Weekly News Summary - December 5, 2005

More details have emerged regarding Kollsman's new micro HUD (head-up display), its enhanced synthetic vision system, and new self-contained infrared camera, first reported here on November 26.

Kollsman's new micro HUD, called µ-ViS, which was developed in partnership with Kollsman's sister company, El-Op Electro-Optics Industries, uses a unique optical technology that eliminates the need for an overhead projection unit found in conventional HUDs. This doesn't mean µ-ViS can't be mounted overhead, however; instead, its compact packaging allows it to be installed either overhead, or on top of the instrument panel, in very small cockpits.

In any case, the µ-ViS HUD is designed to display both typical HUD symbologies, including guidance cues, and Kollsman's All Weather Window EVS (enhanced vision system) imagery from a special infrared sensor mounted in the aircraft's nose. Such a system would improve nighttime situational awareness and allow low-visibility instrument approach operations in accordance with FAR 91.175 (the regulation that governs landings and takeoffs under IFR).

Itzhak Hevrony, Kollsman's vice president of commercial aviation systems, says the simpler, smaller, and lighter design of the µ-ViS HUD makes it "a game changing technology." And with its ease of installation, and overhead or panel mount capability, the µ-ViS HUD "paves the way" for bringing EVS into smaller cockpits.

ESViS

Kollsman's ESViS (enhanced synthetic vision system) combines real-time imagery of EVS with the database information inherent in a SVS (synthetic vision system) to gain integrity assurance, and to provide images of moving objects on the ground, such as aircraft, vehicles or animals that are not visible with SVS. The integrity proof comes from the pilot's ability to ascertain visually, via EVS, that the SVS depiction is valid. For these reasons, Kollsman sees ESViS as complimenting its existing EVS, not replacing it.

Kollsman ESViS Head-Down Depiction

Source: Kollsman

ESViS is viewed on a head-down display, providing the pilot with a wide field-of-view of synthetic terrain and obstacles, integrated with EVS imagery in the center.

GAViS

Kollsman designed GAViS to give EVS capability to small fixed and rotary wing aircraft. It incorporates a new, self-contained infrared camera enclosed in an aerodynamic fairing for flexible installation options. It can be mounted like an antenna on the top or bottom of the aircraft, so it eliminates the certification complexities and additional installation costs of modified radomes or separate fairings. The SMPTE-170M (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers technical standard) analog video output and minimal control inputs allow GAViS to be interfaced with any video capable HUD or conventional head-down display.

The GAViS external fairing component is shown below.

Kollsman GAViS

Source: Kollsman

GAViS provides real time imagery of the outside scene in total darkness and some low visibility conditions to increase flight safety. For example, the optical illusion commonly know as the "the black hole effect", is eliminated with GAViS in the same way as the more capable Kollsman EVS.

These systems have been installed in Kollsman's Cessna 340 test aircraft to help validate their compatibility with multiple avionics products and to evaluate their operational use in flight. 12-04-2005. (Top)