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Contact:Larry Riddle
L-3 Avionics Systems
larry.riddle@L-3com.com
616-285-4315

L-3 Avionics Systems’ Trilogy™ ESI-2000 Selected for Citation 501 Upgrade

NBAA, ATLANTA, Ga., October 19, 2010 – L-3 Avionics Systems announced today at the NBAA Annual Meeting and Convention that Sierra Industries has selected the Trilogy™ ESI-2000 Electronic Standby Instrument with battery backup as part of its G501SP digital avionics upgrade program for the Cessna Citation 501. Trilogy will accompany the latest in advanced glass avionics along with a host of situational awareness tools in the modernized Citation cockpit. Certification for the program is expected in early 2011. The Trilogy ESI-2000 will be on display at NBAA in the L-3 Booth, #4308, and in the G501SP demo panel displayed in the Sierra Industries Booth, #5851.

"L-3 is pleased to work with Sierra Industries and its team of Citation specialists on this upgrade program," said Larry Riddle, vice president of business development for L-3 Avionics Systems. "Placed just below the primary flight display on the Citation 501, Trilogy will provide easy-to-interpret flight data that allows users to quickly transition their instrument scan from primary display to standby in an emergency. The system is a great addition to one of the best-selling business aircraft of all time."

The Trilogy ESI-2000 is an advanced solid-state standby instrument that makes the all-glass cockpit possible for a variety of aircraft. By displaying attitude, altitude, airspeed and optional heading data in a layout that matches most primary flight displays, the Trilogy ESI helps pilots quickly transition their visual scan to a secondary display without having to adjust to the different look of analog equipment. Single-screen backup flight information also saves weight and panel space by replacing up to three standby instruments.

A sharp, 3.7-inch backlit screen makes the ESI-2000 clearly visible in daylight conditions as well as in a dark cockpit. And with an integrated air data computer, solid-state attitude sensor and optional external magnetometer, the unit is insulated from potential faults in the aircraft’s primary systems. Independent operation also provides supporting flight data that can be used to verify the accuracy of other instruments.

The Trilogy ESI’s four-button pilot interface, automatic brightness control and dimensions that match the standard 3-ATI mounting cutout make it easy to operate and install. Once activated, the ESI-2000 is typically aligned and ready for flight in less than two minutes. It can also re-align during flight, if needed.

In addition, the ESI-2000 includes an on-screen slip indicator, which helps pilots stay coordinated without referring to other instruments in a dark cockpit, and a pop-up metric window, which facilitates quick altitude conversions during international flights. Software and Complex Electronic Hardware for the ESI-2000 were developed to Design Assurance Level A, the highest safety standard acknowledged by the FAA.

Emergency operation of the ESI-2000 is achieved through the use of high energy density lithium-ion technology. Favorable self-discharge characteristics allow the battery to maintain a charge over long periods of disuse with little to no energy loss, while its excellent power-to-weight ratio provides high output with minimal added mass. The ESI is designed to supply usable flight data for a minimum of one hour and up to four hours on battery power, depending on temperature exposure. Following emergency use, the battery is recharged by the aircraft’s electrical system with no need for removal or inspection. The battery’s maximum capacity is monitored by the ESI computer, which will notify the pilot when replacement is necessary.

L-3 Avionics Systems also offers the Trilogy ESI-1000 model, which features the same capabilities as the ESI-2000, but without the battery backup. These instruments were developed with L-3 Avionics Systems’ advanced solid-state expertise, which has made the company a leader in electronic standby instrument systems for high-end aircraft. The Trilogy electronic standby instruments bring this expertise to the general aviation market.

The Citation 501 package and options will be available for installation at Sierra’s Uvalde, Texas facility and in a kit form for dealer installation at other locations. The system will be applicable to all Cessna Citation 501 aircraft with either Pratt & Whitney or Williams FJ-44 engines.

Sierra Industries has specialized in Citation aircraft for nearly 30 years and is the world leader in Citation Performance Enhancement Modifications, currently holding more than 75 proprietary Citation modifications and products. Sierra is a wholly owned subsidiary of The SkyWay Group, Inc., which owns a business portfolio of several aviation-related companies.

L-3 Avionics Systems has been helping pilots fly for more than 45 years. The company provides a wide array of avionics technologies designed to improve situational awareness and enhance safety, such as the GH-3000 electronic and J.E.T.® standby instruments, the SkyWatch® Collision Avoidance System, the Stormscope® Weather Mapping System and the Trilogy™ Electronic Standby Instrument, among others. For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.L-3avionics.com.

Headquartered in New York City, L-3 Communications employs approximately 67,000 people worldwide and is a prime contractor in C3ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) systems, aircraft modernization and maintenance, and government services. L-3 is also a leading provider of a broad range of electronic systems used on military and commercial platforms. The company reported 2009 sales of $15.6 billion. To learn more about L-3, please visit the company’s website at www.L-3com.com.

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Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this news release are forward-looking statements. Statements that are predictive in nature, that depend upon or refer to events or conditions or that include words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "will," "could" and similar expressions are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements set forth above involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any such statement, including the risks and uncertainties discussed in the company's Safe Harbor Compliance Statement for Forward-Looking Statements included in the company's recent filings, including Forms 10-K and 10-Q, with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and the company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

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