Southern Star STC
A glareshield modification by Southern Star Avionics has received a supplemental type certificate (STC). Designed for Cessna Citation 500/550/560 and S550 series business jets, the modification fits over the existing glareshield and opens up extra panel space. Visit www.staraviation.com.
Glass Cockpit
The University of Cincinnati Aviation Technology Program has added a Cessna Skylane with the new Garmin G1000 glass cockpit to its training fleet. It is the first collegiate aviation program to use the G1000. Visit www.garmin.com.
F/A-18 Recorder
The U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Warfare Center has awarded a contract to Photo-Sonics Inc., Burbank, Calif., to produce the mission assessment recording system (MARS) for the F/A-18E/F. The five-year contract is worth $5.7 million. Visit www.photosonics.com.
Falcon 10 RVSM
Thunder Aviation, Chesterfield, Mo., has received a group supplemental type certificate (STC) for a reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) modification to Falcon 10 jets equipped with the Rockwell Collins AP-105 autopilot. Visit www.thunderaviation.com.
Analysis Software
The Civil Aviation Authority Flight Operations Research Centre of Excellence at Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, UK, has chosen Flightscape Inc.’s Insight, Windows-based flight data analysis system to analyze data from the Oxford Aviation Training Centre and certain UK airlines. Visit www.flightscape.com.
Jazz Upgrade
Air Canada Jazz, Air Canada’s low-cost carrier, has selected Universal Avionics Systems Corp. (UASC), Tucson, Ariz., to supply the avionics for its fleet-wide modernization program. AC Jazz will install several UASC systems on up to 68 of its Dash 8s.
The aircraft are being outfitted with dual UNS-1E FMS (flight management system)/GPS systems. The UNS-1E is a member of UASC’s family of "super" FMS systems, which significantly increase processing power and memory capacity compared with earlier products. It was designed to support technologies such as wide area augmentation system (WAAS) and communication, navigation, surveillance/air traffic management (CNS/ATM).
Also slated for the Dash 8s are Universal Avionics’ terrain awareness warning systems (TAWS), which provide real-time graphical displays of the surrounding terrain, as well as hazard warnings to the pilots. The TAWS features three views: map view, profile view and 3D perspective view.
Finally, AC Jazz will equip with UASC’s UniLink UL-701 airborne digital data link, a communications management unit that is 1 modular concept unit (MCU) in size and weighs less than 5 pounds (2.3 kg). It includes an embedded 20-watt VHF communications radio and can be used for flight planning, automatic position reporting, weather information and messaging.
Field Aviation East Ltd. of Toronto, Ontario, has provided the upgrade program’s installation design, supplemental type certificate (STC) and installation kits. Air Canada Jazz’s decision for a fleet-wide upgrade follows initial installation of the new avionics, as well as the STC, which began earlier in 2004. Visit www.uasc.com.
Millimeter-Wave HUD
The National Research Council (NRC) of Canada’s Institute for Aerospace Research has begun experimenting with a millimeter wave radar imager for use on aircraft in all weather conditions. NRC will integrate the radar imager with an existing head-up display (HUD) on the organization’s Falcon 20 aircraft and study the use of single-sensor and multisensor vision systems for all-weather approaches. Visit http://iar-ira.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca.
Wireless Recorder
Two German air carriers plan to employ Teledyne Controls’ Wireless GroundLink. Lufthansa will install the wireless quick access recorder (WQAR) on its Airbus A320 aircraft, while Hapag-Lloyd will add it to its Airbus A310 and Boeing 737 Classic fleets. The WQAR fully automates the recording and transmission of flight data, replacing manual procedures. Visit www.teledynecontrols.com.
Honeywell/IBM Pact
Honeywell and IBM recently signed a 10-year engineering and technology services agreement. Honeywell will provide IBM with military and aerospace expertise and resources, and connect the computer company with Honeywell’s avionics customers. IBM, in turn, will allow Honeywell’s defense electronics business to access its engineering technologies, research and development work, manufacturing processes and facilities in order to accelerate Honeywell’s design and production of network centric battlefield systems. Honeywell will benefit from IBM’s expertise in high-bandwidth communication and protocols, as well as from its information processing and network management tools. Visit www.honeywell.com.
Finnish ATM
The Finnish Civil Aviation Authority’s air traffic management (ATM) integration program, which uses Thales’ Eurocat ATM system at the Tampere control center and 17 towers, recently entered operational service. The Finnish ATM Integration (FATMI) program allows the agency to manage en-route traffic in the airspace over southern Finland. Visit www.thalesatm.com.
