Genesys Aerosystems has announced it has received supplemental type certification for the VFR HeliSAS autopilot and stability augmentation system on the Bell 505.

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The VFR HeliSAS for the Bell 505 is an extremely lightweight and affordable stability augmentation and autopilot, and the only solution currently certified in light to medium helicopters. Features include straight and level flight recovery as well as navigation following through all phases of the flight plan, heading hold, altitude hold, indicated airspeed hold, and vertical navigation, which allows for capture of ILS or GPS approaches. HeliSAS for the Bell 505 also offers a new feature of envelope protection for over speed and under speed, and includes an option for yaw control.

“Flight into inadvertent instrument meteorological condition (IIMC) is one of the highest contributors to accidents in helicopters and VFR HeliSAS is the ideal copilot to ensure these events are minimized,” said Jamie Luster, director of sales and marketing. “Genesys has delivered over 1,200 HeliSAS systems, and I get chills every time I hear a testimony from a HeliSAS owner that the system has saved their life and the lives of others. We are extremely excited to bring this safety enhancement to the Bell 505.”

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Shipping has begun for the Bell 505 VFR HeliSAS. It is available as a retrofit option in the field through a Genesys Aerosystems approved dealer or as a forward-fit option from Bell. Existing Bell 505 operators can also contact a Bell facility for retrofit options. Current retrofit pricing for the Genesys Aerosystems HeliSAS on the Bell 505 is $70,259 for two-axis and $85,259 for three-axis.

Pricing includes all equipment required, along with the installation kit; pricing does not include installation of the equipment. Orders are currently accepted through authorized dealers. Foreign authority validations are expected to follow in the coming weeks.