Patria Aviation receives first EASA STC for Astronautics’ RoadRunner on Bell 212/412EP helicopters

Finland-based Patria Aviation has received European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) supplemental type certificate (STC) 10082814 for Astronautics’ AFI4700 RoadRunner electronic flight instrument (EFI) on Bell 212/412EP helicopters.

Astronautics’ RoadRunner EFI, combined with the Patria installation kit, is a retrofit for legacy attitude director indicators (ADIs) and horizontal situation indicators (HSIs), combining their dual functionality into one digital flight instrument.

Tuomo Jokisalo, Head of Airworthiness for Patria, said: “Helicopter operators in Europe and worldwide are facing issues with avionics obsolescence, evolving airspace requirements, and new navigation options based on global navigation satellite systems, all of which require upgrading the pilot avionics.

“The required navigation performance not only creates demands for the navigation system, but also for pilot guidance and indications that the analog legacy systems are not able to provide. This, combined with high reliability requirements in complex, radio-controlled flight in instrument flight rule and night-vision imaging system conditions, can only be met with the highest design assurance levels for both the software and hardware.

“Patria’s EASA-approved design organization is working with several customers to solve these problems, and it is our opinion that the most cost-effective way to answer the full scope of these requirements is with the Astronautics RoadRunner display system.”

Patria’s first installation of the RoadRunner EFI is on a Bell 412EP search and rescue (SAR) helicopter for the Finnish Border Guard (FBG), as part of an ongoing avionics modification program to upgrade the helicopter’s avionics, communication, and navigation capabilities.

Aymeric Larose, Astronautics’ Director of Business Development, added: “Not only will the RoadRunner modernize and extend the service life of the FBG Bell 412 SAR helicopter and others to follow, but it will also add needed capabilities that will decrease pilot workload and increase situational awareness.”

Approved for single-pilot instrument flight rules, the RoadRunner EFI retrofit enables localizer performance with guidance approaches and area navigation with capable GPS, while interfacing with multiple aircraft sensors.

The EFI gives operators readability in all lighting conditions, easy-to-use controls, reduced operating and maintenance costs, and minimal downtime for installation. The unit is upgradeable with field-loadable software. Synthetic vision and helicopter terrain awareness and warning systems are the next planned enhancements to the instrument.

Subaru Corporation announced an additional contract for two Subaru Bell 412EPXs, from Japan Coast Guard.