Story ID: 389
StandardAero To Begin StableLight Autopilot Installs
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: The autopilot is based on Thales' Compact Autopilot System for the Airbus H125
Word Count: 152
In June, StandardAero, in partnership with Thales, will start providing kits and installations of the four-axis StableLight autopilot for the Airbus Helicopters H125. The StableLight autopilot is based on Thales’ compact autopilot system.
“StableLight brings transport category autopilot capabilities to this light helicopter,” according to Neena Gill, v-p and general manager for StandardAero’s helicopters business unit. “Most importantly, it improves safety with its built-in safety features that can help to mitigate inflight risks like inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions and controlled flight into terrain, while reducing pilot workload and fatigue during normal operations.”
The StableLight autopilot incorporates stability augmentation without feedback in the flight controls, according to StandardAero. Features include stabilized climb flight attitude recovery, auto pull-up terrain avoidance, auto hover, and other typical helicopter autopilot modes. The mode controller is a Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics Flex MD23 2-inch instrument but customized for the H125 application.