Avionics News January 2015 - 21

A year later, Universal Avionics unveiled its first product, an
innovation now as common as GPS on private, business and
commercial aircraft: the Flight Management System. Enter a location, a flight plan and a destination, and Universal's new FMS
provided guidance and an accuracy check from the navigation
inputs from the aircraft.
More than 30 years later, Universal Avionics still pursues innovative solutions to universal needs.
Today, however, the Universal Avionics
product line includes advanced systems
for the entire cockpit - often industry
firsts.

spective of an aviator who faces the challenges of flying today.
So Universal's executives understood the importance of
cockpit voice recorders - and knew the frustrations investigators
experienced trying to discern the meaning of traces on foil tape.
So the company innovated the first solid-state cockpit voice recorder, the CVR-30.
When the National Transportation Safety Board put on its
Most Wanted List data and voice recorders capable of running beyond when the
ship's power failed, Universal's engineers
invented a way to control the power drain
of large-capacity capacitors - and put
them to work as a maintenance-free soluA record of repetitive
tion for keeping those recorders working
innovation
at least 10 minutes beyond when aircraft
Consider the genius of Universal's
power fails.
inaugural product, noted Paul DeHerreNo batteries, no battery issues - but an
ra, Universal's chief executive officer;
innovative new way to employ the storage
multiple sensors, each different with its
capacity of capacitors.
T H AT'S THE KIND
own unique way of providing direction.
The same innovative thinking applies
Add the electronic sophistication reto Universal today under Ted Naimer and
O F COMPANY THE
quired for an early computer to interpret
DeHerrera.
NA I MERS BUILT those signals, compare their relative
Both are active pilots; DeHerrera perinformation to gage accuracy, and the
sonally owns a Cessna 172 he flies for fun
algorithm that produced a translated
and work. And both personally relate to
position output for the flight crew's use.
the needs of active owners and pilots.
"Even today, with all our modern
As DeHerrera noted, they relate to the
digital computing power, such an
needs of active aviators - and the sensiachievement is amazing in its power,"
bilities of those who seek every advantage
DeHerrera said during the National
when flying the world.
Business Aviation Association ConAn engineer, licensed airframe and
vention & Exhibition in Orlando last
powerplant mechanic, DeHerrera's airPAUL DEHERRERA,
UASC's chief executive officer
October. "That's the kind of company
time helps with his work as Universal
the Naimers built - one focused on inrolls out its latest innovation, the InSight
novations that meet the needs of our customers."
Integrated Flight Deck system.
The founding Naimer passed away just a decade ago in SepOnce again, Universal managed to pull off a first, with some
tember 2004, and his son, Joachim L. "Ted" Naimer, moved the
major advances deep behind the razor-sharp displays employed
company forward and continues to serve as president and chairin the package.
man of Universal's board of directors.
The founding Naimer flew; his son, Ted, took up flying early
Reaching out to expand within
in life; CEO DeHerrera flies and is an aircraft owner.
In 1999, Universal acquired a line of flat-panel integrated
Today, the approach remains unchanged, as the company
displays from Avionic Displays Corp. in Norcross, Georgia, and
notes in its history: Universal Avionics' products are made by
used its innovative approach to small-volume manufacturing
pilots, for pilots with a singular goal - improve aviation.
to offer a lower-cost glass-cockpit upgrade path for businessOne might say a universal goal.
turbine and commercial-airline aircraft.
Universal TSO'd the first Synthetic Vision System approved
It always starts with a pilot's vision
for Part 25 aircraft, setting in motion advances in situational
Founder Hubert L. Naimer was a pilot who sought a better
way to navigate. His son, Ted, is another pilot who brings the perContinued on following page

ONE FOCUSED
ON INNOVATIONS
THAT MEET THE
NEEDS OF OUR
CUSTOMERS.

avionics news

january

2015

Avionics News January 2015

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