Landing Height System is now FAA Certified for all Pipers

[Microkit]

We would like to show you guys this system which we just received FAA approval for installation on Certified Airplanes.

We have units installed on many experimental airplanes for the past three years and finally after two years certification process with the FAA, we just received the approval under NORSEE (Non-Required Safety Enhancement Equipment) which basically allows this system to be installed on FAA certified airplanes as minor modification by any A&P.

The Landing Height system announces the height above ground starting 70ft (or 100 ft).

Some actual feedback we get from customers:

- Perfect aid when most of the landings are done on a certain width runway then visiting a different runway that is much wider.
- Huge situational awareness at night landings.
- Transitioning to a faster airplane from a slow trainer airplane.
- Helps with eye strain and fatigue at the end of a very long trip.

Here are some videos of the system installed on a Piper Warrior.





Here is a video that is not available on the site. Simulated engine out on take off

And for those who are interested in seeing more experimental airplanes videos (Lancair 360, RV7, Lancair IV-PT), these are available at the experimental airplane site link

Visit https://LandingHeight.com for the Certified units site

We are very excited that we just got the certification and thank everyone for watching.

Regards
Nidal

 

[guzziguy]

1...1....1....1...1
nice

Time to install estimates?

 

[Microkit]

It depends on the Audio Panel or intercom currently installed and access to it.

The entire installation consist of (not in order, as we prefer the installer to test the audio hookup before drilling holes):

1- Drilling the access panel/inspection plate. This can be done outside, each unit (100’ or 70’) has a different cut-out. Both are fairly easy. For the Piper photo above, a separate panel was made from an aluminum piece. Most are just drilling into the access panel itself.

2- Wire a 2-core shielded wire to the Audio Panel to an unused Audio channel such as ADF, NAV2/3, COM3, AUX and so on. Many times this is a single wire rather than 2-wire and many Audio Panels need only an Audio Hi, with the Audio Lo is ground reference.

3- Wiring to aircraft power. +12/28V & GND. Fully explained in the installation guide if you need a dedicated 1A circuit breaker or shared with any other non-essential units. If the Audio channel selected is of the “Switched” type which is recommended, no need for a dedicated circuit breaker.

For example, it took just less than two hours to get it installed on the Piper. With most of that time just to fabricate another panel. Wiring through the wing to the back of the aircraft panel was less than 15 min as wires are prepared outside and pushed through. Hooking the audio to the Audio Panel ADF audio IN was also fast as the wire was already out to the old ADF unit tray. Many aircraft still got the ADF audio wires pulled out when ADF was still being used. The piper above used the ADF Audio IN pins and the original ADF power all from the old ADF tray.

A customer with a Mooney was charged for one shop-hour only, mainly because the entire audio stack was out for an upgrade so getting wires to the back of the audio panel is straightforward.

In general, the most “fun” part of the job is reaching the audio panel to either insert a pin into an unused audio channel or to reach a wire back there. If in doubt, it's a good idea to talk/chat with your regular A&P or a mechanic friend to get an estimate.

 

[FLYZONE]

Pretty nice if it really works (all the time).

 

[Canuck]

Sort of a radar altimeter lite (in terms of functionality, not technical operation)?

 

[Microkit]

Pretty nice if it really works (all the time).

Of course The Lancair IV pressurized video shown on the experimental site was installed Jan 2018. He is an airline pilot who uses his private airplane in hard IFR and almost all kinds of weather. While collecting data for our Service history as part of the certification process, he reported over 200 hrs of use, with landings in rain/snow with no single issue.

Sort of a radar altimeter lite (in terms of functionality, not technical operation)?

Sort of. Using voice only. No panel display so no need to look inside at low altitude. Unit uses eye-safe Laser element.

 

[FLYZONE]

Does it measure the ground height from directly below the airplane? ... in which case the ground on final would have to be level with the runway to be useful. I can envision another technique but I doubt that is what you are doing.

 

[Aggiepack]

Amazing

 

[Microkit]

Does it measure the ground height from directly below the airplane? ... in which case the ground on final would have to be level with the runway to be useful. I can envision another technique but I doubt that is what you are doing.

Callouts are based of the bottom of the main tires. The unit has a WiFi system which is used for various setup and options, one of which to tel the unit it’s actual installed height off the ground. Based on that input value and the value the unit it seeing when the setup was done, it triangulates on the spot for each reading so it knows the height the bottom of the tire is from the ground, For experimental units, we announce zero, asked on all the feedback on the VAF RV forum, everyone said they hear zero exactly when the tire touches down,

The unit detects surfaces. If you fly above a hill that is 100 ft below the airplane, you will hear 100. Then after passing the hill, and you reach 100 ft above the approach, you will also hear 100 again and lower as you coming down.

On a normal approach, 50’ is above the numbers so you already reached the runway and hearing actual height above the runway surface itself even if surrounded by terrains.

 

[brentdepp]

Looks like a nice tool to have on board.