S-76D with Thales TopDeck cockpit certified by FAA

Posted by- Neelam Mathews
Oct 18, 2012t. 18, 2012
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved the Type Certificate for the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation’s S-76D helicopter which is equipped with the Thales TopDeck avionics suite.

TopDeck is an integrated modular avionics suite in a glass cockpit, Thales’s advanced avionics suite for rotor wing aircraft. The cockpit will feature a new “click to fly” ability based on a concept that has never been installed on a helicopter before. This concept, known as Icube-S, is based on functionalities that improve Intuitivity, Interactivity, Integration and Safety.
Yves Joannic, Thales Vice President and Managing Director of Helicopter Avionics at Thales Avionics said:  “TopDeck allows a pilot flying the S-76D to directly control cockpit tasks on his displays using an intuitive Cursor Control Device (CCD). This device is first of its kind on a helicopter and puts all the functions at the pilot’s fingertips, thus reducing the pilot’s workload, shortening reaction time and increasing safety.”