EFIS May Be Installed On Bell 206, 407 Light Helicopters

Chelton Flight Systems, part of Cobham plc’s Avionics and Surveillance Division, announced Monday the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has approved Chelton’s Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) for use on Bell 206A, B, L-series, and 407 light single helicopters. EASA.IM. R.S.01165 is the first European certification for Synthetic Vision installation.

To achieve certification, Chelton worked closely with EASA and the United Kingdom Civil Air Authority (UK CAA). The result is that hundreds of Bell 206/407 helicopters flying under EASA jurisdiction may now take advantage of the numerous benefits Synthetic Vision has to offer.

Chelton's EFIS uses 3D graphic technology to translate the terrain ahead of and around the helicopter into a simple, real-time visual picture. This helps the pilot "see" aircraft position in relation to its surroundings regardless of darkness or weather conditions. The display reduces instrument scanning and pilot fatigue by consolidating readings of several instruments into one efficient tool, resulting in safer execution of flight plans and procedures.

Further enhancing situational awareness and flight safety, Chelton's EFIS offers Highway-In-The-Sky (HITS), making it possible to fly with ILS precision to any point in the world, and Helicopter TAWS (HTAWS), which delivers visual and audio clues when terrain or obstacles present a hazard.

Of the certification, Scott Fitzgerald, Bell's Vice President of Sales, said "We see this milestone for Chelton as a success for Bell Helicopter and for our customers. With our continued focus on modernization and safety this system will enhance our product offering and will provide another dimension to the demand for the 407 and the 206L4 in Europe."

A condition certification is that Chelton's newest software package, version 6.0B, be installed on the EFIS. 6.0B features DO-178B Level-A certification and significant benefits for end-users, including:

• Support for WSI Weather. Supported products include NEXRAD Weather Radar, Echo Tops, Graphical METARs, Textual METARs, Textual TAFs, Lightning, SIGMETs/AIRMETs, TFRs, and Winds/Temps aloft
• Expanded Hover Vector. Displayed with large radar altitude scale on MFD

The rotorcraft on which certification was achieved, Bell's 206 and 407, are known worldwide for their integration of speed, performance, and maneuverability in corporate, utility, EMS, and law enforcement applications. Over 7,000 of these two aircraft in service and over 400 are on order, according to Bell.

FMI: www.cheltonflightsystems.com