ETSO Follows FAA Approval By Days

Just days after receiving FAA TSO authorization for its Trilogy ESI-1000 Electronic Standby Instrument, L-3 Avionics Systems said Thursday that it has received European Technical Standard Order (ETSO) Authorization from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for system. Software and Complex Electronic Hardware for the most current version of the ESI-1000 were developed to Design Assurance Level A, the highest safety standard acknowledged by EASA.

L-3 Trilogy Instrument

"By providing easy-to-scan flight data in an arrangement similar to the primary flight display, the Trilogy ESI helps pilots maintain situational awareness and control the aircraft after primary avionics fail," said Larry Riddle, vice president of business development for L-3 Avionics Systems. "In Europe's notoriously busy skies, this enhances safety and ultimately leads to a routine landing."

The ESI-1000 merges attitude, altitude, airspeed and optional heading data onto a 3.7-inch screen. By combining three instruments into one, L-3 says the Trilogy ESI also saves panel space, replacing the multiple analog backups that normally accompany glass cockpit avionics.

L-3 says the instrument's integrated air data computer, solid-state attitude sensor and optional external magnetometer provide precise flight data independently, giving pilots an extra reference point to verify the accuracy of other systems. Once activated, the ESI is typically aligned and ready for flight in less than two minutes. L-3 says other recent enhancements include an on-screen slip indicator, which helps pilots stay coordinated without referring to other instruments in a dark cockpit, and a pop-up metric window, which facilitates quick altitude conversions during international flights.

FMI: www.L-3avionics.com