Carey J. Fagan, FAA director of International
Strategy & Performance left, discusses U.S.
participation in the Atlantic Interoperability
Initiative to Reduce Emissions (AIRE) during
the ATC Global conference in Amsterdam,
March 9, 2010. Seated right is Patrick Ky,
executive director, SESAR Joint Undertaking. More Videos
FAA issued an airworthiness directive (AD) on Thursday requiring operators of the Airbus A320 family to update software in their traffic collision avoidance systems (TCAS) following two near-mid-air collisions.
The directive, effective April 15, 2010, requires U.S. operators of the estimated 564 aircraft to upgrade their Electronic Instrument System software to V60, which introduces modifications to the vertical speed indication to further improve the legibility in the case of TCAS Resolution Advisory. This modification consists of a change in the needle color and thickness and an increase in width of the TCAS green band. European regulators adopted this rule in November 2008.
"One of the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) factors was the lack of visibility of relevant information on the Primary Flight Display (PFD). This condition, if not corrected, could result in erroneous interpretation of TCAS Resolution Advisories, leading to an increased risk of mid-air collision," according to the AD.
According to the directive, FAA estimates this work will cost U.S. operators about $8.3 million, or $14,800 per aircraft.
Presagis Forms Embedded Graphics Division
Presagis, based in Montreal, will form a business unit focused solely on embedded graphics systems, the company announced Tuesday.
The new division, which will integrate Presagis's 2009 acquisition of Seaweed Systems, will build Presagis's experience in developing systems for the aerospace and automotive industries to deliver standards-based COTS graphics drivers and human-machine-interface (HMI) software for the embedded market, according to the company.
“In response to the demands for complex, integrated digital displays and powerful graphics drivers, we are structuring our organization in a way that will better serve the needs of the industry,” said Robert Kopersiewich, vice president and general manager of Embedded Graphics at Presagis. “We are listening to our customers and will provide them with the benefits of seamlessly developed products, a single point for sales and support, as well as HMI and graphic driver expertise within one innovative engineering team.”
Presagis said it will also continue to develop strategic relationships with other key embedded COTS software and hardware organizations, including Wind River, Green Hills Software, Curtiss Wright and GE Intelligent Platforms. “The new Presagis business unit sets a clear path for developers creating complex digital displays,” said Rob Hoffman, Vice President and General Manager, Aerospace and Defense, Wind River. “As a long-standing Presagis and Seaweed partner, our customers will also reap the benefits of these tightly integrated solutions with the full confidence that our relationships will help them to lower project costs and program risks.”
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