Bell Textron has announced that the Genesys HeliSAS autopilot has been certified for installation on the Bell 505 by the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
“We are thrilled to offer the Genesys autopilot for the 505 to our customers in the UK,” said Duncan Van De Velde, Bell’s managing director, Europe and Russia. “The system decreases pilot workload, increases pilot comfort over long distances and provides assistance in the event of inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).”
The autopilot is available in a two- or three-axis configuration. The two-axis version provides pitch control (altitude hold, IAS hold) and roll control (HDG hold, NAV, vertical navigation mode). The three-axis option adds yaw control.
In addition, HeliSAS includes a stability augmentation system that automatically recovers the aircraft to near-level flight attitude at all speeds in the event of adverse roll or pitch; stability engagement throughout all phases of flight; and envelope protection to prevent overspeeding and underspeeding.
“The UK has been eagerly waiting for autopilot certification for the 505,” said Gary Slater, director and owner of Helix AV, Bell’s independent representative in the UK and Ireland. “This is great news for the Bell 505 and further enhances the performance of the aircraft.”
Customers can specify the HeliSAS system on new Bell 505s, while existing owners can have it retrofitted to their aircraft through a Genesys Aerosystems approved dealer.
