ESAID equipped R-44 and it is a great package! The monitoring and recording ability is a great safety enhancement; a chance to be proactive to preventing incidents and accidents instead of reactive. And combined with EIT’s radar altimeter, that should also be following certification very soon, this is absolutely the way to go for any operator requiring a radar altimeter installation.