TDS Sim Software has released a major update for its GTNXi Pro units for both Microsoft Flight Simulator and X-Plane. The new version introduces full rotorcraft support. This is an important milestone for the GTNXi platform because it shows how versatile the system has become while meeting the needs of helicopter pilots who require dedicated data and enhanced situational tools.
The centrepiece of the update is the addition of Navigraph heliport navdata. TDS has included more than 2,700 heliports and over 1,300 rotorcraft procedures, which cover specialised SIDs, STARs, instrument approaches and related frequencies. This dataset is far more detailed than the fixed-wing equivalent. TDS also thanked Navigraph for supplying the specialised information that made this expansion possible.
Rotorcraft support also introduces a highly detailed version of HTAWS. This includes the correct colour logic for helicopters, with green, orange and red alerts, along with cautions and warnings that match real-world behaviour. HTAWS also features FLTA, which warns the pilot of terrain, obstacles or powerlines that may be in the flight path. The system provides ten altitude voice callouts. This is a large improvement compared to the single “five hundred” alert that fixed-wing pilots typically receive.
When the user selects a helicopter in the simulator, the TDS GTNXi will automatically switch to a dedicated rotorcraft obstacle database. This version contains more than 30,000 additional obstacles plus powerline coverage for North America. It offers much stronger situational awareness for low-level VFR helicopter operations.
To use rotorcraft support, users must update to the following versions:
- GTN Xi PC Trainer V20.42 or higher
- TDS GTNXi Pro for MSFS V1.3.1.0 or higher
- TDS GTNXi X-Plane V1.0.1.0 or higher
