Genesys Aerosystems has delivered its 1,000th HeliSAS stability augmentation system and two-axis autopilot. The milestone system was installed on an EMS-configured Airbus Helicopters EC130T2. The HeliSAS system was patented in 2006 and first certified in 2010 in the Bell 407. Since then, Genesys has added the Bell 206; Airbus Helicopters EC120B, EC130B4, EC130T2 (H130),and AS350 (H125); and Robinson R44 and R66 to its HeliSAS STC list.
The full-time HeliSAS system can return a helicopter to straight-and-level flight in the event of extreme attitude or loss of visual reference. The system features two-axis autopilot capabilities, such as lateral (GPS, VOR and LOC) and vertical modes (GPS VNAV, VS, ALT). The popularity of the system is “proof that the helicopter industry is recognizing the impact HeliSAS has on lowering helicopter accident rates,” said Jamie Luster, Genesys director of marketing and sales. More than 25 percent of HeliSAS deliveries are to helicopter EMS operators, Luster said.