Story ID: 
MDHI adds Chelton EFIS to light helos
By: AIN Staff
Caption: MD Helicopters has chosen Chelton Flight Systems to supply the EFIS cockpit for its light single helicopters.
Word Count: 243
MD Helicopters has chosen Chelton Flight Systems to supply the EFIS cockpit for its light single helicopters. Beginning late next year, the helicopters will be available with factory-installed dual Chelton EFIS displays, a solid-state AHRS (attitude heading reference system), an air-data computer and a GPS/WAAS (wide-area augmentation system) receiver.

The system also features a synthetic-vision primary flight display, dual integrated flight management systems, Class-A or -B helicopter TAWS (terrain awareness and warning system), a master caution voice warning system, HITS (highway-in-the-sky) navigation, a digital flight recorder and Chelton’s proprietary hover-vector display. The system is night-vision-goggle friendly.

“This is an example of market prediction,” said Gordon Pratt, president of Chelton Flight Systems. “For example, the NTSB is calling for a TAWS mandate in medevac helicopters. Any helicopter with a Chelton EFIS will meet a TAWS mandate set forth in the future as well as protect the crews today.”

Chelton Flight Systems, based in Boise, Idaho, is part of the UK’s Cobham. The company is working with Heritage Aviation in Grand Prairie, Texas, to gain STC approval for Chelton EFIS retrofits on all existing MD light singles (MD 520N, MD 500E, MD 530F and MD 600N). 

The twin-engine MD Explorer is flying with a four-screen Chelton EFIS, and MD Helicopters plans to offer the system in VFR or IFR kit configurations in the model.