Mid-Continent's Lifesaver Could do Just That

Mid-Continent's Lifesaver Could do Just That

In the engineering department at Mid-Continent Instruments there is a plaque that has a quote by Albert Einstein. It says, "Imagination is more important than knowledge." This philosophy seems to blend well with the high-tech world of avionics and has served Mid-Continent well. "We always have new products in development. We try to introduce one or two new products a year," said Ron Schneider, director of operations.

Last year the company introduced the Lifesaver attitude indicator that can be used as a primary or standby artificial horizon. This attitude indicator's unique feature is its patented self-contained battery backup. The unit provides up to one hour of emergency attitude reference, even if every other system in the aircraft's avionics panel fails. It is lightweight, weighing in at just 3.7 pounds. Other backup systems available are heavier, some weighing as much as 16 pounds, only provide 30 minutes of backup power, and are not fully automatic. In addition, the Lifesaver's service life is 7,500 hours, more than double its nearest backup system competition. OEMs such as Piper, Mooney, Raytheon Aircraft, and others are offering the Lifesaver as an option on their aircraft.

"No other attitude indicator offers this kind of security, convenience, and cost-benefit. It's a first for the industry," said Todd Winter, president, Mid-Continent Instruments. He added, "The Lifesaver has been tested and recommended by Garmin as the perfect complement to its innovative G1000 integrated avionics system."

The company allows the display of the instrument to be customized. The tilt, voltage, presentation, and lighting can be matched to existing instrument/EFIS displays at no extra charge. Retrofit of any aircraft is minimal with installation as simple as hooking up one standard four-pin connector.

"Our clientele are the avionics and maintenance shops.

We don't deal with the end customer of the aircraft," said Schneider. Bruce Grammon, avionics manager, added, "The owners of this company, John and Todd Winter, believe that when a customer calls, they need to be taken care of right that minute, and they trust us to take care of the customer, whatever it takes." -- By Joy Finnegan

TAS Installing EVS on Challengers

Total Aircraft Services (TAS), an engineering consulting firm located at the Van Nuys Airport in Van Nuys, California, has obtained a supplemental type certificate for installation of the Enhanced Vision System (EVS-1000) on the Challenger family of aircraft.

The EVS-1000 is a camera, developed by Max-Viz of Portland, Oregon, that uses uncooled infrared sensor technology to provide real-time video that can improve a flight crew's situational awareness. It accomplishes this by providing visuals of runways, terrain, and potential obstacles on the ground or in flight.

TAS has designed and marketed the installation as a kit, the TAS EVS Installation Kit. This kit is designed for retrofit and it has everything needed to complete the turnkey system, including the sheet metal bracketry, camera fairing, wiring, relays, circuit breaker, annunciating switch, clamps, specialty hardware, and STC paperwork. Cost (depending on options) is approximately $130,000 for the installed, working system.

The Challenger mod is fairly easy to accomplish, according to Bo Alksninis, TAS director of marketing. "The top leading edge fairing tip cap is removed," he said, "and modified with some sheetmetal bracketry to mount the sensor and its associated power supply." A lift is required for technicians to reach the top of the vertical stabilizer but the mod is accomplished on the bench. "We provide a special fixture that helps with the tip modification" he said. "It locates the hole that needs to be cut in the fairing and supports the bracketry during the installation." The sensor (IR camera) is adjusted and checked before the fasteners are drilled in the support cradle.

"The wiring installation consumes most of the installation time," he added. Wiring is run down the leading edge through the existing conduits into the aft compartment to some existing feed-throughs on the lower pressure bulkhead and into the under-floor area of the cabin baggage compartment. From there the wiring is run into the cabin above the floor, to the right side of the baggage compartment and forward behind the right cabin drinkledges/sidewalls.

"We provide a length of conduit that can be installed behind the typical right-hand aft lavatory, allowing wires to be run without having to remove the lavatory. Once past the wing, wires are run back under the floor into the E-bay and then back up into the cockpit," said Alksninis.

The basic STC provides for a right-side LCD monitor that mounts with sheet metal parts in the cockpit. "Overall the installation requires between 120 and 150 man-hours and can be accomplished with a good crew in as little as three days of downtime," he said.

"Increased situational awareness provided by our EVS installation provides a tremendous safety benefit to the crew, the airplane, and the passengers," said Stan Fisher, president of TAS.

"It is a terrific safety enhancement that provides additional situational awareness to the crew when visibility is reduced due to smoke, haze, darkness, or weather," Alksninis added. "We see it as a low-cost insurance." -- By Joy Finnegan

Avionics Have Inspection Requirements, Too

January 20, 2005. That was the date for implementation of domestic RVSM (reduced vertical separation minimums). If you are a FAR 135 operator of turbojet equipment, this will have significant impact on your costs because without RVSM approval, you may not operate above Flight Level 290 (29,000 feet). The extra fuel burn will make you uncompetitive with those who have their act together and applied early. Conversely, if your aircraft are approved, you can sit back and watch some of your competitors drop out of the game.

For the nine seat or less operators without an approved aircraft inspection program (AAIP), this brings an extra measure of concern; without the AAIP, you have nowhere to place the additional maintenance requirements for your newly-required avionics. Actually, if you recently installed an ELT, that's cause for you to have an AAIP right there, RVSM or not.

The need for an AAIP is largely driven by the installation of aftermarket equipment in the aircraft, most notably avionics. Whether installed under a supplemental type certificate (STC) or a field approval, the installation, if performed since 1996, has included its own maintenance program requirements (instructions for continued airworthiness, or ICA) with the STC or field approval documentation. As the aircraft operator, you are obligated to comply with the ICAs of any such installations, as part of your overall maintenance program.

Are you a Part 135 nine or less operator? Did you install an ELT on a field approval or STC within the last few years? Are you maintaining your aircraft on an AAIP? If you can answer yes to all the preceding questions, you are on the cutting edge and can probably stand up to a ramp check anywhere. If, on the other hand, you have aftermarket installations and are operating on the aircraft manufacturer's recommended maintenance program, don't leave the door unlocked when visiting airports outside your own FAA FSDO's area. A ramp check could be a real inconvenience.

If you prefer to operate to higher standards than the bare minimums specified by the FAA regulations, the AAIP solution is not necessarily costly or time consuming. Some AAIPs consist of only one or two pages. Your major references will be the manufacturer's program, plus your ICAs and any applicable airworthiness directives.

The first step is to call your principal avionics inspector and set up an informal conference. You'll find this person to be a wealth of otherwise untapped information. At this meeting, you'll find out whether your FSDO will even look at, never mind encourage, an AAIP application. (News bulletin: FSDOs are not totally standardized!)

Assuming that you passed that first low hurdle, the rest is a walk in the park. Inventory your 337s, field approvals, and STCs. Integrate the tasks and time limits with your current inspection program. Add whatever else your PAI suggests (including the RVSM ACIs, if applicable) and submit the package through him or your PMI. Between the two of them, you should have your approved program in short order. You will have also demonstrated a proactive approach that can't hurt you later if you have an enforcement incident.

Major manufacturers that offer computer tracking of maintenance programs and aftermarket program trackers like CAMP Systems and AvTrak are more than happy to include your AAIP tracking requirements in their programs. This keeps your inspection requirements from falling through the cracks and could save you in FAA fines far more than their tracking fees.

An avionics-driven AAIP is logical for any nine or less 135 operator. It enhances maintenance tracking ability, minimizes paperwork fines, and gives pride of ownership for the operator. As Wilfred Brimley says in the oatmeal ads, "It's just the right thing to do." -- By Howard Fuller, A&P 1695670 IA