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Thursday, July 30, 2009

Aspen Branches Out

By Michael Hartranft
Journal Staff Writer
      Albuquerque's Aspen Avionics is expanding its product line to include electronic flight displays for helicopters using the same technology as its products for fixed-wing aircraft.
       The company said the first certification for the EFD1000H Pro Helicopter Primary Flight Display, will cover Bell's 206 Jet Ranger and Long Ranger, and the AS350 A-Star, with planned availability in November.
       The list price will be $14,995, the company said in a news release. Aspen is working on additional certifications to cover the most popular piston and turbine light helicopters.
        The company introduced its Evolution Flight Display System in 2007 as an affordable version of the larger avionics commonly found in commercial aircraft, larger business jets and higher-end aircraft. The EFD1000 Pro Primary Flight Display is targeted at a market of about 265,000 small aircraft that don't have advanced avionics and is FAA-certified for installation in more than 600 makes and models of planes.
       The flat-panel instrument, which can be retrofitted, displays critical information about pitch and roll, altitude and air speed, along with other navigational data that gives pilots “situational awareness.”
        The helicopter flight display “in many ways is the same unit,” said Aspen marketing director Brad Hayden, who was in Oshkosh, Wis., for the annual AirVenture trade show, where the company made the official announcement about the new product.
       “It has many of the same connectors. There are particulars to helicopters, a lot has to do with vibration, of course. But as far as interfacing with the avionics ... we have the same philosophy with the helicopter market. Our goal is to work with what's already in your panel, which is a big advantage.”
       Aspen also announced that both Brazil and Canada have issued certifications for installation of the EFD1000 into airplanes registered in those countries. The approved model list in Brazil features more than 320 aircraft. Canada first certification is for installation into Diamond DA20 planes.
       

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