AEA2012 Sponsor: Universal Avionics

Universal Avionics Systems Corporation is the leading manufacturer of innovative avionics systems for business jets, turboprop aircraft, transport aircraft, helicopters, regional and commercial airliners used by corporate, military and airline operators. The company offers advanced avionics as a retrofit solution for the largest diversification of aircraft types in the industry.

The company backs its array of products with: sales, marketing, manufacturing, technical support, customer training, rental and repairs.

Products Include:

Flight Management Systems
Integrated flat panel instrument displays
Cockpit Voice and Flight Data Recorders
Radio Control Units
Cockpit-to-ground communications datalink systems
Synthetic Vision System
Terrain Awareness and Warning System
Electronic Flight Bags (Class 3)

Universal Avionics has approximately 20,000 UNS systems installed on over 9,500 aircraft in over 150 different aircraft types in over 115 countries around the world.

Facilities

Located in Tucson, Arizona, Universal’s headquarters is strategically located near Tucson International Airport to support the company’s intensive flight test activities.

Concentrated with headquarters on the 12.9-acre campus are the company’s Marketing, Customer Support Divisions, as well as a 65,000 sq ft state-of-the-art Manufacturing facility. Additional Marketing and Customer Support facilities are located in Wichita, Kansas USA and Basel, Switzerland.

Vital research and development activities are housed in two separate facilities located on the East and West U.S. coasts. Situated in the high-tech corridor of Redmond, Washington, is the hub for research, development, engineering and design activities for Universal’s FMS, TAWS, Synthetic Vision, CVR, ASU and Communication products. A second facility in Duluth, Georgia is dedicated to cockpit display development and production including the EFI-890R Flat Panel Display.

History

Hubert L. Naimer, known for his innovative ideas for modernization of cockpit flight instrumentation, founded Universal Avionics Systems Corporation in 1981. As early as 1976, Mr. Naimer had a vision of a master navigation system that would compute the input of a variety of sensors on an aircraft and provide guidance throughout all phases of flight. With his personal conception and vision, Mr. Naimer introduced the first Flight Management System (FMS) in 1982 to the corporate aircraft market. Since that time, our vision has expanded to include product development of highly advanced avionics systems for the entire cockpit.

Universal Avionics commemorated its 30th Anniversary in a coffee table history book; 30 Years of Innovation. Visit www.uasc.com/history to read the book in its entirety.

Show Events

Reception benefit to support the Wounded Warrior Project – Wednesday, 1:30-3:30pm:
- Universal Avionics will host an in-booth fundraiser with the support of Col. Mark Tillman, the United States’ 12th Presidential Pilot, to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). Those who make a pledge to the WWP can receive an autographed photo with Col. Mark Tillman.
- Col Tillman will be presenting the keynote address, Zero Fail Mission, at the official Opening Ceremonies.
- For more information, visit: https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/group-fundraising/Tillman/.

Product Announcements

UniLink® UL-800 and UL-801 Communications Management Unit:
- TSO approval marks the beginning of delivery for Universal’s third generation Airborne Datalink System.
- First customer installation of Universal’s UniLink UL-80X anticipates STC.

Did-You-Know? Cool Facts About Universal Avionics

In 1989, Universal entered the CVR market with the introduction of the CVR-80. Dismayed by reliability of tapes technology, it developed the world’s first solid-state CVR (CVR-30) in 1990.
Universal Avionics has 20 employees with tenure over 20 years. It has 7 employees with tenure over 25 years. The longest tenure is 29.1 years.
Universal Avionics introduced the world’s very first “FMS”, the UNS-1, in 1982.
35: Number of licensed pilots employed by Universal Avionics.

The first Synthetic Vision System certified by the FAA was Vision-1® in 2002. Display was supported by the EFI-550, EFI-600 and MFD-640 and later, the EFI-890R.
The WAAS/SBAS-FMS is certified on over 50 aircraft types. Vision-1 is certified on over 20 aircraft types.
Universal Avionics owns four aircraft: a Beechcraft King Air F90, Beechcraft King Air 350, Bombardier Challenger CL-601 and a Cessna Citation VII.
Universal Avionics delivered its 1st FMS in 1983, its 10,000th FMS in 2000 and its 20,000th in 2010.
During World War II, after being captured by Russian soldiers, company founder Hubert Naimer stole a Russian tank and drove to the American line.