FAA approves Sikorsky S-61 glass cockpit installations from Vector Aerospace

Posted by John McHale
LANGLEY, British Columbia, 28 March 2011.Avionics installations from Vector Aerospace Helicopter Services-North America on the Sikorsky S-61L and S-61N series helicopters received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Amended Supplemental Type Certificate (STC), #SA1230AK-R STC; for an instrument flight rules (IFR) integrated cockpit display system (ICDS or glass cockpit) installation, and attitude and heading reference system (AHRS).
The system is certified for Dual Pilot Instrument Flight Rules; Category A and B operations.
The S-61 cockpit upgrade solution offers a variety of operator and pilot-focused improvements, says Phil Kemp, Vector Helicopter Services vice-president of structures and avionics sales. The system incorporates four Sagem avionics displays supporting the engine and caution systems; two Rockwell-Collins AHRS and primary function displays, and other state-of-the-art, flight critical avionics from Garmin, L-3 Communications, and Aerospace Optics.
The cockpit display system offers a more reliable and cost effective alternative to the more difficult to maintain legacy cockpit instrumentation; achieved by replacing the old instrumentation, sensors and gyros with digital, solid-state equipment, Kemp says. The light-weight cockpit installation also offers enhanced flight safety benefits through the integration of the latest situational awareness tools, and the capability to upgrade or modify the system to accommodate various operational requirements. In developing this latest version of the S61 glass cockpit solution, Vector Helicopter Services collaborated with Carson Helicopters, Rockwell-Collins, and Sagem Avionics, Inc.