The Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) and the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigaton Board (STSB) have worked with RUAG to design, develop and integrate an STC featuring Night Vision Imaging Systems (NVIS) for the Airbus Helicopters H125.

Approved by EASA, the STC aims to maximise situational awareness for all mission flights, day or night. RUAG integrated the customised avionics package, NVIS and cockpit upgrade STC on two new H125s belonging to FOCA and STSB. The OEM delivered both aircraft directly to RUAG in Alpnach, Switzerland, from its production line in France.

“OEMs such as Airbus Helicopters rely on our comprehensive capabilities to provide customised solutions for their customers' helicopters,” explains RUAG team leader Claudio Zeiter. FOCA took delivery of the completed aircraft according to schedule.

A FOCA spokesperson says: “Our teams fly complex helicopter missions, day and night, to satisfy our mandate as first responders in aviation emergencies and investigations. To be successful, pilots, ground crew and the helicopter must all be integrated into a state-of-the-art environment that maximises situational awareness.

“Safety and mission effectiveness are paramount and rely heavily on our ability to accurately assess conditions at any given point in time. Including NVIS in our requirements is critical to achieving success. We are pleased to have partnered with RUAG on this project. Its helicopter specialists provided a complete package, precisely designed and integrated according to our objectives.”

The STC focuses on reducing cockpit workload, extending mission adaptability, enhancing aircraft versatility and minimising operational costs. In addition to NVIS, RUAG has integrated 15 different modification packages to the two new H125s, making them the most technologically advanced helicopters of their type. Tactical direction finders, interfaced to an advanced digital map computer, provide a complete mission system to improve tracking during demanding SAR missions, while an avionics package ensures clear and precise situational awareness.