Kings Avionics of Henderson, Nevada, has completed the first field installation of a Garmin GRA55 radar altimeter and a Garmin GI205 remote display screen on any helicopter platform. This installation, on a Bell 206L-1 for a rotary fleet operator, was completed in advance of the 2017 mandate that all Part 135 operators have a radar altimeter installed.

“Garmin is excited to bring this cost-effective, stand-alone radar altimeter solution to the market,” said Jim Alpiser, director of aviation after-market sales. “We are thrilled to have a partner in Kings Avionics who works feverishly to get installations completed in a timely and professional manner to bring this safety-enhancing technology to our customers.”

Kings Avionics has full-service Part 145 facilities in Salt Lake City, UT, St. George, UT, and Henderson, NV, with remote repair capabilities available for the entire Rocky Mountain and Southwest regions.

“This milestone installation is another example of the leadership that Kings has taken within the helicopter market,” said Kings Avionics president, Brad Hayden. “As we aggressively pursue work in the rotary field, we will continue to find new and innovative ways to maximize panel efficiency with helicopter operators.”

Last summer, Kings Avionics completed and obtained certification on the first retrofit, slant-panel installation of the Garmin GTN 750 Navigator into an MD520N model helicopter.