Innovative Avionics

Eurocopter sets the new standard for modern cockpits

Eurocopter is currently showcasing its innovative modular avionics suite on two of its newest products at Heli-Expo. Designed and owned exclusively by Eurocopter, the avionics has been flying on EC175 prototypes since 2009, and is also fitted on the brand-new EC145 T2.

With increased safety, mission capacity and cost-effectiveness in mind, Eurocopter designed the avionics suite to incorporates three to four large primary displays and an enhanced human-machine interface (HMI) based on the EC145’s proven HMI. This solution enables pilots to cope with the most demanding helicopter operations and environmental constraints with unique built-in redundancies.

Everything about the avionics suite has been designed to allow pilots to place their attention on the mission ahead of them: For example, all flight management parameters are displayed on a single flight and navigation display (FND) in order to enhance pilots’ situational awareness. Its unrivalled digital four-axis automatic flight control system (AFCS) drastically reduces pilot workload and also provides a unique flight envelope protection. An innovative crew alert system means that the crew does not have to spend its time monitoring the vehicle’s parameters. What’s more, the avionics boasts a unique built-in test capacity to provide first-rate pilot assistance for failures, emergency management and troubleshooting.  

Eurocopter expects to deliver the avionics suite on the first EC175 in 2012 and the first EC145 T2 in 2013.