What Is FlytX? Thales’s Touchscreen Next-Generation Helicopter Cockpit
FlytX is Thales’s next-generation, touchscreen, modular helicopter cockpit avionics suite. Its large touchscreens replace dozens of separate instruments, simplifying the clutter in front of the pilot, and it cuts weight, size and power consumption by up to 40% compared with previous-generation cockpits. France’s H160M Guépard military helicopter is built around a FlytX cockpit.
What Is FlytX?
A traditional helicopter cockpit is made up of dozens of separate instruments, switches and displays — meaning both weight and cognitive load for the pilot. FlytX inverts this architecture, gathering many functions onto a single 15-inch smart touchscreen. The system is offered in modular configurations from one to four screens; pilots can fly using a traditional cursor and keyboard or the touchscreen (all three certified for primary use). The product of a decade of research and development, FlytX aims to offer a user experience as familiar as a modern tablet.
Technical Specifications
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| System type | Modular, touchscreen next-generation avionics cockpit |
| Manufacturer | Thales |
| Display | 15-inch smart touchscreen; one-to-four screen configurations |
| Embedded functions | TCAS, ADS-B, weather radar, IFF transponder, navigation, radio |
| Autopilot | Up to four axes (optional) |
| Architecture | Open, cloud-native, cyber-secure; Windows/Android/iOS compatible |
| Benefit | Up to 40% reduction in weight/size/power (SWaP) |
| Primary platform | H160M Guépard (France) + many helicopter types |
Mission Profile and Significance
FlytX’s greatest advantage is dramatically shrinking the “SWaP” (size, weight and power) footprint. Virtualised controls and all-in-one smart displays reduce the number of separate components in the cockpit, which both increases the aircraft’s useful payload and lowers the maintenance burden. The system is connected by nature: it can share data with other air and ground assets in a cyber-secure environment, and it boosts the pilot’s situational awareness with a Synthetic Vision System and digital map. Its cloud-native structure eases software updates, extending the cockpit’s service life.
Competitors and Türkiye
FlytX’s rivals include the avionics suites of Collins Aerospace and Honeywell and Leonardo’s cockpit solutions. For Türkiye, the strong indigenous competence in this field belongs to ASELSAN, which develops the avionics, mission systems and touchscreen multifunction displays of national helicopters such as the T625 Gökbey and T929 ATAK-2. This forms a domestic ecosystem that frees Türkiye from dependence in helicopter avionics and follows the same technological trend as FlytX.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does FlytX do? It is a next-generation cockpit system that gathers many avionics functions onto touchscreens for helicopters.
- What is its biggest advantage? It cuts weight, size and power consumption by up to 40% versus the previous generation.
- What helicopter uses it? France’s H160M Guépard among many types.
- Is it touchscreen? Yes; touchscreen, cursor and keyboard options are all certified for primary use.
- Is there a Turkish counterpart? ASELSAN develops indigenous touchscreen avionics for the Gökbey and ATAK-2.
