Avionics
Cobham HeliSAS Brings Viable Autopilot to Light Helicopters
Cobham HeliSAS Brings Viable Autopilot to Light Helicopters
Cobham HeliSAS
Cobham HeliSAS

Bill Antwerp of Gaffney, S.C., owns and flies a pristine Bell 407 with a newly installed Cobham HeliSAS stability and augmentation system and autopilot. With another pilot, he flew his helicopter from his home in South Carolina to Las Vegas for Heli-Expo ’13. At his first fuel stop, he texted Jamie Luster, director of sales and marketing of Cobham Avionics in Mineral Wells, Texas, saying, “I love the autopilot.”

Antwerp’s 407 is serving as Cobham’s HeliSAS demonstrator here, flying out of North Las Vegas Airport. Frank King, a retired LAPD pilot and experienced Bell 407 pilot, is conducting the demo flights. He had never flown with HeliSAS before he flew with Antwerp on the Sunday before Heli-Expo. Even though Antwerp’s insurance company had already vetted King, Antwerp wanted to fly with him, too. “It is my helicopter,” he told AIN.

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