EuroAvionics is demonstrating Euronav 7, the latest version of its situational awareness and mission management system, here at Heli-Expo (Booth No. 6020). Targeting professional operators, the Stuttgart, Germany-based equipment manufacturer is offering moving map systems that can superimpose other data onto the map. Approximately 1,700 Euronav systems are installed, according to the company.
Euronav 7 features a dual-head-processor unit, enabling two independent maps to be displayed simultaneously. “In a police helicopter, the pilot can display a navigation map while the mission operator can watch a particular street,” explained Thomas Latacz, head of sales. The crewmembers still share a common database for waypoints.
It was designed using a modular architecture. As a result, the system can be installed using less equipment and wiring. Operators can buy modules separately and even can design one in cooperation with EuroAvionics. “We do not provide the display itself, only the map computer,” Latacz said.
Euronav’s end users “don't just go from A to B, they have a mission between A and B,” as Latacz put it, flying EMS, search and rescue, law enforcement, offshore or firefighting operations. EuroAvionics also has military customers and sells systems directly to operators and through helicopter manufacturers.
German air rescue organization DRF Luftrettung uses Euronav for its aircraft. “Crews use satcom texting to inform ground stations about the status of the helicopter,” Latacz said. A dispatcher can then request the crew, if available, to divert to an accident site. The dispatcher sends the coordinates, and the crew hits the “direct to” button.
Euronav is also installed on the U.S. Army’s UH-72A Lakota, on the mission console in the cockpit. The system is connected to the camera and the navigation system, Latacz said.
Other helicopter models that carry Euronav installations include the Eurocopter EC135, EC145, Dauphin and Super Puma families, as well as the AgustaWestland AW109 and AW139. Sikorsky and Russian Helicopters have Euronavs in service on some of their helicopters.
The Euronav system can be retrofitted or installed as a stand-alone unit. A retrofit will be more complex if the system is deeply integrated into the aircraft. EuroAvionics’ technicians are skilled in connecting Euronav with other systems. Inputs can come from TCAS, weather radar, FMS or camera systems. Various man-machine interfaces are available, such as a conventional keyboard, trackball, joystick or touchscreen, which is used on the Lakota installation.
