L-3 Aviation Products has received technical standard order (TSO) authorization and an approved model list (AML) supplemental type certificate (STC) for its new ESI-500 electronic standby instrument system, authorizing installation in a wide variety of aircraft. The ESI-500--designed for Part 23 aircraft and Part 27 helicopters--is a three-inch display that incorporates synthetic vision, obstacles, terrain alerting, and navigation, among other features.
The ESI-500 features a high-resolution, 24-bit color screen to display altitude, attitude, airspeed, aircraft track, vertical speed, airspeed awareness cues, and slip/skid information. An internal lithium-ion battery powers the unit in the event of a power failure in the panel. The first ESI-500 units were shipped to customers in December 2015.
“The pilot community will appreciate the ESI-500’s extensive feature set and competitive pricing,” said Ralph DeMarco, vice president of marketing and sales for L-3 Aviation Products. “This model is compatible with existing nav and GPS equipment, which simplifies installation and improves interconnectivity.”
L-3’s ESI-500 can mirror an aircraft’s primary flight display, presenting attitude, altitude, airspeed, and slip data. It is scalable, offering numerous display options--including synthetic vision, navigation, terrain alerting, obstacles, metric altitude, vertical speed, and heading. The unit can be configured according to aircraft performance specifications to include an airspeed awareness band that highlights VNE and VMO cues. Its three-inch round case can make for easy installation into existing panel cutouts
Manufacturer’s suggested price for the basic ESI-500 is $5,600. For more information, visit the L-3 website. For details on installing the system in existing aircraft, contact an approved service center in L-3’s dealer network.
Mike Collins
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