Honeywell is developing Integrated Primary Flight Display (IPFD) synthetic vision technology for helicopters to enhance flight safety by improving situational awareness and reducing pilot workload. IPFD uses advanced computing power to provide easy-to-understand, three-dimensional graphic displays of surrounding terrain and obstacles, regardless of outside conditions. “Poor visibility, loss of horizon, uncontrolled drift and windy conditions are just a few of the factors that contribute to helicopter accidents,” said Honeywell Vice President of Commercial and Military Helicopters Vicki Panhuise. Our ambient, natural and continuous synthetic vision technology is going to reduce the need for pilots to frequently scan and cross-check indicators on instrument panels, allowing them to focus on safely flying the aircraft. Honeywell said it integrated display will replicate the view from the helicopters windshield on a clear day and overlay the terrain image with flight symbols including icons indicating the aircrafts planned flight path, vertical acceleration, radio altitude and potential landing zones. Additional display features include various colors and terrain shading for different altitudes, obstacle identification, distance-marking range rings, wind vector identification and a top-down aircraft display. Honeywell plans to market its IPFD technology by 2010.
