Adds Battery Backup Power To Trilogy Design
The FAA has granted TSO authorization to L-3 Avionics Systems
for the Trilogy ESI-2000 Electronic Standby Instrument with battery
backup, the company announced Thursday. L-3 says the instrument
uses lithium-ion technology to provide a minimum of one hour and up
to four hours of backup power if primary power is lost. Software
and Complex Electronic Hardware for both the ESI-2000 and the most
current version of its counterpart, the ESI-1000, were developed to
Design Assurance Level A, the highest safety standard acknowledged
by the FAA. The ESI-2000 is now available to order.
“Many of today’s aircraft are operated solely by
reference to electronically displayed flight information, which
significantly increases reliance on the electrical system,”
said Larry Riddle, vice president of business development for L-3
Avionics Systems. “The Trilogy ESI-2000 gives pilots
the clarity and precision they are accustomed to seeing on a
primary flight display, while also acting as a safeguard against
possible electrical failure. With the ability to operate
independently after a power loss, the ESI provides the information
the pilot needs to make a safe landing.”
L-3 designed the Trilogy ESI-2000 to be an advanced solid-state
standby instrument that makes the all-glass cockpit possible in
modern aircraft. By displaying attitude, altitude, airspeed and
optional heading data in a layout that mirrors most primary flight
displays, the company says the Trilogy ESI helps pilots quickly
transition their visual scan to a secondary display without
adjusting to the different look of analog equipment. Single-screen
backup flight information also saves weight and panel space by
replacing up to three standby instruments.
L-3 says a 3.7-inch backlit screen makes the ESI-2000 clearly
visible in daylight conditions as well as in a dark cockpit. And
with an integrated air data computer, solid-state attitude sensor
and optional external magnetometer, the unit is insulated from
potential failures in the aircraft’s primary systems. The
ESI-2000’s four-button pilot interface, automatic brightness
control and dimensions matching the standard 3-ATI mounting cutout
make it easy to operate and install. Once activated, the ESI-2000
is typically aligned and ready for flight in less than two
minutes.
L-3 Trilogy Backup
Other enhancements available in both the ESI-1000 and ESI-2000
include an on-screen slip/skid indicator, which helps pilots stay
coordinated without referring to other instruments in a dark
cockpit, and a pop-up metric window, which facilitates quick
altitude conversions during international flights, according
to the company.
Emergency operation of the Trilogy ESI-2000 is achieved through
the use of high-energy density lithiumion technology. Favorable
self-discharge characteristics allow the battery to maintain a
charge over long periods of disuse with little to no energy loss,
while its excellent power-to-weight ratio provides high output with
minimal added mass. L-3 says the ESI is expected to supply usable
flight data for up to four hours on battery power, depending on
temperature exposure. Following emergency use, the battery is
recharged by the aircraft’s electrical system with no need
for removal or inspection. The battery’s maximum capacity is
monitored by the ESI computer, which will notify the pilot when
replacement is necessary.
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