EADS: First obstacle warning systems for helicopters delivered to the Federal Border Guard
Friedrichshafen, 07 November 2000
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More safety for the helicopter pilots of the Federal Border Guard, BGS: their new Eurocopter helicopters EC 135 and EC 155 will be equipped with the obstacle warning system "Hellas" developed by the EADS European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (Hellas: Helicopter Laser Radar). As part of the delivery of the first three EC 135 helicopters to the flying unit of the Federal Border Guard in Donauwörth, the Hellas system was also flight-tested on an EC 135 for the first time. In January 1999, Dornier GmbH, an EADS group company, had won the contract for the delivery of 25 Hellas systems for the new BGS helicopters. This was reported by Dornier GmbH on Tuesday in Friedrichshafen.
Dr. Stefan Zoller, CEO of Dornier GmbH and Head of the EADS Defence Electronics and Telecommunications Business Unit: "We are highly pleased that the new helicopters of the Federal Border Guard will be equipped with the most modern obstacle warning system currently available. The Hellas system delivered by our Airborne Systems unit is a major contribution to the safety of helicopter crews on their often dangerous missions and relief flights."
He continued that another step towards the introduction of the new obstacle warning system on the international market was the field testing currently underway at the Canadian Defence Research Establishment Valcartier in Quebec. There, the Hellas system would be flight-tested on Bell 206 helicopters for the Canadian armed forces, said Dr. Zoller.
The EADS Defence Electronics and Telecommunications Business Unit with its workforce of approximately 5000 employees operates plants in Friedrichshafen, Ulm and Munich-Unterschleißheim.
In view of the increasing number of helicopters and helicopter flights, active warning systems become increasingly important. For several years, Dornier has been working on the development of obstacle warning systems on the basis of an eye-safe laser radar. The Hellas warning system was successfully tested on different helicopter models (CH53, UH1D, Bk 117, EC 145) under diverse approach and visibility conditions until production standard was achieved. Optical and acoustic signals inform the pilot of en-route obstacles. In addition, the copilot has the possibility of obtaining more specific information from an integrated display in the cockpit. These digital map devices, also a Dornier development, show the obstacle information on a colour map.
EADS was formed from the merger of DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG, the French Aerospatiale Matra and the Spanish Construcciones Aeronáuticas (Casa), and is one of the world's three leading aerospace companies.
For further information:
Business Unit Defence Electronics and Telecommunications
Michael Hartwig, Tel:+49(0)7545 8-9124, Fax:-8-5888
