Enstrom has announced today (8 March) that 2023 Enstrom 480Bs and 280FXs are available with an all-new glass cockpit, “bringing state-of-the-art avionics and incredible capability to Enstrom helicopter cockpits”.
The new panels are designed around a Garmin G500H TXi EFIS display. According to Bill Taylor, Enstrom’s VP of Engineering, “Its touchscreen interface makes it much quicker and more intuitive to use than the old button and knob systems. That’s less head down and hands off the controls time for increased safety, and quicker training.” The G500 is backed up by a Mid-Continent SAM, which provides redundant flight instrumentation in a small digital format.
Accompanying the G500 is a Howell digital engine instrument system (EIS). Incorporating all the engine monitoring functions, as well as the airframe Caution and Advisory System (CAS), the new EIS provides a wealth of information to pilots, without distracting them. And it’s fully redundant, with two displays, each of which can display all of the EIS information in a reversionary mode
Rounding out the new cockpits are new avionics from Garmin, including the GTN 750 and 650 TXi, remote transponder and audio panel options, and new com radio options. “The ability for the avionics to interface with each other and utilise remote options saves panel space and simplifies operations,” noted Taylor. “And the new systems data log, which will make maintenance technician’s jobs much easier.”
