Thales To Provide Avionics for Sikorsky S-76D

Sikorsky's new S-76D twin-turbine helicopter, scheduled to enter service in 2008, will be equipped with Thales' TopDeck integrated modular avionics, according to the French electronics maker in an announcement made yesterday at the annual Helitech show in Cambridge, England. Thales said the S-76D contract marks the first time that it has been selected to supply a complete glass cockpit for a U.S. helicopter manufacturer. The TopDeck suite includes an automatic flight control system, four active matrix liquid crystal displays, a multifunction display, flight management system, flight data recorder and synthetic vision system. Other components of the S-76D include new composite main rotor blades, new "quiet tail rotor" and ice-protection system. The helicopter will be powered by the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210S, the first model in a new line of rotorcraft engines in the 1,000-shp class.