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StandardAero FAA cert for Bell 212 glass cockpit upgrade
March 7, 2019 By Helicopters Staff
StandardAero received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification of a new glass cockpit upgrade for the Bell 212 helicopter, available for both VFR and IFR operations. The upgrade features Universal Avionics EFI-890H Advanced Flight Displays, which can be integrated with legacy Honeywell and Bell autopilot systems.
The first installation of this new Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) was accomplished in cooperation with Bell Customer Service Facility, Alpine Aerotech, and their launch customer. This new glass cockpit solution is now also being made available to other Bell 212 operators seeking to update their aircraft.
“Working together allowed us to provide a complete upgrade in the cockpit and the aircraft simultaneously, providing a truly modernized aircraft,” said Jeff Denomme, president of Alpine Aerotech.
In addition to the installation of two Universal Avionics Advanced Flight Displays, the STC also includes incorporation of dual, large format Garmin GTN 750 touchscreen navigators offering NAV/COM/GPS/HTAWS/ADS-B capability.
StandardAero explains aging and heavy Tarsyn gyros are replaced with the Rockwell Collins AHC-1000 Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS). The company explains this upgrade allows operators of the Bell 212 to modernize their fleet with a low-cost solution that not only can extend the usefulness of their aircraft for years to come, but also improves safety by alleviating pilot workload and fatigue.
“We are excited to bring yet another advanced technological retrofit solution to the market, specifically supporting those operators using the Bell 212 to perform important firefighting, search and rescue, offshore and utility missions day in and day out,” said Elvis Moniz, StandardAero’s VP of business development for Airframes & Avionics.
StandardAero describes itself as being among the first to develop fully integrated and certified IFR-compatible retrofit solutions such as those developed for the Bell UH-1H, Bell 212S, Bell 205, Bell 206, Bell 407, Sikorsky S-76, Sikorsky S-61 and Nuri, Airbus AS350 and Airbus AS355. StandardAero has performed more than 500 glass cockpit installations on rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft.
