before Universal Avionics’ EFI-890H Flat Panel Displays are the center point for this Bell 212 cockpit makeover
Avionics Upgrades Breathe New Life into Old Birds
Article by James Careless
copter cockpit experiences a lot of wear and tear. Add analog 'steam gauge' dis- plays, and the result can be a visually shabby, technologically-obsolete cockpit that can compel all but the hardiest of hel- icopter enthusiasts to pay more for brand new aircraft - even if the older model still has lots of life in it! Universal Avionics Systems Corpora-
T
tion (UASC) in Tucson, Arizona was faced with such a Bell 212 cockpit. With the design help of Maxcraft Avionics, one of UASC's authorized dealers, Universal Avionics swapped out the old analog avionics with new, more capable digital units, and installed new features such as
32 August 2013
he Bell 212 Twin Huey is a ven- erable rotorcraft, with 45 years of history under its blades. Un- fortunately, a decades-old heli-
navigation assistance, virtual ground dis- plays and an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB); all of which were unheard of 20 years ago. The totally revamped avionics suite was based around four Universal Avionics EFI- 890H Flat Panel Displays / Controls and a Vision-1R Synthetic Vision System that provides increased situational awareness to the flight crew. Add a cleaned-up con- sole, seats, and floor-mounted equipment, and this Bell 212 was reborn as a modern helicopter - one capable of commanding respect and a decent price in today's resale market. "We are seeing a lot of demand for
avionics refits in older helicopters such as the Bell 212, Sikorsky S-76 and AgustaWestland A109," says Grady Dees, Universal's Director of Technical Sales. "People are really interested in breathing
new life into these older machines."
THE CASE FOR AVIONICS UPGRADES Even with the very best in avionics up-
grades, an older helicopter is still not the same as a new helicopter. Advances in en- gine and airframe design have occurred over the years, and those advances are re- flected in the superior performance of the newest helicopters. This said, the global financial crisis that
started in 2007 -- and which still echoes throughout world markets today - made getting the most out of older helicopters a priority to cash-strapped owners and op- erators. "Since the crisis hit, we have seen a de- cline in new helicopter sales, and in-
after
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