Aeronautical & General Instruments Ltd (AGI)

Naval Aviation

HELICOPTER VISUAL APPROACH SYSTEM (HELIVAS)

AGI’s Helicopter Visual Approach System – or ‘HELIVAS’ as it is known commercially – combines a large number of visual cueing and flight deck lighting systems to provide Naval Helicopter Pilots with the latest in Visual Landing Aids.

The ability to safely operate and recover aircraft at sea, in all weather conditions, during both day and night time operations is essential in today’s modern Navy. A fundamental element of this requirement is its guidance along the correct approach path to the vessel and the transfer of the aircraft safely on to the ship’s flight deck.

AGI’s HELIVAS Visual Approach System may be used for any class of ship from a small frigate to an Aircraft Carrier. All systems are NVG compliant, in accordance with STANAG 1445 and will support naval operations with and without Night Vision Devices.

Reducing pilot workload to a minimum, HELIVAS is considered one of the most technically advanced suites of visual landing aids available today.

STABILISED GLIDE SLOPE INDICATOR (SGSI)

The SGSI projects a beam of light, with coloured sectors, from the aft face of the ship. This beam is stabilised to remove the effects of the ships’ roll and pitch and provides the helicopter pilot with visual information relating to his approach angle. The coloured sector of the beam seen by the pilot will indicate to him if his approach is above, below or on the correct glide path.

The SGSI is compliant for use with Night Vision Devices (NVD), as defined in STANAG 1445. There are various beam configurations available, to suit different naval requirements, all of which may be designed to also comply with NVDs.

GLIDE-SLOPE and LONG RANGE LINE UP INDICATOR SYSTEM (GLIS)

The GLIS System has been developed by AGI to satisfy a requirement for an NVG compliant system that replaces DAPS.
This system may be used by pilots flying with NVDs, who are making their final approach to an aviation capable vessel.

The two SGSI projectors, situated one fore and one aft on the port side of the flight deck, provide a long range line-up indication. Intensity calculations indicate that the viewing distance would be a minimum of 2nm with a similar prevailing Met Vis. Operational experience has shown that the viewing distance is often considerably greater, with reports of 5nm not being uncommon. The beam projected by the two SGSIs is vertically colour-coded, as well as incorporating different occulting rates in the upper and lower sectors. On the correct glide slope, both SGSIs shall indicate a steady green signal to the pilot. Deviation from the correct glide path, results in one or the other projectors being seen as a flashing colour, the flashing rate of which is dependent upon whether the deviation is high or low. The system may be used with equal effectiveness either with or without NVD and has been described as an intuitive replacement for DAPS

STABILISED HORIZON REFERENCE SYSTEM (SHRS)

The Stabilised Horizon Reference System is nominally 3m in length, with a fixed reference light at each end to indicate roll movement of the vessel. It remains horizontal, irrespective of the ship's roll motion. This provides the pilot with a 'True Horizon' reference whilst those lights fitted to the ships superstructure continue to show the ships actual angle of roll

HEIGHT INDICATOR & HOVER AID THERMOMETER (HIHAT)

The HIHAT system is a lighting solution developed for installation on aircraft carriers or other similar sized vessels, that will provide a clear, intuitive and NVD friendly indication of hover height and relative ship movement, to the pilot, in the side hover position.

The viewing angle of the system is significantly wider than other similar traditional systems currently in service. For optimum performance, it should be mounted on the side of the ship’s island, overlooking the flight deck, in a location that will allow visibility to a minimum number of 3 deck landing positions.

DECK EDGE and HANGAR CONTOUR LIGHTS

AGI’s LED deck edge lighting was developed initially to satisfy a UK RN requirement to improve the visual landing aids available to the approaching Naval Helicopter pilots.

This innovative design of ‘strip’ lighting was designed to enable pilots to appreciate more efficiently the movement of the flight deck and superstructure of a vessel, without increasing their mental workload. This has been achieved with significant success and the solution is now being adopted by many navies world-wide. The lighting is compliant for use with Night Vision Devices and therefore allows for both day time and night time operations.

