Flight Data Systems Launches FDAIU for Seamless Legacy Flight Data Recorder Retrofits

Flight Data Systems (FDS), a provider of flight data solutions for the rotorcraft, business, military and commercial aviation segments, announces the release of the Flight Data Acquisition Interface Unit (FDAIU). The FDAIU enables operators to upgrade legacy, outdated flight data recorders (FDR) with Flight Data Systems’ SENTRY series of recorders. It is available for shipping in Q2 2022.

As finding functional spare parts or repair services for widely used legacy FDRs is becoming more challenging, global supply chains have moved to accelerate end-of-support for legacy ARINC 542A recorders, such as the L3 Fairchild F1000 and F800 flight data recorders. Replacing these obsolete FDRs with longer-term, future-proof solutions can be expensive, time-consuming and labor-intensive. With the FDAIU, upgrading to modern state-of-the-art flight data recorders is made easy with a remove-and-replace operation that can be completed in minimal time, reducing aircraft on ground (AOG) times, and maximizing aircraft availability.

The FDAIU is designed to adapt the SENTRY to fit seamlessly into existing FDR provisions with no modifications required on the aircraft. Preserving the existing tray and wiring saves valuable time and labor while reducing upgrade costs.

Flight Data Systems’ SENTRY recorder is the industry’s smallest, lightest and lowest power-consumption ED-112A FDR available today. Its innovative, software-free design is available in CVR, FDR and CVFDR configurations and includes digital and analog interfaces for seamless integrations across all segments of aviation. Designed with footprint in mind, the SENTRY is compact and lightweight, ensuring applicability for multiple aircraft platforms from small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and urban air mobility (UAM) platforms to larger rotorcraft, business and air transport platforms.

The FDAIU is the latest addition to Flight Data Systems portfolio of end-to-end flight data solutions for acquiring, recording, downloading and analyzing flight data to generate insights that create business impact.

“At Flight Data Systems we strive to remain in touch with the industry’s needs and serve those needs the best we can,” says Shane LaPlante, vice president of Sales and Marketing at Flight Data Systems. “We are excited to launch the FDAIU to provide operators simple, cost-effective and future-proof upgrade solutions which extend their aircraft’s useful life with continued safe and compliant operations.”

Visit Flight Data Systems at the AEA Convention and Trade Show 2022 from March 28-31 at Booth #423.

For more information on Flight Data Systems’ products and services, contact sales@flightdata.aero or visit www.flightdata.aero.