AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, has selected Meggitt Avionics' latest secondary flight display for its AW101 medium lift, AW139 medium-sized, multi-role twin-engined, and AB212 utility helicopters. This builds on an existing, long-standing supply relationship between the two companies for Meggitt Avionics' helicopter air data system (HADS).

iSFD is Meggitt's third generation solid-state secondary flight display. Showing critical flight data such as attitude, altitude, air speed and heading, it can be matched so closely to a primary system it will appear to be integrated with it. For pilots, this means an easy transition to the standby in an emergency. First introduced to the market in 1995 as a back-up to primary digital cockpits, Meggitt's secondary flight display has been installed on over 40 different aircraft programmes. Over 5,000 are in service worldwide.

Like those before it, iSFD is sustaining a high level of interest for its low weight, shortest installed length and best use of screen space. Customers are also attracted to the low power, long life and the magnitude of brightness that comes with the LED backlights unique to Meggitt standby systems. Selecting iSFD will also cut the compliance workload for manufacturers and aircraft operators: United States export control (ITAR) regulations do not apply.

iSFD's recent certification by EASA and the FAA is enabling Meggitt Avionics to move several key programmes forward-iSFD has already been selected a mix of military and commercial programmes which includes the Boeing Apache, HondaJet, Learjet 85 and the Korean medium weight utility helicopter, KAI Surion.