Sean Broderick's aviation career started in 1991, working for Airbus in Toulouse. His industry experience includes four years with an aviation consultancy, where he worked on the successful launch of a U.S. Part 121 carrier; 12 years with an airport association as a magazine editor and communications executive; and more than 15 years of full- and part-time work as a journalist, writing about air transport and business aviation. &nbsp;
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Writer

Sean Broderick

Astronautics Corp. of America's (Booth N3405) recent deal to provide its new connectivity platform to Airbus Helicopters is the latest, and arguably largest, step in the company's strategy to focus on the rotorcraft market. The deal, announced this past June, is expected to eventually lead to the Astronautics Air Ground Communications System (AGCS) being offered standard on all Airbus production helicopters, Astronautics president Chad Cundiff told AIN. A model-specific roll-out plan has not been announced.

 


"Airbus Helicopters had a vision of what they wanted to do, and we had a reputation from our work on the [Airbus] A400M," said Cundiff, whose firm provides the network server system for the Airbus military transport. "We were able to demonstrate that we were meeting the latest standards, both in data-management space and in cybersecurity."

 


The service will allow data to be moved on and off helicopters in flight and post-flight. An early focus is expected to be maintenance-related data that Airbus and operators can use for trend analysis, Cundiff said. Eventually, the system could be used to push information, such as navigation databases and software updates, onto aircraft.

 


Connectivity has been one of the company's two major focus areas in the last several years, he said. The other: "reinvigorating our display business."

 


On that front, the company is readying its RoadRunner electronic flight instrument (EFI) for certification and entry into service. Designed as a drop-in replacement for upgrading helicopter attitude direction and horizontal situation indicators to modern EFI system functionality, the system installs with "minimal" wiring changes, the company said. The RoadRunner’s 4.1- by 6.8-inch display weighs less than eight pounds.

 


"We're focused on doing two things: Getting better information to the pilots on helicopters, and getting them more connected," Cundiff noted.

 


While Astronautics offers products on fixed-wing platforms—it provides Boeing with electronic flight bags for the 787, for instance—he said the company's willingness to focus on helicopters presents major opportunities. "We like the helicopter space," Cundiff explained. "We feel like it's an underserved space. We feel that a lot of other providers are busy taking their fixed-wing products to the helicopter market and saying, 'good enough.'"

 


Recognizing the wide variation in helicopter operations, Astronautics works with customers to give them what they need, understanding that the same model helicopter is used for radically different missions: law enforcement, special operations and oil-and-gas exploration, among others. This is radically different than the notional passenger-aircraft fleet, which basically flies the same mission profile—moving people from point to point—for every operator.

 


"We're not afraid to tailor our solutions," he said.&nbsp;"There is a lot of interest in having partners in the helicopter market that get that mindset of needing to tailor a solution, and put in resources to get it done."

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