System To Be Used In Development Of "the jet" By Cirrus

L-3 Communications announced Tuesday the introduction of its SmartDeck Integrated Flight Controls and Display System at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) annual convention in Atlanta... and the company reports one high-flying planemaker has already selected the system for its latest plane.

L-3 touts SmartDeck as an intuitive full avionics system that integrates navigation, weather, traffic avoidance, terrain avoidance, communication, flight controls, engine monitoring functionality and enhanced vision into one easy-to-use system.

“With SmartDeck, we leveraged the technical skill of seven L-3 divisions and multiple L-3 technologies to create the next generation cockpit for general aviation,” said Charles J. Schafer, Corporate Senior Vice President and President of L-3’s Products Group.

The company also announced Cirrus Design selected SmartDeck Flight Controls and Display System for the development phase of “the-jet.”

“Cirrus has always maintained that easy-to-use, intuitive avionics are key to increased air safety and necessary to grow the market," said Cirrus co-founder and CEO Alan Klapmeier. "That is why Cirrus led the industry in glass panel development and continues to develop our Pilot Vehicle Interface (PVI) philosophy in partnership with avionics suppliers. L-3 has embraced this philosophy -- that is why we chose SmartDeck for this development phase of our personal jet. While it is technologically advanced, it is remarkably powerful, yet easy to use.

“‘the-jet’ is designed to be owner flown and it will be loaded with innovative features, such as SmartDeck, that are designed to reduce pilot workload and help manage information essential to safe, high utility travel,” Klapmeier added.

SmartDeck includes L-3's situational awareness technologies and innovative capabilities such as the SkyWatch collision avoidance system, LandMark terrain awareness warning system (TAWS), Stormscope lightning detection system and IRIS Infrared Imaging System, combined with the new S-TEC IntelliFlight 1950 integrated Digital Flight Control System (DFCS) -- packaging all of the avionics a pilot desires into one integrated system, which L-3 says builds pilot confidence and drives safety.

L-3 Avionics Systems is a leading designer and manufacturer of advanced cockpit avionics for general aviation, business jet, air transport and military markets. The company provides a wide array of avionics safety technologies, such as the GH-3000 electronic and J.E.T. standby instruments, SkyWatch collision avoidance systems, LandMark terrain awareness warning systems (TAWS) and Stormscope weather mapping systems.

FMI: www.l-3avionics.com, www.cirrusdesign.com