Includes 3-D Terrain And Obstacles Rendering

The battle has been joined in the quest to bring synthetic vision capabilities into the cockpits of general aviation aircraft. L-3 Avionics Systems announced Monday at AirVenture 2008 the addition of Synthetic Vision to its SmartDeck Integrated Flight Controls and Display System.

Synthetic Vision will be available as an option on new SmartDeck systems or as an add-on for existing models after certification, which is expected later this year. SmartDeck with Synthetic Vision is on display at Hangar C, Booth 3100.

"Synthetic Vision elevates SmartDeck's sophistication to the next level," said Adrienne Stevens, president of L-3 Avionics Systems. "Even with zero visibility, the pilot has sharp graphics of the ground below right on the display. It makes the cockpit even safer and more manageable, and it looks fantastic. We invite pilots to fly SmartDeck and compare it to the other systems. When pilots fly it, they love it. The graphics are unparalleled."

L-3's Synthetic Vision uses GPS location and altitude data in conjunction with SmartDeck's terrain database to depict realistic-looking, 3-D images of land, mountains, obstacles, water and runways on the primary flight display (PFD). This image moves in real time with the aircraft, and presents a clear view of the outside environment, which is especially beneficial during limited visibility conditions.

In addition to terrain and obstacles, SmartDeck's PFD will now display airports and grid lines as part of the 3-D environment as well as Class B Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS) alerts. Distant airports will be flagged with airport identifier signposts and grid lines will assist pilots in judging distances within the 40-nautical-mile perceived sight range.

This upcoming version of SmartDeck will also include GPS Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV). With the WAAS capabilities of the system, pilots can easily shoot LPV vertically guided instrument approaches to more than 600 airports that are not equipped with instrument landing systems (ILS).

ANN flew the company's SR22 testbed equipped with the sythentic vision system last week. While perhaps lacking a bit of the "golly-gee!" vividness of Garmin's G1000 SVT system unveiled earlier this year, the SmartDeck panel offers extremely crisp graphics in its own right, and clear annunciator warnings for terrain and other obstacles. The system is also highly responsive to changes in pitch, roll and yaw, and the level of information available is impressive, and easily scalable.

Perhaps L-3's biggest advantage, though, lies in the SmartDeck's less button-intensive, "three-clicks-or-less" user interface. The company's design philosophy makes flying easier and puts important flight information in a readily accessible location.

L-3's Synthetic Vision integrates a number of advanced situational awareness technologies, including L-3's SkyWatch collision avoidance system, LandMark terrain awareness warning system (TAWS) and Stormscope lightning detection system, as well as communication, flight controls and engine parameters. These resources, combined with the S-TEC IntelliFlight 1950 integrated Digital Flight Control System (DFCS), make SmartDeck a truly integrated flight management system.

FMI: www.l-3avionics.com