Aspen Avionics has moved aggressively into the helicopter marketplace and is displaying its Evolution flight display glass cockpit systems in three helicopters at the Heli-Expo static display, a Schweizer 300C, Robinson R44 and Enstrom 480B. Aspen's Evolution systems include the EFD1000H pilot flight display (PFD) and moving-map MFD1000H and MFD500H multifunction displays (MFDs), with features designed specifically for helicopters, including a redesigned air data attitude heading reference system (ADAHRS).
“In 2009 we embarked on development to improve the core AHRS algorithms to address the dynamics of the helicopter market,” said Aspen co-founder and vice president of product development Peter Lyons. Aspen worked with a helicopter operator to flight test the new algorithms in a variety of dynamic maneuvers unique to helicopters, he said, and last year Aspen began selling the rotorcraft-specific variant of the fixed-wing PFD1000. The algorithms needed to be optimized for helicopter flight dynamics to ensure stable AHRS output during hover, transition to hover, quick acceleration to flying speeds and sideways flight, “making sure those maneuvers did not upset the AHRS solution,” he said. Other changes included new symbology and larger fonts on the HSI and tailoring terrain thresholds on the MFD for the helicopter operating environment. Aspen's helicopter displays also feature rotorcraft-specific vibration mounting.
