Infrared enhanced vision comes to King Air 200/300 series

By Thomas A. Horne

Hawker Beechcraft Corporation’s (HBC) Global Customer Support (GCS) announced that its King Air 200 and 300 fleet can now take advantage of a retrofit package that installs the Max-Viz EVS-1500 infrared enhanced vision system (EVS). This includes newly-purchased models as well as aircraft currently in service. The EVS-1500 is purchased through HBC’s parts and distribution division, and installed at HBC’s factory-owned service centers.
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The EVS-1500 uses a thermal imaging camera that the pilot can toggle between wide angle and telephoto fields of view. The imagery is displayed on the airplane’s Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21, video-capable multi-function display. The system also can show the infrared imagery on video-capable electronic flight bags and compatible passenger video monitors.

Because EVS operates in the infrared spectrum, it can penetrate haze, light fog, smoke, and precipitation eight to 10 times farther than the human eye—in both day and night conditions, HBC said. It can also “see” unlit obstacles during taxi, takeoff, and landing. In night flight, EVS, helps pilots avoid clouds, fly between cloud layers, and see ground features.

“Max-Viz EVS-1500 is another example of how Hawker Beechcraft GCS is enhancing the ownership experience of the aircraft we build and support,” said Christi Tannahill, HBC vice president of global customer support. “The system has the ability to not only improve the safety of flight, but increase aircraft resale value as well.”