I.Q. [Innovation Quotient] award
Astronautics Corporation of America
Milwaukee
www.astronautics.com
Innovation: RoadRunner Electronic Flight Instrument
Nearly 50 years ago, Astronautics Corporation of America’s co-founders, Nate Zelazo and Norma Paige, created the company with the desire to push the boundaries of technology while also designing and manufacturing reliable and cost-competitive products.
Today, Astronautics continues that mission with the release of the RoadRunner Electronic Flight Instrument.
Aircraft are equipped with several electromechanical flight instruments, each with its own function.
The new RoadRunner Electronic Flight Instrument from Astronautics is a modern digital upgrade that replaces two flight instruments previously used by pilots—the Attitude Director Indicator and the Horizontal Situation Indicator, according to Ryan Eggert, Astronautics product line manager.
These instruments provide the pilot with information about the aircraft orientation, straight and level, banked left or right or pitch.
“Roadrunner provides pilots increased situation awareness and safety systems within their primary field of view, all within one product,” Eggert said.
More than 150,000 commercial and military aircraft fly with Astronautics’ instruments on board.
According to Eggert, the RoadRunner Electronic Flight Instrument was a natural progression for the company.
“It was an ‘easy upgrade,’ providing the functionality and reliability of the electromechanical instruments along with new features, such as enhanced safety options to alert the pilot to traffic, terrain and weather,” Eggert said.
The RoadRunner requires minimal modifications to the instrument panel of the aircraft. It’s designed as a drop-in upgrade.
“The upgrade can be implemented in an afternoon versus days,” Eggert said. “One of the key enablers of this benefit is using the existing analog signals as data sources – operators are not required to replace the existing aircraft sensor systems with modern, digital sensors.”
