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Rockwell Collins Insight profile

A trusted avionics source

James Careless | April 13, 2017

Estimated reading time 6 minutes, 56 seconds.

When a helicopter pilot is flying in challenging conditions, they need to know the avionics in their cockpit are highly capable and ultra-reliable. For the past three decades, Rockwell Collins has been providing such advanced avionics for major helicopter original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as Sikorsky, Airbus Helicopters, and Leonardo (formerly AgustaWestland). In doing so, this company has been keeping pilots, their passengers, and their aircraft safe.

“Our certified civil communication/navigation/surveillance products, situational awareness solutions and integrated cockpit systems have been selected by leading OEMs,” said Daniel Toy, Rockwell Collins’ principal business development manager for rotary-wing aircraft. “You’ll find our avionics in rotorcraft such as the Sikorsky S-92, S-76D, Airbus Helicopters H225 (formerly EC225), H155 (formerly EC155), and the newest Leonardo AW169 and AW189 offerings.”

When a helicopter pilot is flying in challenging conditions, they need to know the avionics in their cockpit are highly capable and ultra-reliable.
Photos courtesy of Rockwell Collins

Rockwell Collins’ portfolio of helicopter avionics equipment covers all major sub-systems, and supports helicopters flying such diverse missions as air ambulance, corporate transportation, oil-and-gas exploration, and search-and-rescue (SAR).

“Our suite of mission-ready helicopter solutions provides OEMs and operators with advanced capabilities designed to meet today’s requirements, with the flexibility to easily add mission-specific functions,” said Toy. “With a focus on enabling safety and operational efficiency, Rockwell Collins is dedicated to providing cost-effective solutions for commercial helicopters of all sizes and mission types.”

The secret to Rockwell Collins’ edge in civilian avionics is the company’s military heritage. It began by providing avionics to military helicopter fleets around the world. Since then, all of Rockwell Collins’ avionics have been built tough and resilient enough for military usage. Civilian users of Rockwell Collins avionics enjoy the benefits of military specification (MIL-SPEC) quality in their cockpits as a result.

For the past three decades, Rockwell Collins has been providing such advanced avionics for major helicopter original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as Sikorsky, Airbus Helicopters, and Leonardo (formerly AgustaWestland). In doing so, this company has been keeping pilots, their passengers, and their aircraft safe.

Meanwhile, Rockwell Collins has begun selling its advanced avionics into the helicopter retrofit market, to allow legacy helicopters to offer the same high-end functionality as new Leonardo and Sikorsky rotorcraft equipped with Rockwell Collins’ glass cockpits.

“For instance, our latest offering for the AW101 uses the same glass cockpit found in the AW169 and AW189,” said Toy. “Not only does this provide AW101 pilots with a whole new level of capabilities, but it also allows Leonardo flight operators to employ a common avionics platform across a fleet of upgraded AW101s, AW169s, and AW189s.”

Two products that stand out among Rockwell Collins’ portfolio of helicopter avionics equipment are the company’s RTA-4100 MultiScan Weather Radar, and the DF-500 Direction Finder.

The RTA-4100 provides automatic, clutter-free weather detection and analysis from the nose of the pilot’s helicopter out to a distance of 300 nautical miles. Using a full-color display in the cockpit console, a pilot can view comprehensive, real-time updates of the weather they’re flying into. This is because the MultiScan radar system automatically scans ahead of the aircraft, and then combines the returns algorithmically to display rainfall rates and potentially dangerous areas of turbulence. The result is a more accurate depiction of weather and turbulence hazards for pilots, while reducing their workload.

“The RTA-4100 MultiScan Weather Radar’s scalable design can support future applications such as enhanced ground mapping and sea clutter rejection modes, expanding its usefulness in mission effectiveness and safety,” said Toy. “It is simply a great tool to have in any cockpit.”

Rockwell Collins' multi-function, reliable helicopter avionics are the OEMs' choice.

Meanwhile, the new Rockwell Collins DF-500 Direction Finder pinpoints distress signals with unmatched accuracy and reliability. It is a lightweight, compact and rugged software-defined radio that can receive all current and planned international distress frequencies. These include 121.5 megahertz, 243 megahertz and Cospas-Sarsat (406 megahertz), as well as Argos, with growth for automatic identification system (AIS) and digital selective calling (DSC) encoded beacon signals.

The DF-500 replaces the DF-430, which has been in production for more than 10 years. More than 2,000 DF-430 units are being used by government and military SAR operators around the world.

“The DF-500 enables aircraft to receive and immediately locate activated 406 megahertz emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) signals, allowing crews to go directly to people in distress,” explained Toy. “You literally receive precise GPS locational data on the EPIRB-equipped person or aircraft you’re trying to reach, right within the cockpit.”

The U.S. Coast Guard is installing the DF-500 in all of its MH-60T and MH-65E SAR helicopters, said Stephanie Bell, rotor wing accounts manager. It can be installed as a standalone unit, or integrated with other helicopter systems.

The U.S. Coast Guard is installing the DF-500 in all of its MH-60T and MH-65E SAR helicopters, said Stephanie Bell, rotor wing accounts manager. It can be installed as a standalone unit, or integrated with other helicopter systems.

Looking ahead, Rockwell Collins is now developing advanced cockpit avionics systems for retrofit applications. Based on their latest multi-function displays, these new systems will provide pilots with increased situational awareness and safety, along with higher performance and reliability.

“In today’s world, commercial helicopters are called on to perform a wide range of critical missions, in any location and any type of weather,” said Toy. “From digital flight displays to communication and navigation systems to situational awareness, helicopter pilots have come to trust Rockwell Collins to provide avionics that let them focus on their missions.”

If you would like to see your company featured in Insight, contact Derek Kast at derek@mhmpub.com.

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