View in Browser

While June's headlines focused on the Paris Air Show - where the APIBOX was proudly on display - the general aviation spotlight was firmly on the 2025 edition of the AERO Friedrichshafen exhibition. Widely hailed as a resounding success, the event once again brought together the very best in aeronautical innovation and community.

We were there, as we are every year, with our stand positioned right at the heart of the action, showcasing our APIBOX flight data recorder to industry professionals and enthusiasts alike.

This success was also fuelled by the welcome arrival of the business aviation sector, which brought even greater depth and prestige to the event. Industry giants such as Bombardier, Gulfstream, Dassault and Airbus Helicopters were out in force, ensuring a powerful presence that underlined the growing importance of business aviation within the wider aviation community.

This event is a must for European general aviation. So if business aviation is taking its place there, we at iAero can only applaud!

But the effervescence of the event has not been able to mask the concerns expressed to us by our customers and long-standing relations in the general aviation sector: fears about the future, an uncertain geo-politico-economic context, less emphasis than in the past. The observed decline in flight hours and competition from new international players are preventing our interviewees from projecting themselves into a more uncertain future. At the same time, business aviation finds itself at a pivotal moment of reflection and reinvention. As the sector comes under increasing scrutiny, it has the opportunity to rise to the challenge by accelerating its commitment to sustainability and innovation. Reinforcing its environmental credentials and refining its value proposition will be key to ensuring its relevance and appeal in a rapidly changing aeronautical landscape..

So, is this 2025 edition of Aero Friedrichshafen the forerunner of a deeper trend to bring our audiences closer together, to create more synergies, to reinforce each other?

In any case, the iAero team is ready for it, and the requests for demonstrations we have received give us cause for optimism.

See you in 2026 to confirm it. We'll be there!

Fly safe,

Gérald Ducoin

iAero Managing Director and Flight Test Pilot

How much does a flight data recorder cost?

Let's not forget the helicopter accident in New York on 11 April in the Hudson. No black box was on board, as American regulations (among others) do not require such equipment for small aircraft...

Three days later, an article on the American website Airpronews, detailing the difficult investigation conditions to determine the causes of the accident, pointed out that the installation of a flight data recorder could cost New York operators between 50,000 and 100,000 dollars per aircraft. Yes, you read that right! And so did we!

How can we explain this price?

Perhaps they're talking about the conventional black box found on every commercial airliner, Boeing or Airbus?

Maybe they're talking about the major American manufacturers of these black boxes?

What is certain is that the Airpronews editorial team is not familiar with the APIBOX!

• A CV-FDR of more than 100 flight parameters dedicated to small aircraft, aeroplanes and helicopters, civil and military, for private and commercial use, and compliant to the requirements for lightweight flight data recorders, including voice;
• Immediate access to recorded data, thanks to the debriefing software. Video and audio can also be accessed if installed in the cockpit. Pilots, instructors, operators, owners and maintainers are delighted to be able to use them at any time, throughout the life of the aircraft fitted;
• Deployed worldwide, and with over 1000 aircraft equipped, our EASA-certified CV-FDR has also proved its worth to the French Bureau Enquête et Analyse (BEA) when accident aircraft have been fitted with it.

And so... the price? You'll be pleasantly surprised. Our offer is much more competitive and affordable than you might think. Get in touch with us and let's talk!

Make APIBOX Fly Anywhere!. And not only for worst case, but for reducing maintenance and administration costs!

You all have a horameter on board your aircraft.

But the one being prepared in the iAero workshops is going to change everything!

Revolution No. 1

It will accurately measure several different times, which will optimize maintenance costs.

Revolution N°2

No more manual note-taking or photos. Long live the individual RFID badge! Connected to the horameter, it will record the data for consultation on a computer. This applies to the pilot, the instructor and the maintenance workshop.

Revolution N°3

Guaranteed peace of mind when filling in the logbook or CRM. iAero's horameter data will get everyone to agree on the hours flown!

Revolution No. 4

Aircraft maintenance will be all the better for it. The horameter will make it possible to anticipate calendar deadlines. 

In other words, iAero's future horameter will act like an integrated digital logbook.

Its format? A diameter of 57 mm, easily adaptable to the aircraft dashboard.

It can be installed on its own or interfaced with the APIBOX.

All that's left is to find a name for it... Any ideas? (Actually, we've already got one... 😉)

See you at the end of the year when it goes on sale and flying.

