Rockwell Collins (Booth C1731), long established with positions on a variety of military helicopter platforms, is looking to leverage its experience and the addition of B/E Aerospace's product lines to expand its reach and spotlight its civil capabilities.
One area that's helping drive synergies is the company's Fischer Seats division, said Dan Toy, Collins's strategic marketing manager for Rotary Wing Solutions. Already well known in the helicopter world thanks to its forward-fit positions for flight deck and cabin seating, Fischer's products are being brought to the table on upgrades and retrofit opportunities, particularly in the military and public-use arenas.
"Fischer has a very solid position almost all of the major OEMs on forward-fit," said Toy. "We're starting to see a lot of opportunity to bring that over to the military and the parapublic customers."
Similar opportunity is available in the lighting, cabin management, and power-systems businesses. B/E Aerospace's 2014 purchase of Emteq brought those capabilities into the interiors specialist's portfolio. Collins's acquisition of B/E Aerospace expands those opportunities by opening up new markets, notably on the military side, and connecting the capabilities to its legacy product lines, such as avionics and connectivity.
Another fruitful area: upgrades on parapublic aircraft, such as law-enforcement helicopters that also serve special missions, such as search and rescue. The variety of products needed for the array of missions—from synthetic vision systems to lighting kits for multiple roles—lends itself to Collins's broadening portfolio.
"What we're able to do from a Rockwell Collins standpoint is bring all of this together in one place," Toy said. "It's more one-stop shopping."
While branching out from its traditional product lines is one focus, Collins is not taking its eye off of its legacy business lines. The company's presence at HAI includes its new retrofit cockpit display system aimed at medium and heavy-lift helicopters. The system builds on Collins's vast experience as a forward-fit supplier for the OEMs for heavy and medium helicopters, including the Sikorsky S-92 and S-76D, Airbus Helicopters H225 and H155, and Leonardo AW169 and AW189.