Analog Devices’ iMEMS gyroscope technology will be used for a new aircraft flight safety and training tool developed by Appareo Systems, a company that makes light weight flight data recorders and 3-D flight analysis software.

In an international push to improve helicopter safety, the ALERTS (Aircraft Logging and Event Recording for Training and Safety) Vision 1000 flight data monitoring solution was designed in partnership with Eurocopter, an aerospace, defence and helicopter manufacturer.

“The ability to track, record and analyse the exact pitch, roll and yaw of the aircraft provides operators with an incredibly valuable tool to improve the flying performance of student pilots and experienced aviators alike,” said Robert Weinmann, embedded systems director for Appareo Systems. “Analog Devices’ iMEMS gyroscope was selected because it aligned perfectly with the needs of our customers for a small, lightweight gyroscope that was cost-effective and delivered exceptionally accurate performance.”

According to Analog Devices, the ALERTS Vision 1000 system will be deployed initially in helicopters to capture and analyse large volumes of flight data, including inertial and position information, such as location and pitch/roll attitude, as well as provide acoustic data and cockpit imagery, such as instrument panels and flight controls. The data can then be played back using Appareo Systems’ AS Flight Analysis 3-D flight virtualisation software to accurately portray the aircraft’s entire flight record.