Enhanced vision systems from Max-Viz should come to market faster in the wake of the company's acquisition by in-seat power and lighting specialist Astronics in August for $10 million.

"We anticipate it will be more efficient since there are significant synergies between Astronics engineering talent and the requirements we might have for engineering support," says Max-Viz vice president of business development Lou Churchville. "We anticipate that the launching of a new product or initiative would be much more efficient."

Max-Viz systems use uncooled sensors operating in the visual and infrared spectrum to provide a forward-looking display in the cockpit for increased situational awareness in operations in darkness, precipitation, fog, dust and smoke.

The company's supplemental type certifications cover more than 200 fixed and rotary-wing airframes, the most popular being the EVS-600 forward-fit systems for the Garmin Perspective cockpits for the Cirrus SR20 and SR22, says Churchville. The second most popular are the installations on AgustaWestland helicopters, he says. Max-Viz has more than 2,000 systems in operational use.

Churchville says the company will do business as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Astronics but its exact title has not yet been decided.

Source: Flight International