Story ID: 
Cobham HeliSAS Earns TSO 
By: Stephen Pope
Caption: The FAA has issued a technical standard order to Cobham for its HeliSAS stability-and-

augmentation/autopilot system.
Word Count: 122
The FAA has issued a technical standard order to Cobham for its HeliSAS stability-and-augmentation/autopilot system. The two-axis HeliSAS autopilot is designed to reduce pilot workload by assisting with helicopter stability while also providing autopilot altitude hold, heading select and navigation sensor coupling. Cobham holds a supplemental type certificate for installation of HeliSAS in the Robinson R44. The company, based in Mineral Wells, Texas, is developing additional STCs for the Bell 206, 407 and U.S. Navy TH-57 and Eurocopter AS350. Cobham’s autopilot development team includes employees from S-Tec and Chelton Flight Systems. Both companies were acquired as part of a strategy to expand Cobham’s market reach in aviation. Part of that plan has involved development of new avionics systems for helicopters.