Bell 212, 412 and 412EP operators now have FAA STC approval to install Max-Viz’s EVS-1000 enhanced vision system. The certification allows the more than 200 U.S.-registered Bell 212s and 412s to be fitted with EVS, which offers crews improved situational awareness at night and in poor visibility.

Erlanger Health Systems of Chattanooga, Tenn., is one of the first operators to install the EVS in its Bell helicopters. “For the first time we can see what is below us at night as we transport emergency patients,” said Steve Straughen, director of the Erlanger Life Force operation. “The Max-Viz system gives us a clear picture of the terrain throughout our operating area, from the mountains to the valleys. It allows us to clearly see fields, ridges, bodies of water and roads.”

The EVS-1000 sensor is located on the helicopter’s belly between the skid and the center line. Its viewing angle can be manually adjusted to suit the crew or type of operation. The display is positioned at eye level above the main instrument panel on a hinged bracket, and it can be viewed by either crewmember.

Certification of the Max-Viz system is pending for the Sikorsky S-76, and the company expects that to be secured by this summer. A similar system is now a factory option for the Cessna Citation X and Sovereign.