After the Cessna 206, 208, 212 and 172, the APIBOX is now installed on board the Cessna 182 Skylane equipped with a Jet A1 piston engine from SMA Aero Engines GmbH. So our flight data recorder is no stranger to the Cessna family of aircraft. But with the C182, this is our first collaboration with the German engine manufacturer.

The C182 has undergone a major overhaul: from a 6-cylinder piston engine running on AVGAS 100 LL fuel, it has been upgraded with a 4-cylinder turbocharged SMA engine running on Jet A1 paraffin with 230HP up to FL100. As well as anticipating the end of the AVGAS, this new engine offers improved cruising performance and optimized fuel consumption (approx. -40% compared with the same power from an AVGAS 6-cylinder). One standout benefit: the aircraft’s range will extend to an impressive 1,400 nautical miles, unlocking new possibilities for longer and more economical missions.

And to monitor this new engine's performance and perform predictive maintenance, SMA Aero Engines relies on APIBOX (offered as an option to future customers). By recording over 100 parameters (engine, instrumentation and airframe), C182 owners, operators and pilots can rest assured.

This re-engined version of the high-wing four-seater is yet another example of an international collaboration for iAero: a German engine manufacturer equipping a North American aircraft with a French parameter recorder. What could be better?

APIBOX knows no boundaries when it comes to ensuring the performance and safety of general aviation worldwide!

PS: APIBOX has been approved by the EASA for the Cessna 182 Skylane.

Who hasn't adopted this cult expression from the Jedi knights, which has crossed generations and borders? It's a form of encouragement in the face of difficulty (or challenge).

But what does this have to do with iAero?

We celebrated our 20th anniversary in 2022.

So much energy, determination and adventure has gone into installing our parameter recorder in aircraft and in people's minds! And we have passed the milestone of 1000 APIBOX on board the aviation world, without any standard imposing it.

We are partners in both the civilian and military sectors; our data logger flies on all five continents; many types of aircraft are equipped with it; we are continuing to expand into new markets; we are developing our technologies and services; we maintain close relations with our hybrid ecosystem of public, semi-public and private sectors; and we are forging a special link with you through this newsletter.

And we do all this discreetly.

Our strength is our inner conviction and our unwavering commitment to making flying safer.

This strength guides us in offering you the best for you, pilots, instructors, operators, owners, maintainers and insurers.

This section is called ‘Behind the Scenes’. For once, we wanted to share with you what drives us so deeply, to show you our gratitude and to tell you about our successes, which are first and foremost yours.

The potential is enormous, but the APIBOX family still has a long way to go in France and around the world.

Will we one day see the ED 155 standard democratizing the flight data recorder? The good news is that this seems to be well on the way for helicopters...

In the meantime, may the force be with us for a long time to come, to contribute in our small way to making the skies safer for you.

Thank you all for your confidence.

Fly safe.

We take you to meet Jean-Baptiste Bély, Technical Director of Heliwing, builder of the astonishing Choppair CR4-T.

Aircraft manufacturers are always driven by passion. The enthusiastic Jean-Baptiste Bély confirms this. He immediately draws you into his world, that of an aircraft totally unprecedented in its category. The Choppair CR4-T will be the very first ultralight helicopter to be fitted with a new type of powerplant in this case. It will be eco-designed with a highly energy-efficient Turbotech turbine.

And guess what else? Our APIBOX flight data recorder is part of the adventure!

Fitted as standard, the compact version of the APIBOX records around fifty parameters. ‘It's a question of weight and price,’ explains Jean-Baptiste. "However, we asked iAero to increase the memory to give us a recording capacity of at least 100 hours, and that's exactly what they did!

The APIBOX will evolve in perfect harmony with this aircraft designed for multiple missions: surveillance, photo-video, drone, lifting (between 100 and 200 kg of external load). It will also be equipped with an airframe safety parachute effective from a height of 300 ft.

‘For our machine, safety is non-negotiable," says the technical director. The APIBOX provides us with active and passive safety, and the recorded data is easily accessible, enabling us to optimize the helicopter's maintenance, and even program its development," continues Jean-Baptiste.

‘We can't wait to finish setting up our production plant in Villefranche Tarare,’ concludes Jean-Baptiste.

"We look forward to seeing you in the first few months of 2026 when it goes on sale for the first time!

Seeing the third prototype in flight, we can't wait to admire this newcomer to the world of rotary-wing ultralights!

iAero
12B route de Troyes
21121 Darois
Phone: +33 (0)3 80 73 60 26
info@iaero.fr
www.iaero.fr

Did you like this newsletter?
Do not hesitate to distribute it around you.
For any new subscription, send your contact details to: