Tucson, Arizona, – REVUE THOMMEN of Waldenburg, Switzerland has announced that it will display the THOMMEN HSL 1600 IR Helicopter Searchlight in Booth 203 at the 2010 ALEA Convention in Tuscon, Arizona.

In making the announcement, Rudolf Iten, Director of Sales and Marketing and Vice Chairman of THOMMEN said, "The HSL 1600 IR Searchlight fits perfectly into the THOMMEN business philosophy and strategy of delivering Swiss quality products in niches where current product offerings fail to meet the needs of the market". Iten went on to say "The THOMMEN HSL 1600 IR provides high-performance, multi-function capabilities in a solid state design that significantly increases reliability, performance and ease of installation. It will be a certified product under the auspices of EASA and the FAA, and the final production line version will ship with an EASA Form 1, Certificate of Airworthiness, similar to the FAA Certificate of Airworthiness, Form 8130".

The THOMMEN HSL 1600 IR design features include:

• A THOMMEN Part Number and Manufacturer's Nameplate.
• Integrated circuitry for all power management and control including direct integration for active slaving with onboard infrared, daylight camera, and moving map systems.
• All the assemblies, mechanisms and connecting wires of the HSL 1600 IR searchlight are within the streamlined casing of the searchlight. The integration of these components into the unit itself eliminates aerodynamic issues and the need for any additional remote junction boxes and intermediate cabling.
• An automatic aerodynamic parking position when switched off, placing the lens facing aft avoiding potential damage from bird strikes and other FOD.
• An optional, bolt-on low power IR illuminator mounted on bottom of the searchlight casing requiring no additional adjustment operations or settings during mounting. When operating in IR mode the main lamp is off reducing the power consumption and the heat signature of the aircraft. An optional Laser Target Designator is available.
• Easy operation from a choice of up to three independent handheld controllers or from the cyclic or collective grips. In addition the system can be integrated with any digital map or tracking system via a built-in RS-422 interface.
• Very competitive pricing.

"In addition to these features," said Iten, "the HSL 1600 IR's digital design allows for a level of features and functionality not previously available with traditional searchlight systems. For example, the HSL 1600 IR provides for faster movement in all directions, instant reversibility, programmable stops and keep-out zones. In addition, we want to emphasize that REVUE THOMMEN AG maintains a network of authorized service stations throughout the world, which will be trained and authorized for the 24/7 support of the HSL 1600 IR".

REVUE THOMMEN AG is a leading manufacturer of aircraft instruments, air data systems, and other aircraft equipment used worldwide on a full range of aircraft types from helicopters, military aircraft, corporate aircraft and commercial airliners. THOMMEN is a long established supplier to the global Aerospace Industry and a qualified supplier to the world's leading helicopter manufacturers. THOMMEN maintains all the quality certifications including AS-9100, ISO 9001:2000, EASA Part 21 and EASA Part 145.

For more corporate and/or technical information come to ALEA Booth 203, go to www.THOMMEN.aero or call Ken Paul, US Business Manager for THOMMEN @ 972-588-1811.

Click here to download a hi-res image of the
THOMMEN HSL 1600 IR Helicopter Searchlight