Thales is a global leader in onboard electronic for aircraft, supplying avionic suites and systems to major aircraft manufacturers. We provide our customers with the full range of equipment, subsystems and systems for flight control, navigation, communication and surveillance for aircraft including helicopters.
Thales has developed the Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) solution which represents a real-time airborne computer network system. This network consists of a number of computing modules capable of supporting numerous applications of differing criticality levels. Located in the “belly” of the plane, the IMA is a major technical evolution of global importance for airlines and operators.
Thales is the number one systems supplier for the A350 XWB and is already onboard the entire Airbus range of aircraft, including the latest generation A380. Thales has considerably strengthened its position with Boeing in recent years, in particular through its involvement in the B787 Dreamliner programme.
In partnership with GE Aviation, Thales also developed the Topflight Flight Management System featuring innovative hardware design and unique software functionalities. These include superior flight planning flexibility (multi-revision temporary flight plan capabilities, undo functions, etc.) and an enhanced intuitive “What You See Is What You Fly” display system. Topflight FMS can be easily adapted to different hardware platforms and aircraft system architecture, allowing for a smooth upgrade of functions.
Sikorsky selected the Thales TopDeck avionics suite for helicopters for its S76-D. Having successfully completed its first flight onboard the S76-D, Thales’s glass cockpit and avionics suite represents the most technologically advanced solution currently available today.
TopDeck is a high-performance flight deck solution that features cutting-edge technology, including liquid crystal displays, smart head-up display and laser gyro/GPS navigation. TopDeck’s integrated architecture increases situational awareness and reduces crew workload.
With its Ideck cockpit prototyping and simulation platform, Thales helps airframers rapidly test new configurations and display systems within the cockpit. The company worked closely with Airbus to optimize the A350 XWB cockpit configurations, refine the interactivity and adapt the symbology of the avionics display formats with this tool.
Thales also creates innovative avionics for regional, business aircraft and helicopters. The group developed cutting-edge fly-by-wire systems, which already equip the CRJ700/900/1000, Learjet85, Global Express/ Global 5000 and Gulfstream G650. In the helicopter market, over 4,000 Meghas avionics suites are in service around the world while on the regional market Thales avionics suites are onboard ATR600, Bombardier Dash8-400 and Sukhoi SSJ100 . As a tier-one supplier and partner to airframers, Thales helps customers meet their competitiveness, environmental protection and performance objectives by setting quality standards for today and into the future.