MINERAL WELLS, Texas, 11 Nov. 2011. Engineers from the Cobham Commercial Systems Integrated Systems business unit and Carson Helicopters are partnering to provide advanced avionics for Sikorsky S-61, S-76, and UH-60 derivative helicopter retrofits, including an integrated flight deck with large-format synthetic vision flight displays, advanced flight management capability, integrated hazard alerting (terrain, traffic, and weather), dual audio/radio control units, dual VHF navigation and communication radios, dual automatic direction finding systems, a distance measuring system, an integrated audio/radio management unit, an aft-cabin audio control system, and an optional mission computer and display system. Additional features include geo-referenced hover vector display and a digital engine monitoring and crew alerting system with automatic, context-sensitive checklists for abnormal procedures.
Cobham staff, having certified synthetic vision and highway-in-the-sky navigation, delivers area navigation and approach capabilities that comply with the FAA’s NexGen 2020 airspace plan. Cobham’s primary flight display is certified for IFR helicopter operations.
Carson Helicopters is a provider of performance modifications and modernization options for Sikorsky heavy-lift helicopters, including composite main and tail rotors, upgraded engine/transmission options, and fuselage stretching/shortening.
“An S-61 with our performance modifications offers the best combination of payload, speed, range, and cost of any helicopter in the world,” says Frank Carson, owner of Carson Helicopters. “Adding Cobham’s advanced avionics dramatically reduces pilot workload, increases safety, and provides for future growth.”
This new avionics suite, which Carson will offer along with other performance modifications, will initially be certified on the Sikorsky S-61, followed by the S-76 and UH-60.
