Garmin announced three new products at the HAI Heli-Expo annual helicopter industry show which opened in Las Vegas, USA yesterday (26 February).
The new products are a new GFC 600H flight control system, G500H TXi touchscreen displays and G1000H NXi integrated flight deck.
GFC 600H flight control system
- Digital flight control solution to improve stability, efficiency and safety
- Standalone flight control system has superior integration potential with a variety of Garmin flight displays and navigation sources as well as third-party equipment
- Attitude-based flight control system with advanced AHRS technology and redundant, cross-checking sensors
- Includes helicopter-tailored safety features such as stability augmentation, underspeed and low speed protection, a dedicated return-to-level (LVL) mode, hover assist and Garmin H-ESP (Helicopter Electronic Stability and Protection)
- Available yaw axis “smart” servo supplements tail rotor pedal input by the pilot to help maintain heading and keep the helicopter in smooth, coordinated flight.
- Hover assist mode automatically detects a hover condition and provides flight control inputs to help maintain position over the ground. When equipped with the optional yaw axis control, the GFC 600H will also hold heading in hover.
Initial Supplemental Type Certification (STC) for the Airbus AS350 B2/B3 is expected in Q4 2018.
G500H TXi touchscreen displays for helicopters
- 10.6in and 7in LCD touchscreen glass cockpit solutions for helicopters
- Optional Garmin HSVT 3-D synthetic vision to help in dark night VFR conditions, Degraded Visibility Environments (DVE) or inadvertent IMC
- Optional Helicopter Terrain Awareness and Warning System (HTAWS)
- Interfaces with the new GFC 600H flight control system and offers full touchscreen system continuity with the GTN 650/7501 series navigators
- Optional night vision goggle (NVG) compatibility and multiple inputs for tail cam, FLIR or other optional camera displays on the MFD.
The G500H TXi flight display system is targeted for approval on several popular helicopter models in Q4 2018 with a starting MRSP of $23,495 for the 7-inch display and $27,495 for the 10.6-inch display.
G1000H NXi integrated flight deck system for helicopters
- Next-generation flight deck technology integrates virtually all avionics, bringing added processing power, high-resolution glass displays, split-screen capability and HSI mapping to helicopter flight systems
- Garmin HSVT 3-D synthetic vision with WireAware technology helps pilots see clearly in night VFR conditions or DVE
- Obstacle avoidance with optional HTAWS
- Visual approach generates a three-degree vertical path from the threshold of the runway down to pilot-selectable minimums
- Connext cockpit connectivity adds Database Concierge and flight plan transferring with a compatible tablet or smartphone.
