MICHAEL PHELAN / PARIS
Eurocopter is to offer the first spin-off technologies from its all- weather helicopter (AWH) demonstrators in early 2005. The EADS company aims to test an enhanced vision system on its two testbeds in the new year.
The AWH project, funded by the French and German governments since 1995, aims to develop the technologies required to allow all-weather operations at low level in instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions by 2010, including blind landings at unfamiliar sites.
Technologies being tested by the EADS company include GPS satellite navigation, three-dimensional digital terrain databases, and autopilot systems enabling steep approaches in IFR conditions. Situational awareness cockpit displays include side and forward terrain profile views, and a ground collision avoidance system.
Daniel Bouheret, Eurocopter AWH project manager, says the EADS Hellas helicopter laser radar system and the Amphitech Oasys radar obstacle awareness system are being considered for the terrain-mapping system, both of which produce colour-coded images of ground-based threats. An airborne collision avoidance system is also installed, linked to a display that indicates potential threats in red.
Night-vision goggles and infrared sensors are being considered for enhanced vision and guidance systems, since, says Eurocopter, "no reasonably priced radar solution is available today". The system is to be flight tested early next year.
Eurocopter flies two AWH demonstrators, an EC155B in France and an EC145 in Germany. Meanwhile, EADS is hoping to offer limited capability AWH features from early 2005.
Source: Flight International
