Universal Avionics' EFI-890R Flat Panel Glass Displays were selected by RUAG Aerospace Services to fulfil the glass cockpit component of its "Do 228 New Generation" aircraft. In what will be Universal's first OEM customer to offer the EFI-890R Flat Panel Glass Displays as standard production, the "Do 228 New Generation" aircraft will feature digital avionics and Universal's four-panel EFI-890R display suite, Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS), Radio Control Units and UNS-1Ew Flight Management System standard on all new production units. The LP/LPV Monitor will be available as a customer option for enhanced position integrity monitoring. Certification approval for the new avionics is expected first quarter 2010.   

The EFI-890R Glass Display features an adaptable design proving valuable in forward-fit and retrofit applications with interface capabilities for numerous flight deck instruments including digital engine display. The Do 228 third-party Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System (EICAS) will provide critical primary flight data, engine indication, Central Alert and Warning System (CAWS) and fuel data from several onboard instruments in a large, centralized high-resolution digital display. The EICAS, combined with graphical output of TAWS and Vision-1® SVS on the EFI-890R, provides unprecedented situational awareness for the crew. Vision-1® Synthetic Vision System (SVS) will be incorporated into the design late next year.  

Integrated digital cockpits like the new Do 228 New Generation (NG) aircraft also significantly lower maintenance and repair costs while improving reliability. The aircraft is expected to be of value for both civil and military application.  

"We are pleased to expand on our long standing partnership with RUAG by bringing the latest technology displays to the Do 228 NG flight deck," says Dan Reida, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Universal Avionics. "Glass cockpits are a safety improvement that should be available to all customers purchasing aircraft today."  

Representatives from Universal Avionics were onsite for the initial flight and avionics testing for the Do 228 NG, which was accomplished October 15-16, 2009.