Esterline Showcases System Controllers

Esterline’s Mason product team is displaying its newest Harm’s Way Controllers (HaWC–pronounced “hawk”) this week at Farnborough International Airshow. The rugged controllers, which are shaped like PlayStation and Xbox gaming controllers, come in two different models: the InSight HaWC and the Mighty HaWC. Operators can stand at a distance while using the controllers to operate different devices, including cranes, weapons, pipelines crawlers, and more.

As a company focused on human-machine interface technology, Esterline Mason (Hall 1, Stand 1180) manufactures products including control wheels, throttle quadrants, rudders, and brake pedals. Esterline Mason president David Tessier told AIN that the company is doing well in the North American market and is trying to break into the European market. While Esterline does have some undisclosed European customers, the HaWCs are a way to break into the market while adding diversity to the company’s inventory.

The InSight HaWC and Mighty HaWC offer different options for users. The InSight, which was the first model created, does not have a display screen. It is primarily for users who have a direct line of sight to the object they are working around. Meanwhile, the Mighty features a 5.6-inch display on the controller. Within these series, there are three different configurations available: trigger versus joystick, palm buttons that must be held down to enable the controller, and a basic model without these features.

One of the reasons why the HaWCs are shaped like gaming controllers is because of ease and familiarity. “We’ve gotten positive feedback from our customers,” Tessier told AIN.  “People pick it up and within three minutes they know exactly what they’re doing. The HaWCs are efficient and the training is very minimal.”