Northrop Grumman Corporation is introducing its new LCR-200 Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS), based on micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology, at the Aircraft Electronics Association’s International Convention and Trade Show, which takes place in Las Vegas from March 25-28.
The LCR-200, which provides navigation information regarding an aircraft’s position, heading and attitude, features a high-performance, MEMS-based inertial measurement unit and was developed by Northrop Grumman’s German navigation systems subsidiary, Northrop Grumman LITEF. It is the subsidiary’s first MEMS-based AHRS designed for the retrofit aircraft market.
“The LCR-200’s new features offer high performance with ease of installation, making the system ideally suited for retrofit aircraft,” said Eckehardt Keip, managing director for Northrop Grumman LITEF. “Our extensive research and development activities over many years have enhanced the performance and new features of the AHRS.”
The new LCR-200 system offers a small, lightweight and easily installed solution, while utilising the form factor and interface design of the company’s existing LCR-100 system.
The LCR-200 system retains the same synchro interface module as that used in the LCR-100, enabling the analog synchro output to interface easily with older autopilot systems. Additionally, the LCR-200 avoids problems often caused by acoustic and structural vibration, which is a known challenge of traditional MEMS technology.
The LCR-200 demonstration unit has successfully completed several challenging helicopter flight tests on various mid-size platforms. DAC International, a Greenwich Aero company, is the first customer for the LCR-200. The LCR-200 joins the LCR-300 in the MEMS gyro-based family of products from Northrop Grumman.
