Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics today announced that the company’s MD302 Standby Attitude Module (SAM(R)) is being offered as the digital standby display in the Bell Helicopter 407GX, Enstrom Helicopter 480B-G, and the MD Helicopters MD900 Explorer.
“SAM was a reliable and robust solution for our standby instrument need. The clean design and the ability to mount it vertically to fit our panel are distinct advantages,” said Bill Taylor, Enstrom’s director of engineering and chief test pilot. “We also found Mid-Continent very responsive and excellent to work with. When we considered the cost, the functionality, and the people behind the product, the SAM became our first choice.”
SAM is the first digital standby to provide attitude, altitude, airspeed, slip, vertical trend, and interfaced heading information in an advanced 2-inch format. The high-definition, two-screen display compliments the flight deck and provides a seamless transition from the primary flight displays to the standby display during an emergency situation.
Weighing 1.6 pounds, the compact, self-contained device offers selectable horizontal and vertical orientation, allowing flexible cockpit installation. SAM fits in less panel space than a standard set of 2- or 3-inch mechanical instruments, and the built-in battery provides over one hour of emergency power in the case of electrical failure on the aircraft.
“SAM’s flexible orientation and compact size have proven to be a tremendous benefit to the rotorcraft market,” said Tom Genovese, director of sales for Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics. “We are excited and very proud that SAM has been selected by such highly respected helicopter manufacturers. Bell, Enstrom, and MD Helicopters’ customers, worldwide, will benefit from the added safety this standby offers.”
SAM is Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Technical Standard Order (TSO) certified to C2d, C3e, C4c, C10b, C106 and C179a, including RTCA DO-178B and DO-254 Design Assurance Level A. SAM is available for aftermarket installation with a series of Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) for Part 23, Part 25 and Part 27 aircraft.
