On February 12, Militär Aktuell had the exclusive opportunity to take a first look at the new cockpit of the Austrian S-70A42 Black Hawk and the working environment with the new VL-60 Ace Deck from Ace Aeronautics LLC. At the beginning of the awarding process, there had been fierce protests and even reports against the “experiment” with the small company from Guntersville AL. This included scattered rumors about our prototype (and it still is) 6M BC being transferred to an allegedly Covid-related bankruptcy estate of Ace.

@Georg Mader
The primary flight displays are on the outside of the instrument panel, while the MFD displays are on the inside. For example, technical data (e.g. on the engine) or various map formats can be shown in smaller or larger sizes on all displays. Brilliance and brightness adapt to the sun, and at the touch of a button everything becomes suitable for night vision goggles. Above the center console are the two communication displays (with TETRA, CONRAD, ATC, MIL HF, …), which are also available in a simpler form twice more behind the pilot’s seats for the rest of the crew. At the bottom of the center console, the two portals
for the mission computers mentioned in the text.
Regardless of these disruptive fires, the cockpit is now running and consists of two main groups. The Garminn 5000H is a civil-certified avionics system that meets all national and international requirements for a modern helicopter. This means that the avionics system is state of the art and the helicopter can be operated in airspace under visual and instrument flight conditions day and night without restriction. To ensure that the military capabilities and other requirements continue to be available, the manufacturer has installed a second system, which was manufactured and integrated by the subcontractor Avalex. At its heart are the two Avalex AMP3311 mission computers. These capabilities are controlled via the Avalex “Cockpit Management Unit” ACM9454. This tactical system runs autonomously and does not interfere with the Garmin software. The data is only supplied to the MFD and the communication system via a video and audio interface. The mission system is integrated in the HS and functions satisfactorily. The aircraft flies with it several times a day and the personnel are trained accordingly. The squadron in Langenlebarn has a static cockpit trainer for this purpose, and the hangar has an impressive programming console (Software Implementation Lab). Boxes with the equipment for further aircraft are already on site, but they are considering sending the next two Black Hawks back to Alabama anyway. The background to this is the delay since 2019 caused by the Trump-Bugdet shutdown and the FAA approval tightening after 737MAX as well as the pandemic. Corona has temporarily paralyzed both ACE and suppliers, and for a long time our managers around Colonel Reinhard Zmug and Colonel Herbert Santner (1st Squadron) were unable to make any business trips to the USA. Although the FAA type certificate was issued in July 2020, our factory quality inspection and acceptance was not possible in Guntersville, contrary to what had been planned. After arriving in Langenlebarn in November, all of this has now been made up for – but two or three things still remained to be done. This will now be renegotiated with the Americans in the coming weeks – two very sociable and partly German-speaking “Ace people” are on site to provide training support. While the service provided directly by Ace is absolutely adequate and – as emphasized to Militär Aktuell – “finally brings us technically into the 21st century”, the external mission planning system from the sub-supplier Avalex (on four hardened notebooks) is not satisfactory as it is; they want contractual improvements or a different one. Also included in the scope of the contract and already delivered are the Scorpion HMCS helmet visors from Thales, advertised as “the world’s only fully color helmet-mounted cueing system in full rate production”. Pilot training will take place after the delivery of the 18 Gentex HGU-56P pilot helmets, which were also procured under the contract.
@US Army
A Jordanian UH-60L in action – three of these aircraft will complete the Austrian Armed Forces’ rotorcraft fleet in the coming years.
Postscript: The three ex-Jordanian UH-60Ls (only we and the Jordanians had Lima with display cockpits, the RJAF is switching to UH-60Ms) have been purchased, but are still awaiting military equipment export licenses from the new US administration in Jordan. A routine bureaucratic process, but this and the transportation to Alabama are now the contractual responsibility of Ace. The first 6M BC helicopter will undergo 500 hours of maintenance here in May and will be brought up to the renegotiated standard from number 2 onwards within two months. In any case, Langenlebarn is confident that at least four plus one or two of the Jordanians will be available by the end of 2022 thanks to the successful cooperation. Militär Aktuell is expected to report in detail on further developments in the June issue.

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