MDHI receives FAA approval for MD500E glass cockpit
MD Helicopters (MDHI) has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to install a new ‘slimline’ advanced glass cockpit on its MD500E helicopter
The glass cockpit will be installed on all new aircraft of this type, and MDHI has said that it will also install the cockpit on its training aircraft.
The company says that it offers ‘four inches of additional visibility on both sides of the instrument panel’ compared with the configuration it replaces.
The new cockpit features the Garmin G500H TXiTM dual touch-screen integrated display system, with screens serving as Primary Flight Display (PFD) and Multi-Function Display (MFD). The system also offers Helicopter Synthetic Vision Technology (HSVTTM) and Helicopter Terrain Awareness and Warning System (HTAWS) capabilities.
The cockpit also features dual Howell Instruments displays, which serve as the Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System (EICAS), a liquid crystal display Garmin GTNTM 650H for navigation and communication functions, and a moving map for airway and approach procedures.
“We have put considerable effort into listening to our customers these past two years; increasing visibility and field of view, and modernization of the cockpit was a common request,” said Jason Lindauer, Vice President Business Development and Aftermarket. “The slimline configuration received significant positive feedback at HAI Heli-Expo 2022, from every category of operator.”
MDHI filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 bankruptcy rules in late March 2022, with the intention of facilitating a quick sale to a Bardin Hill and MBIA Insurance-led consortium.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at AirMed&Rescue. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.