Express Logic’s ThreadX RTOS Selected for Avidyne Digital Flight Control System

ThreadX is Express Logic’s small, fast, reliable RTOS for deeply embedded real-time applications, such as Avidyne’s new aircraft flight control system. In a flight control system, aircraft flight is controlled by servos that deflect aelerons and elevator control surfaces to induce turns and/or pitch changes for climb or descent. The DFC90 flight control system receives input regarding the aircraft’s attitude, heading, and altitude, as well as input from the pilot and navigation system that specify the desired attitude, heading, altitude, and rate of climb/descent. The DFC90 calculates the precise commands that drive the servos in real time, so that the desired flight path is achieved.

As the operating system powering Avidyne’s flight control system, ThreadX controls all functions in the DFC90. ThreadX delivers low overhead and fast real-time response, critical requirements for systems such as Avidyne’s DFC90.

Developing flight critical systems is hard enough without worrying about the RTOS,” noted Mark Krebs, Avidyne’s VP Engineering for Guidance and Controls. “Avidyne is pleased to introduce a new level of performance and safety to General Aviation lightplanes with our DFC90 and DFC100 Cirrus autopilot. ThreadX software was easy to use, rock solid and high performance. We won't be looking anywhere else for our next RTOS.