Principles of Avionics

Avionics is growing far faster than any other aircraft system, but there had been no new text in ten years. We were delighted when Dr. Albert Helfrick agreed to write a book covering every existing avionics system (many still in use after 50 years), right up to the latest satellite and datalink technology. Each new system is covered; the revolutionary \223glass\224 cockpit, anti-collision and terrain avoidance, flight management and others. To put the industry into perspective, he recounts historic experiments of Jimmy Doolittle that proved the feasibility of \223blind\224 flight in 1929---and launched the industry that was to become \223avionics.\224

Dr. Helfrick is an industry leader. He teaches avionics engineering at the world\222s most distinguished aeronautical university, Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach, FL. Almost every airline in the world uses \223TIC\224 boxes, portable instruments for testing avionics on the ramp designed by Dr. Helfrick.

As any airline passenger knows, electronic devices carried on board (laptop computers, Walkman, etc.) may operate only under certain restrictions. In his role as consultant to the FAA, Dr. Helfrick\222s research helped formulate the rules of safe operation. Each year he is a seminar leader at the Digital Avionics Conference.

Principles of Avionics met with quick acceptance on publication. Besides its use as a textbook at aviation schools, it was adopted by the world\222s leading manufacturer of airline and Space Shuttle avionics to provide specialized engineers with a comprehensive view of avionics technology.