Floodlighting

AGI has a wide range of floodlighting solutions for naval surface vessels. Whether these are to be fitted above the hangar face, to provide a wash or overhead floodlight over the flight deck or alternatively fitted directly to the flight deck itself, the new innovative design is aimed at providing an all-in-one solution for the user.

Our lighting solutions will enable the operator to select any number of lights for use at any one time. Deck edge lighting will outline the periphery of the flight deck, high intensity maintenance floodlights for use when carrying out maintenance on the aircraft or low level wash lights for a general illumination of the flight deck. All these can be made available in one single unit.

WAVE-Off LIGHTS

The Wave-Off Light System provides a visual warning to the pilot of an approaching helicopter that it is not safe to continue and that the landing should be aborted. It is intended for use in emergency situations when the flight deck is not clear for a landing. The Wave-Off Light is linked to the Deck Status or Stop/Go system such that when the stop light option is selected, the Wave-Off Light also illuminates. In addition the Flight Deck Officer (FDO) can also instigate a wave off from his normal operating position.

The light unit utilises LED sources for long life and low maintenance, producing NVIS red (compliant for the use with Night Vision Goggles as defined in STANAG1445) which occults at 180 flashes per minute. The light beam is visible at 0.5Nm from the ship on a clear dark night, in 360 degrees azimuth

STOP/GO LIGHTING SYSTEM

The stop/go lights are provided to enable the Officer of the Watch (OOW) to inform the Flight Deck Officer (FDO) and the Ops Room staff that the ship is on a suitable flying course and that it is safe to launch/recover an aircraft

The use of LED technology contributes to greater light output, improved reliability, long life and low maintenance. The system provides NVIS Green and Red Indicators, compliant for use with Night Vision Goggles as defined in STANAG1445.

TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM

The Traffic Light System is a 3 colour system that is supplied to indicate to the Naval Pilot that the ship is on a suitable flying course and that it is safe to launch/recover an aircraft. The use of LED technology contributes to greater light output, improved reliability, long life and low maintenance

The system provides NVIS Green, Red and Amber Indicators, compliant for use with Night Vision Goggles as defined in STANAG1445.

OBSTRUCTION LIGHT

The general Obstruction Lights are mounted so that they identify to any approaching pilot, the outline of the vessels superstructure which would present a hazard to flying.

The standard units utilise a 100W, or 200W GLS type lamp to produce a non occulting signal, but an LED light source compatible with Night Vision Goggles, as defined in STANAG 1445, is available. Visible through 360 degrees azimuth, the unit is supplied with red filters as standard, but other colour options are available.

HOMING BEACON

The Homing Beacon Light is mounted as high up the mast, or cross arm, as possible to identify the vessel to any approaching pilot. Utilising LED light sources for low maintenance and long life, the NVIS occulting red signal (compliant for use with Night Vision Goggles as defined in STANAG1445) is visible at a minimum distance of 6Nm from the ship on a clear dark night through 360 degrees of azimuth

The occulting can be varied so that light exposure can be up to 3 minutes in duration.
The Homing Beacon can be combined with the Mast Head Obstruction Light to provide a dual purpose fitting.

MAST HEAD OBSTRUCTION LIGHT

The Mast Head Obstruction Light is mounted as high up the mast as possible to identify the obstruction to any approaching pilot. Utilising LED light sources for low maintenance and long life, the NVIS red signal (compliant for use with Night Vision Goggles as defined in STANAG1445) is visible at a minimum distance of 6Nm from the ship on a clear dark night through 360 degrees of azimuth

The Mast Head Obstruction Light has 3 basic roles:

• Occulting, with a variable exposure of light up to 3 minutes in duration to assist the helicopter pilot to identify its ship.
• Flashing, at a rate of 30 flashes per minute for use during ASW.
• Solid colour, to illuminate the mast head as an obstruction.

The Mast Head Obstruction Light can be combined with the Homing Beacon to provide a dual function light.

Your local contact for AGI products is Owen International.

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