Christie SIM Projector Achieves FAA Level D Qualification

CYPRESS, Calif. – (January 2011) – Christie^®, a leader in simulation projection display and visualization solutions, today announced that the new Christie Matrix SIM simulation projection system in combination with RSI’s Raster xT Image Generator has been qualified under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) CFR Part 60 Qualification Performance Standards for complete unrestricted training. The projection system is driving RSI Visual System’s recently completed visual display upgrade for Sabre Updates’ B747-200 Full Flight Simulator, located at the Kalitta Air Training Center in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The Matrix SIM is based on Christie’s award-winning Matrix StIM^™ LED-based simulation projection system and is specifically optimized to meet the needs of civil simulation applications.

The advantages of LED illumination and DLP^® technology in the Matrix SIM include unprecedented image quality, stability and reliability at the point of purchase and over the extensive lifetime of the display. A wide color gamut, excellent color saturation and greater flexibility to manage color space to best fit application requirements offers image generators enhanced capabilities for producing images that are closer to reality than traditional lamp-based projectors. As well, the high-bandwidth capabilities of LED and DLP^® ideally complement each other and allow for higher levels of both static and dynamic image fidelity.

“It was a complete team effort. The pairing of the Raster xT IG and the Christie Matrix SIM projectors, and subsequent approval by the FAA, was the culmination of extensive research, development and evaluation by RSI, our projector partners, the FAA, and especially our customers,” noted Michael Freeman, RSI’s director of business development. “We plan to continue working with our customers, Christie, and regulatory authorities to bring this new, cost-effective solution to the commercial visual simulation training environment.”

“Once we assisted in installing and calibrating the Christie Matrix SIM, an FAA inspector ran a series of tests to confirm our qualification,” said Zoran Veselic, vice president, Christie Visual Environments. “We are pleased that the Matrix SIM delivered the demanding level of quality, reliability and performance to meet stringent FAA standards, and we credit our strong partnership with RSI as an important ingredient in our success.”

Christie Matrix SIM Meets Needs in Market

“With the Christie Matrix SIM, the civil aviation sector now has a viable display solution that meets FAA standards and boasts low sustainment costs, low operating costs, real-time auto-calibration and a low latency,” added Veselic, “providing many uninterrupted hours of operation and more available training hours.”

With no moving parts, no lamp to change, and low power requirements, the Christie Matrix SIM offers the highest level of reliability and long life, with a solid-state LED illumination source rated up to 50,000 hours MTBF.

The Christie Matrix SIM is an intelligent display utilizing Christie ArrayLOC™, technology that self-adjusts color and brightness levels in real-time and offers rock-solid system stability. Combined with long life expectancy, this significantly reduces maintenance efforts and ownership costs for years of virtually maintenance-free operation resulting in more uptime and more training.

About RSI

Headquartered near the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, RSI Visual Systems provides complete turnkey visual systems solutions for both commercial and military flight-training environments. As the largest independent visual system supplier, RSI's products are designed for upgrading existing legacy visual systems as well as complete solutions for newly manufactured simulators.

About Christie®

Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc. a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ushio Inc., Japan (JP:6925), designs, builds and installs customized projection display solutions. Christie^® delivers turn-key solutions for sophisticated virtual reality, simulation systems and control room environments including high-resolution power walls, multi-sided immersive environments, curved screen displays, domed simulation and multi-projector arrays. Industries and organizations that rely on Christie range from government agencies to oil and gas, aerospace to entertainment, and manufacturing and design to pharmaceuticals. Christie is listed among Military Training Technology magazine’s Top 100 simulation companies and has been awarded the Blue Ribbon for Innovation as well as the Red Ribbon for Best Program for the Christie Matrix StIM^™. The awards recognize companies around the world that have made a significant impact on the military training industry across the spectrum of technologies – serious gaming, live training, constructive simulation, modeling, virtual simulation and others. For more information, visit www.christiedigital.com.

Christie® is a registered trademark of Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc.

Matrix StIM™ is a registered trademark of Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc.

DLP^® is a registered trademark of Texas Instruments

Christie ArrayLOC^™ is a registered trademark of Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc.