Astronautics Corporation of America has been chosen to support the Royal Norwegian Air Force’s (RNoAF) Bell 412 aircraft fleet upgrade programme.
As part of this, the company is providing 32 RoadRunner electronic flight instruments (EFIs) to Patria Helicopters.
Go deeper with GlobalData
The Norwegian Defence Material Agency (NDMA) contracted Kongsberg Aviation Maintenance Services (KAMS) for the upgrade programme, with Patria Helicopters acting as a subcontractor responsible for aircraft modification and certification.
In 2024, KAMS received a contract from the NDMA to upgrade the Bell 412 helicopters, which involves a two-stage enhancement plan.
Each RNoAF Bell 412 cockpit will be retrofitted with two of Astronautics’ RoadRunner EFIs, one for the pilot and another for the co-pilot.
The RoadRunner EFI is a form-fit solution designed to replace legacy attitude director indicators (ADIs) and horizontal situation indicators (HSIs), integrating both instruments’ functionalities into a single modern digital flight instrument, stated Astronautics.
The EFI is engineered to address avionics obsolescence and introduce new capabilities such as global navigation satellite system-based navigation options and pilot guidance that are not present in the older analogue systems, the company noted.
The upgrade also aims to reduce repair and maintenance costs associated with legacy instruments while enhancing safety and situational awareness.
Additional features of the RoadRunner EFI include compliance with night vision imaging system standards, support for localiser performance with vertical guidance approaches, and area navigation with GPS.
Although initially targeting B412/212 and AW-109/119 helicopter models, the EFIs have also been installed on various other platforms, including the CASA 212, UH-60L, C-130T, and T-38A/B aircraft.
Patria Helicopters, a Bell-authorised Service Center, operates out of Stockholm-Arlanda International Airport.
