Chelton Lets Pilots Mark Flight-Path Hazards

Users of Chelton Flight Systems FlightLogic system can now load their own information on obstacles and obstructions in the system’s database. The Boise, Idaho-based avionics manufacturer this month began shipping the software for this utility, which supports the database for the glass cockpit’s synthetic-vision and terrain awareness and warning systems. It permits pilots to enter the location and height of hazards to a safe flight path that may not be in “traditional” hazard databases yet—or at all. In the United States, for instance, many cellular telephone towers top off at 190 ft, just below the 200-ft height that requires reporting to and approval from the FAA. The utility should be particularly helpful for operators in region where hazard databases are less reliable than those in North America. The first user is a foreign military training customer with a fleet of Chelton-equipped helicopters that has cell towers in its training areas. For related news