The blue switches take off

In both large passenger aircraft and small aeroplanes, all aviation systems are doubly protected. To ensure that this redundancy in handling does not become too complicated, developers are constantly working on the function and design of individual components.

The motivated ‘team of aviation enthusiasts’ at RS Flight Systems in Berg near Munich develops and produces avionics devices for 2 to 4-seater aircraft and helicopters. ‘We all grew up here with flying and have the vision of making this experience ever easier and safer,’ CTO Dr Matthias Weinzierl (front right on the cover photo together with the second company founder and CEO Maximilian Rommel) tells us.
 

Did you know …

… what avionics means? The word is a combination of aviation and electronics. Avionics therefore refers to all electronic devices and systems used in aircraft.

Modern motors – more effort?

Highly efficient fuel-injected engines for small aircraft, such as those from the market leader BRP-Rotax from Austria, have been impressing customers for years with their enormous performance and fuel consumption reduction. However, these complex components also require a whole series of switching operations in order to test all functions before the aircraft takes off.

Where once 2 switches were sufficient for older aircraft engines, the pilot suddenly had to operate 8 of them. In addition to the effort involved, the risk of forgetting or confusing one became too high. As a result, RS Flight Systems introduced the Start Key Switch 9iS, a switch with a high level of logic that could be used to access all functions in 8 different switch positions. Undoubtedly a very space-saving variant, but for some users it was already too compact and they wanted more clarity. These parameters led the developers to create the SCU Front Panel V2.

The combination makes it

One of RS Flight Systems' bestsellers proves it: The split has been a success.

Using his key, the pilot can now switch the main relay on the left-hand switch and initially supply the aircraft with power. In the second step, he uses the right-hand switch to switch to LANE A for 30 seconds and then to LANE B. Behind this are two independent control units. At the same time, the two fuel pumps (main and auxiliary) are also tested. If full redundancy is confirmed, the pilot switches to centre position A+B and can start the aircraft by pressing the button.

RS Flight now supplies everything that makes sense in terms of subcomponents for the BRP Rotax engines and the small aircraft themselves from a single source.

Shaking off excluded

When flying, it is important to ensure that no part comes loose due to vibrations. For this reason, all cables of the blue switches are securely connected using ring cable lugs. Slipping out is therefore no longer possible.

‘During our discussions, I learnt that the requirements in aviation really aren't that easy. Safety is the top priority, of course, and a lot also has to be covered in a very small space when it comes to functions: Overlapping areas when switching from one fuel pump to another, for example. But after just three development rounds, we had everything under control,’ says Maximilian Rauh, responsible for sales in the Bavarian region at the switch specialists from Kraus & Naimer Germany.

‘Our switches, touch panels and functional handles are mostly installed in industrial machines and systems or in the logistics sector. That's why a project of this kind was once again an absolutely interesting change,’ summarises Rauh.

Startup with experience

In 2018, a team of three employees left Reiser Simulation and Training GmbH. The company is known for its complex aircraft and helicopter simulators, which are used to train and instruct pilots. The fully developed and authentically moving simulators make training a convincingly real experience.

RS Flight Systems, on the other hand, specialises in components that really take to the air. And they are no longer a start-up. The constantly growing team of experts also accompanies flight tests and flight test campaigns from start to certification.