Collins Communications
Boeing has received type certification for its B737NG with Rockwell Collins’ controller pilot data link communication (CPDLC) technology, including the company’s CMU-900 communications management unit (CMU). Boeing is the first aircraft manufacturer to have approved a forward-fit aircraft equipped with CPDLC for use on the aeronautical telecommunication network.
Collins also announced the first operational use of VHF digital link, Mode 3, voice communications for commercial aircraft. A Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-800, which flew a test flight from Atlanta to Atlantic City, N.J., was fitted with Collins’ VHF-2100 VHF communications transceiver and its CMU, as well as Gables Engineering’s G7424-302 radio tuning panel. The flight marked the final phase in Collins’ plan to develop the first of a series of equipment for FAA’s next generation communications (NexCom) system. Visit www.rockwellcollins.com and www.gableseng.com.
TAWS Certification
L-3 Avionics Systems’ LandMark terrain awareness warning system (TAWS), Model 8100, equipped with a wide area augmentation system (WAAS)-GPS sensor, recently received technical standard order certification. The company subsequently obtained a supplemental type certificate for the Model 8100 in its King Air C90. The TAWS was designed for the turbine Class B market.
Meanwhile, Garmin International has received FAA approval to add TAWS functionality to the GNS 530 (shown above) and GPS 500. The TAWS will allow the avionics to display the surrounding terrain and obstacles and provide audible alerts. Visit www.garmin.com and www.L-3com.com.
Germania Security
Berlin-based Germania Fluggesellschaft airline will have the FlightVu cockpit door monitoring system, provided by AD Aerospace and Aircraft Engineering & Installation Services, installed on its seven MD-80s. Visit www.ad-aero.com.
Cell Phoning
ARINC Inc. and Telenor recently provided a ground-based demonstration of the GSM-based technology they are developing to enable in-flight mobile phone use. On a "virtual flight" at Inmarsat’s London headquarters, individuals were able to use their personal mobile phones–via ground-based equipment configured the way it would be on an airplane–to send and receive calls. Visit www.arinc.com and www.telenor.com.
NavAir Testers
The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NavAir) has purchased 10 PinPoint II functional testers from DiagnoSYS Systems, Kissimmee, Fla. The testers were designed to diagnose and repair circuit board assemblies. NavAir estimates it will save $800,000 per month over several years by using the units, the company says. The Navy tentatively plans to purchase 15 more systems per year over the next four years. Visit www.diagnosys.com.
AMF JTRS Program
Lockheed Martin has selected BAE Systems to participate in the pre-system development and demonstration (Pre-SDD) phase of the Airborne and Maritime/Fixed Station Joint Tactical Radio System (AMF JTRS) program. Lockheed earlier won a 15-month, $50-million award under the AMF JTRS program. JTRS is a communications system based on software-defined radio technology. Visit www.baesystems.com.
EFB Innovations
Jeppesen and navAero will offer Class 1 and 2 electronic flight bags to commercial aviation. Jeppesen will provide an application manager; an electronic document storage and viewer feature; a chart application that can store, update and provide access to Jeppesen’s chart library; performance calculations; and video surveillance capability. navAero will serve as the integrator. Visit www.jeppesen.com and www.navaero.com.
UAV Patrols
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is using unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) provided by Northrop Grumman Corp. to help monitor illegal border crossings from Mexico to the United States. In early November, the Arizona Border Control initiative began using U.S. Army RQ-5 Hunter UAVs to patrol the border area 90 miles (145 km) southeast of Tucson, Ariz. The Hunters are capable of sustained autonomous flight and are equipped with high-resolution, day and nighttime visual and infrared sensors, integrated GPS systems, and communications gear to relay information to border patrol agents. Visit www.northropgrumman.com.
Mexican ATM
Mexico’s Servicios a la Navegacion el Espacio Ato Mexicano (SENEAM) has awarded Thales ATM a contract to supply its Eurocat air traffic management (ATM) system across the nation. Area control centers in Mexico City, Merida, Monterrey and Mazatlan initially will receive the new system. Visit www.thalesatm.com.
IFE Collaboration
Thales and Tenzing have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), in which the two companies agree to integrate low-speed proxy services and high-speed IP (Internet protocol) services into the TopSeries in-flight entertainment (IFE) system. With the help of Tenzing, users of Thales’ TopSeries will be able to e-mail, instant-message and access the Internet while in flight. Completion of the integration was scheduled for the end of 2004. Visit www.thalesgroup.com.
Simulator Orders
CAE will provide Airbus A320 and Learjet 45 full-flight simulators, respectively, to the Zhuhai Flight Training Center in China and the Singapore Flying College’s branch in Maroochydore, Australia. Visit www.cae.com.