Astronautics RoadRunner® Electronic Flight Instrument Selected for Royal Norwegian Air Force Upgrade Program
Astronautics Corporation of America is providing its new dealer, Patria Helicopters AB, with 32 RoadRunner electronic flight instruments (EFIs) to support the Royal Norwegian Air Force’s (RNoAF) Bell 412 upgrade program. The program is contracted between the Norwegian Defence Material Agency and Kongsberg Aviation Maintenance Services (KAMS), with Patria acting as a subcontractor to KAMS for aircraft modification and certification.
As part of the upgrade program, each RNoAF Bell 412 will be retrofitted with two Astronautics RoadRunner® EFIs per cockpit, one for the pilot and the other for the co-pilot. Astronautics’ RoadRunner EFI is an easy-to-install, form-fit retrofit for legacy attitude director indicators (ADIs) and horizontal situation indicators (HSIs), combining the functionality of both indicators into one modern, digital flight instrument. The EFI eliminates avionics obsolescence while adding capabilities like navigation options based on global navigation satellite systems and pilot guidance and indications not available on the former analog, legacy systems.
“Astronautics is pleased that our RoadRunner EFIs were selected as part of the updated avionics for the RNoAF Bell 412 upgrade program and are contributing to keeping this fleet operational and mission ready,” says Aymeric Larose, Astronautics’ director of business development in Europe. “Additionally with our European-based team, we can easily support our dealer Patria Helicopters AB throughout the life of the program.”
The RoadRunner EFI was designed for the retrofit market as a cost-effective way to mitigate obsolescence and repair and maintenance costs associated with legacy ADI and HSI instruments while adding new safety and situational awareness capabilities like night vision imaging system (NVIS) compliance, localizer performance with vertical guidance (LPV) approaches, and area navigation (RNAV) with GPS. Initially targeting B412/212 and AW-109/119 helicopters, Astronautics RoadRunner EFIs have been installed on these and several other platforms, including the CASA 212, UH-60L, C-130T and T-38A/B aircraft.
Patria Helicopters AB is a Bell-authorized service center located at the Stockholm-Arlanda International Airport.
For more information about Astronautics’ avionics, connectivity, cybersecurity, and system solutions for retrofit and OEM applications, visit Booth #4512, Hall C, at VERTICON 2025, March 11-13, in Dallas, TX, or email BusDev@astronautics.com.