Cobham Audio Control Featured on Bell 429
When the first Bell 429 air medical helicopter to be commercially delivered reaches the Mercy One hospital-based EMS program in Des Moines, Iowa, next month it will have a Cobham Avionics digital audio-control system on board. The audio-control equipment–from the former Wulfsberg operation adjacent to Ernest A. Love Field airport in Prescott, Ariz.–was installed by the Air Methods products division in Colorado. Air Methods, which earned and owns the STC for the installation, operates the Mercy One air ambulance service. The Air Methods Bell 429 is on display here at Heli-Expo at the Bell helicopter booth (No. 132). Cobham Avionics is at Booth No. 4405.

Flight Data Monitoring Workshop on Monday
An introduction to Helicopter Flight Data Monitoring and an update on the International Helicopter Safety Team HFDM program will kick off a workshop that will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday in Room 330B. Other presentations will include an industry overview, HFDM information sharing, OEM perspective of HFDM programs, customers’ point-of-view of HFDM programs and operators’ experiences. Guest speakers will discuss simple steps to implement such a program and will share their experiences, resources and lessons learned. HFDM vendors and manufacturers will be available for questions and to provide information about their products.

Panalpina Heliship Shows Shipment Innovation
Panalpina Heliship, a helicopter logistics specialist (Booth No. 3225) recently assisted in designing a fourth-generation, folding shipping skid required to transport Sikorsky’s S-76 by Boeing 747 freighter. The Basel, Switzerland-based shipper describes its latest effort as “the strongest and most stable platform to date.” The folding feature reduces the foot print, allows for easier handling and permits use of regular wide-body air freight services when positioning and returning the skid. It is now available for rent by Panalpina Heliship customers. Also available for rent are complete S-92 load-out equipment kits, which are necessary to facilitate the shipment of S-92s by air charter and ocean freight.   

Barco Hightlights Thin-screen Mission Displays        
Barco, the Belgian airborne displays manufacturer, is at Heli-Expo (Booth No. 1600) to highlight the latest examples of its thin-screen mission displays designed for helicopter cabin environments. The AX and AL series of electronic displays are offered in screen sizes from 15 to 24 inches and are optimized for night and daylight video images, moving maps, computers and radar inputs. Their compact size simplifies instrument panel integration.

The new Barco displays feature touch-screen operation that can be performed with fingertips and gloves as well as a stylus. Also on display is a night-vision goggle training projector, which Barco says can prepare pilots for night missions with images as close to reality as possible.

Evergreen Teams with Avtrak            
Evergreen Helicopters, a division of Evergreen International Aviation, and Avtrak announced at Heli-Expo a multiyear agreement that provides Evergreen with Avtrak’s suite of maintenance-tracking, work-order management and inventory-control services. Evergreen, based in McMinnville, Ore., operates a fleet of more than 16 types of rotorcraft.

The agreement follows Avtrak’s investments in developing its products specifically to support the rotorcraft industry. Based in Littleton, Colo., Avtrak (Booth No. 3517) provides maintenance-tracking, consulting and logbook preservation services that currently support more than 4,000 corporate aircraft worldwide.

“We are excited to be selected by Evergreen as a partner in the support of their fleet,” said Avtrak president Glenn Hertzler.

Castleberry Shows Panel-mounted Attitude Gyro    
Castleberry Instruments and Avionics is featuring one of its latest product applications, a panel-mounted attitude gyro that also provides helicopter autopilot pitch and roll inputs. The new 900-23 gyro instrument can be seen at Booth No. 228, where Austin, Texas-based Castleberry will explain its use in the Cobham HeliSas helicopter stability augmentation and autopilot system. Castleberry also currently provides vacuum and electric gyros for autopilots bearing the S-TEC, Century and BendixKing brands.