Avidyne Corporation of Melbourne, Florida, along with Innovative Solutions and Support (IS&S) of Exton, Pennsylvania, have announced the new Helix integrated flight deck for turbine class helicopters.

The Helix integrated flight deck is a joint initiative that combines IS&S's proven 10.4-inch flat-panel displays with Avidyne's Helios flight management systems to deliver significant new capabilities for operators looking to modernise their otherwise highly-capable legacy helicopters. Helix provides state-of-the-art avionics capabilities including large-format flat panel displays, 3D synthetic vision, electronic charts, ADS-B weather and traffic, and SBAS/LPV capability.

Helix features two or four IS&S 10 inch flat panel displays, which are self-contained smart display units (DU) with built-in symbol generators, offering superior performance with a high resolution XGA multi-colour active-matrix LCDs. The 6x8 inch viewing area (10.4” diagonal) provides enhanced readability, an 80 degree viewing angle, NVIS compliant display lighting and a non-glare, anti-reflective display surface. Helix systems feature two flat panel DUs for the pilot, one configured as primary flight display (PFD) and one as multifunction display and engine instrument display system (MFD/EIDS), with support an optional pair of DUs for the co-pilot. These versatile displays feature extensive I/O to accommodate retrofit into legacy aircraft with various engine, radar and other sensors.

Helix also features dual Avidyne Helios FMS systems, which are dzus-mount GPS/SBAS flight management systems that meet TSO-C146c for full GPS SBAS/LPV approach guidance, including easy-to-use flight planning, 'one-touch' departure, airway and arrival navigation, and Avidyne's innovative GeoFill waypoint nomination. Each Helios FMS features a full QWERTY-style keyboard along with touch screen 'hybrid touch' user interface that provides easy map panning and rubber-band flight plan editing. Other features of the Helios include integrated wireless connectivity to iPads for third-party apps including Foreflight or Avidyne's IFD100 app, 16w VHF comms, Jeppesen charts and airport diagrams, intuitive flight planning, video, Fuel flow, display of ADS-B In (FIS-B, TIS-B), moving map, synthetic vision and many more pilot-configurable options.

Pricing for a turn-key installation of the Helix flight deck system in the S-76C++ will be forthcoming pending completion of the integration and certification, which is expected later this year.

“Avidyne and ISandS have put together a solution that is designed and targeted to extend the life of the large number of legacy helicopters still in operation, including the S-76C++, the Blackhawk, the AW109 and more,” says John Talmadge, Avidyne's vice president of worldwide sales. “We are excited to be working alongside IS&S to develop Helix, which will give new life to these airframes at a cost that won't break the bank, and that provides operators a whole host of new capabilities while dramatically improving reliability and dispatchability.”

“Helix will provide an appropriately-priced upgrade with significant value over anything currently available in the market,” Talmadge adds.

“We are pleased to be working with Avidyne to bring the Helix flight deck to market and give these legacy helicopter operators a viable and affordable solution to keep them flying for years to come,” says Larry Riddle, IS&S's vice president of commercial sales and marketing. “With single- and dual-pilot configurations available, the affordable Helix system provides operators with fleet-wide commonality that can dramatically reduce training and maintenance costs as well.”