Bell 525 Relentless first flight powered by Astronics advanced electronics

EAST AURORA, N.Y., 7 July 2015. The Bell 525 Relentless from Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, completed its first flight with the help of a secondary electrical power distribution system with CorePower electronic circuit breaker units (ECBUs) from Astronics Advanced Electronic Systems (AES), part of Astronics Corp. (NASDAQ:ATRO), in Kirkland, Wa.

The solid-state ECBU – designed to offer enhanced reliability, lower system cost, and weight reduction over competitive units – manage power throughout the aircraft and provide fault detection, circuit protection, and programmable load management through automated power control functions, helping to reduce pilot workload and improve crew awareness, officials say.

ECBUs simplify the electrical power distribution system by eliminating electro-mechanical switches, thermal breakers, relays, contactors, and significant wire content, officials describe. In addition to wire protection, the potential for automated switch control can eliminate many standalone utility control systems – which can provide simplification and increase fail-safe redundancy.

"The seamless integration of our ECBUs with the avionics showcases our product's capabilities while providing a significant increase in automation and improved situational awareness for the pilot," says Kellsey Justus, vice president of Astronics AES Airborne Power & Control.

Astronics Corp. (NASDAQ:ATRO) is a supplier to the global aerospace, defense, electronics, and semiconductor industries, delivering products such as advanced, high-performance electrical power generation and distribution systems, lighting and safety systems, avionics products, aircraft structures, engineering design and systems certification, and automatic test systems.