Icarus Instruments Inc.

Icarus was founded in 1987 by Steve Silverman to develop and market avionics geared to helping general aviation pilots with managing the routine but critical aspects of safe IFR flight: assigned target altitudes, destination gear alerts, GPS track deviation, etc. The first product, called AltAlert, provided aural and visual reminders of approach to and deviation from target altitudes, the purpose of which gave rise--pardon the pun--to the company name “Icarus” (see below).

The original product evolved with the rapid adoption of GPS use in aircraft, culminating in the widely regarded NavAlert II. With its compact display placed in the pilot’s line of sight, this versatile instrument provided easy monitoring of target altitudes, GPS track data, ETA display, and other information conveniently displayed as selected by the pilot.

So successful were these devices, the “ICARUS” data format is a typical option for the serial data streams generated by aircraft GPS receivers.

In the last several years, aircraft owners have rapidly upgraded their panels with the sophisticated panel-mount GPS receivers by Garmin, King, UPS-AT which produce comprehensive roll steering data. However, legacy autopilots cannot understand this data, so a highly useful aircraft guidance mechanism goes unused in thousands of aircraft.

SAM changes that dilemma completely by translating the GPS roll steering data into intelligent heading information that virtually any autopilot can use for steering and tracking guidance. By combining this capability with the renowned capabilities of the NavAlert series and adding real human-voice (we call her Samantha!) alerting, Icarus has created one of the best upgrades a legacy aircraft owner can make to improve cockpit workload and flight awareness.

Who was Icarus?

The tale of Icarus seems less known today then when I was young(!), but why it is the basis for our company name is best summarized in this brief quote and summary about Icarus’ father Daedalus and his urgent warning to watch his altitude as he flew on wax wings:

“Icarus, my son, I charge you to keep at a moderate height, for if you fly too low the damp will clog your wings, and if too high the heat will melt them. Keep near me and you will be safe.”  But Icarus grew exhilarated by the thrill of flying and began getting careless. Flying too close to the sun god Helios, the wax holding together his wings melted from the heat and he fell to his death, drowning in the sea.

[The Fall of Icarus as told by Thomas Bulfinch, found at Wikipedia]

Thus, if Icarus had been equipped with an Altitude Alerter, he would have flown at his “assigned” altitude, as advised by his father.

Now you know!

Another cool template from 11Mystics.com

Address:
6930 Carroll Ave, Suite 300

Takoma Park, MD 20912

Phone: +1 301 891 0600

Fax: +1 301 891 0666

Email: info@samgps.com  

Technical Support:
+1 301 891 0600
techsupport@samgps.com

Why “ICARUS”?