Helicopter operator Bristow Group and Appareo Systems, Fargo, N.D., obtained FAA supplemental type certification of the Aircraft Logging and Event Recording for Training and Safey (ALERTS) system on Bell 206 and 407 helicopters. ALERTS is described as the first low-cost, lightweight, fully integrated flight-data recording system designed for small and legacy aircraft.
The system includes an inertial sensor suite and a recorder capable of storing more than 100 hours of high-resolution flight data. Three-dimensional graphic flight replay and analysis software provide for detailed flight tracking and analysis, including automatic analysis of flight characteristics to determine if the pilot adheres to standard operating procedures during a flight. The system was jointly developed by Air Logistics, a Bristow subsidiary.
"The ALERTS system is a revolutionary technology that will help our company dramatically improve safety performance of our small aircraft, and this technology also has applications in medium-size helicopters," said Mike Suldo, Air Logistics president. "We believe this new technology will improve the safety of the overall industry. Consequently, we plan to sell it at a small margin above our cost so that any helicopter operator in the world will be able to afford the device."
Barry Batcheller, president and CEO of Appareo Systems, said ALERTS also can be configured for S-76, AS-350s EC-135 and other helicopters as well as light fixed-wing aircraft.