German Part 21J Design Organisation SPAES has performed a cockpit conversion on an Airbus Bo105 helicopter in partnership with its customer. In the first stage of the Bo105 conversion, SPAES integrated a Garmin 500H TXi system. This involved the removal of the existing analogue devices, which created new space and reduced weight. For primary navigation, the two GDU 700 flight displays were installed centrally in the pilots' field of view in the instrument console.

To optimise the cockpit layout, a Garmin GTN 750 COM/NAV/GPS was integrated on the pilot side and a GTN 650 on the co-pilot side. Additionally, a Garmin GTX 345R transponder with ADS-B out and a GRA 55 radar altimeter were installed and approved. All necessary digital and analogue navigation and communication information are now centrally transmitted to the screens.

“As the systems that were installed are from one manufacturer, all relevant information can be displayed centrally in the pilot's field of view, and thereby we can provide the crew with a modern and ergonomic cockpit. The integration of the Garmin systems into the Bo105 has created an optimal workstation for our customer's pilots,” says Joachim Schanz, CEO of SPAES.

The certification of the G500H TXi was carried out via a Major Change with the German Federal Aviation Office at SPAES in its own Design Organisation. System installation was carried out in the customer's own Part 145 facility. The other Garmin systems installed in the Bo105 were approved by Minor Change also through SPAES' Part 21J Design Organisation.