Synthetic vision systems from Cobham to be used in Los Angeles Police Department helicopters

Posted By John McHale
MINERAL WELLS, Texas, 2 Feb. 2011. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) selected Cobham to supply synthetic visionelectronic flight instrument systems (EFIS) for its fleet of Eurocopter and Bell helicopters.
Cobham's fully-digital EFIS delivers precision and increased reliability for higher dispatch rates, lower operating costs, and reduced equipment maintenance expenses. The displays' lighter weight enables enhanced payload capabilities. Synthetic vision reduces pilot workload and fatigue for more confident command and control, and Cobham's field-updatable software allows new functionalities to be installed without replacing hardware components.
The LAPD rotorcraft will be retrofitted with Cobham's two-screen EFIS system, including: a primary flight display (PFD) and multi-function display (MFD), GPS receiver, integral helicopter terrain awareness and warning system (HTAWS), and an integral flight management system (FMS). Cobham's EFIS is night vision goggle-compatible and will integrate with the HeliSAS Autopilot and Stability Augmentation System, certification for which is expected in early 2011.
LAPD is operates a fleet of 19 patrol helicopters in the nation's second largest city.