Becker Avionics ACU6100 Audio Control Unit
creased customer interest in keeping what they have and making it do more," says Elvis Moniz. He is VP of Operations with Vector Aerospace Heli- copter Services, a mainte- nance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility based in Langley, British Columbia. "As a result, we have done substantial avionics upgrades on Bell UH-1s and Siko- rsky S61s.” Fortunately for helicopter
owners, today's digital avionics make it possible for even the old- est helicopters to become more ca- pable and safer to fly. That's because virtually everything
that can be found in a new helicopter can be retrofitted into an older cockpit, including NAV systems, Terrain Aware- ness and Warning Systems (TAWS), night vision goggles and accompanying cabin modifications to reduce instrument light glare, and satellite-linked voice / data communications. "At Becker Avionics, we are seeing a
lot of demand for our certified DVCS6100 Digital Audio System from both rotary and fixed-wing customers," says Brett Gardner, Becker's Director of Sales & Marketing. "This is because the digital technology in the DVCS6100 system pro- vides cleaner, more intelligible audio and less wiring than older legacy analog inter- com systems-that many older aircraft were originally equipped with." As well, Becker's digital unit can support up to eight transceivers and eight receivers, compared to the maximum of four or five supported by most analog intercom sys- tems. "This [extra capacity] is especially crucial for special mission customers like airborne law enforcement, air medical services, ISR aircraft, and the military," he says. Even if the owner of an older helicopter
wants to stick with their original avionics, chances are that they may not be able to. "This is because the parts for a lot of 1970s-1980s platforms are getting rather expensive to maintain," explains Hardy Truelsen. He is Founder and Head of the
rotorcraftpro.com 33 Scandi- navian Avionics Group (The SA Group), which
has MRO facilities in Europe, Asia, and India. "As well, it can be difficult to in- tegrate a single piece of modern avionics with a legacy infrastructure. Sometimes it
makes sense to upgrade a num-
ber of subsystems, both to support new equipment and reduce the cost of ongoing maintenance." Adding digital equipment can also in-
crease payload, simply by reducing the aircraft's operational weight. For instance, modern glass cockpits are lighter to carry than their analog legacy equivalents.
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