Comtronics Engineering was started to serve the Light Sport community in the Spring of 1980 by George and Georgie Sawn. Unlike some companies that start from a partnership and a carefully planned business agreement, there was no business plan, no financing or facility, only a need for some type of product to improve flight safety.
|
The ultralight movement had only begun a few years previous to that date. Aircraft were not only light-weight but single seaters which made flight training difficult. Flight schools were being established and training was accomplished by the use of hand and flag signals. Instructors remained on the ground while students made their first flight (solo of course). Comtronics recognized a definite need for a communication system that would improve training safety. Our first systems consisted of two aircraft transceivers and one modified motorcycle helmet with microphone and speakers installed. This equipment now allowed the instructor to communicate with his student via a radio connection.
|
Eventually, some two-place ultralights were designed for training purposes. Consequently, this new innovation called for a more sophisticated system of communication. Two-place aircraft were very noisy because of the larger engines being used and a special system for instruction had to be devised to accommodate these newer high powered aircraft. We set to work designing a two-place intercom that could be interfaced with a portable transceiver for use in this type aircraft. This intercom had to have a circuit that would eliminate as much background noise as practical, provide some voice feed-back, light-weight and battery powered. It must interface with two audio-equipped headsets or helmets for instructor-to-student communication and a connection to the aircraft transceiver for air-to-ground instruction as well.
Since its founding, Comtronics has continued to develop communication products for improving safety and convenience. Noise-canceling microphones, special noise absorbing speaker muffs and improved circuitry have all been incorporated in our existing products. We currently offer four basic helmet designs which are available in a variety of configurations and the improved basic intercom is still being used by many flight schools. A new intercom called the "DUAL-COM II" was introduced about five years ago and has proven to be very popular. It incorporates all features of the original intercom plus the ability to interface with two transceivers via a built-in switching circuit. The DUAL-COM II Intercom also has a voltage regulator with an input jack for aircraft power, a music port for listening convenience and selector switch for Radio 1 and Radio 2. Comtronics policy is to provide innovative communication products for the ultralight, powered parachutes, light sport aircraft, rotorcraft and home builders. In the future, we will continually strive to maintain exceptional quality and service that customers have experienced in the past.
|
916
715