Meggitt Avionics Launches Primary Flight Display With Piper Contract

NBAA '98
Ref: Piper.doc

Meggitt Avionics has achieved another milestone in its development with a contract to supply The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. with an integrated suite of avionics equipment for the Malibu Meridian.

One of the driving forces behind the design of the new Meridian was Piper's goal of minimising the pilot's workload while maximising the enjoyment of flying - aims which Meggitt Avionics solid-state displays and systems complemented perfectly.

The contract for Meggitt Avionics electronic displays and sensors is notable in that it represents a number of firsts for the company. It is Meggitt Avionics' first primary flight display contract and is the result of an intensive programme of product development designed to build on the company's market leading status within the field of electronic standby systems.

The Meridian is the first general aviation airframe on which solid-state avionics equipment has been fitted. It is also the first time that the advanced technology employed in the Meggitt Avionics Air Data, Attitude and Heading Reference Systems (ADAHRS) has been applied in a general aviation aircraft.

Meggitt Avionics' success in winning the contract is attributed, by The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. to the fact that the company offered both a unique solution and a track-record of performance that instilled confidence.

Speaking of the all new glass cockpit Piper's director of marketing and sales, Larry Bardon, said:

"Piper has teamed with three of the industry's most innovative suppliers to custom-design an avionics and instrumentation package... "Piper found that these suppliers are truly on the leading edge when it comes to electronic component systems with a proven track-record of bringing products to market on-time.

They have leapfrogged over the competition to get where they are today. Meggitt, with its work on sophisticated military aircraft and projects like Boeing's 7 series aircraft, has a proven ability in the field of advanced cockpit displays.

The system selected by Piper for the new Malibu Meridian is the most advanced avionics package to be offered in such an aircraft and the high demand already evident for the Meridian is a reflection of the benefits offered by such advanced technology.

Using the latest in Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD), the Meggitt Electronic Flight Display System (EFDS) provides pilots with the tools to make their flights more precise, more efficient and safer. The Meggitt EFDS includes:

• Primary Flight Display (PFD) : The PFD displays all the information necessary to fly the aircraft, receiving data from external sensors to monitor such critical elements as attitude, rate of climb, airspeed and heading.
• Navigation Display (ND) : The ND features all the required navigation modes, including compass rose, MAP and ARC. It receives data from aircraft systems including the GPS, radio receivers and heading system. It includes output for autopilot and controls for mode, heading and course direction.
• ADAHRS : This is an all solid-state and inertial sensing unit where electronic signals are processed to provide a total sensing package that delivers digital readouts of pitch and roll attitude, roll and yaw rates, altitude, rate of altitude change, airspeed and heading.

Meggitt Avionics' selection by The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. has been a result of its determination to achieve a class beating product by selecting industry leading systems manufacturers whose advanced technology and product track-record mirrors such ambitions.

For Meggitt Avionics the importance of the contract cannot be understated. The company has identified that its continued growth lies in extending the technological lead it has forged in standby instrumentation into fully integrated solid-state systems with a keen focus on primary systems.

ENDS

Editor's notes:

Meggitt Avionics has announced a string of notable developments recently.

In January of this year, Boeing Commercial Airplane Group selected Meggitt Avionics to supply its award winning Standby Instrumentation for a range of their '7 series' commercial airplanes, a contract estimated to be worth in excess of $100 million.

Last month the company announced contracts to supply standby Air Data and Inertial Sensing devices for the UH-1Y and AH-1Z helicopter programs and Standby Flight Display for the C11-47SD Chinook upgrade for export. These contracts represent the first instances of solid state standby instrumentation being selected for rotary wing aircraft.

For further information contact the Meggitt Booth (No1114), or contact:

Tim Cronin
Meggitt Avionics
10 Ammon Drive, Manchester, NH 03103-7406, USA
Tel: (603) 669 0940
Fax: (603) 669 0931
e-mail:avi@meggittavi.com

This and other Meggitt PLC press information, together with general company information can be found on the Meggitt web site www.meggitt.com