Heli Austria Selects Thales and StandardAero’s StableLight Autopilot

Thales and StandardAero are proud to announce that Heli Austria, one of Europe’s leading helicopter operators, has selected the StableLight 4-Axis Autopilot system for its single-engine H125 helicopters. The system is currently being installed at Heli Austria’s facility in Sankt Johann im Pongau, Salzburg, Austria, marking a significant step toward next-generation flight safety and operational efficiency for the operator.

Transforming Flight Control for Light Rotorcraft

Derived from Thales’s Compact Autopilot System, the StableLight 4-Axis Autopilot delivers advanced flight control capabilities in a lightweight package, perfectly suited for light-category helicopters. The system enhances flight stability through features such as stabilized climb recovery, auto hover, and a suite of other automated controls, reducing pilot workload and increasing operational efficiency.

By helping pilots maintain stable flight in critical phases and challenging conditions—including inadvertent entry into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IIMC)—the system improves both safety and mission performance. The StableLight Autopilot already holds a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and is now entering EASA validation for European operators.

A Boost for Pilot Confidence and Operational Safety

“Operational and pilot safety are very important to Heli Austria,” said Roy Knaus, CEO of Heli Austria. “We have been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to be the European launch customer of this proven product. The added safety features and reliability are a welcomed advantage for our pilots.”

The system’s intuitive design allows pilots to focus more on mission execution rather than manual flight control, making it an ideal solution for demanding operational environments and complex missions.

READ ALSO: https://www.modernmechanics24.com/post/inl-ultrathin-solar-cells-efficiency-boost

WATCH ALSO: https://www.modernmechanics24.com/post/humanoid-robot-turns-drummer-plays-songs

Combining Expertise: Thales and StandardAero

“At Thales, integrating cutting-edge technologies to deliver safety and trust is fundamental to who we are,” said Florent Chauvancy, Vice President Flight Avionics Activities, Thales. “By uniting Thales’s advanced expertise with StandardAero’s deep industry knowledge, we harness a powerful combination to provide Heli Austria’s pilots with the autopilot solution they have eagerly awaited.”

The collaboration highlights the strength of combining innovative flight avionics with proven operational experience, providing European operators like Heli Austria with a next-generation autopilot system that sets new standards in safety, reliability, and performance.

WATCH ALSO: https://www.modernmechanics24.com/post/scientists-confirm-scotland-s-first-ever-dinosaur-discovery

A Future-Ready Solution

With its FAA-certified pedigree and pending EASA validation, the StableLight 4-Axis Autopilot is poised to become a key enabler for helicopter operators in Europe. By reducing pilot workload, enhancing flight stability, and improving operational safety, the system represents a major step forward in rotorcraft automation, ensuring pilots can focus on mission success under any conditions.