Editor's Note

MLS: Back to the Future?

To many experts in the United States, the microwave landing system (MLS) is past history–one of the many highly touted solutions to pressing aviation problems that, despite their promise, never reached operational…

Editor's Note

Europe’s Energized Mode S Program

Following a decade-long gestation period, Eurocontrol’s ambitious Mode S surveillance program is accelerating. On March 31, coordinated Mode S secondary surveillance radar (SSR) coverage was to commence over France, Germany, Switzerland, the…

Editor's Note

New Products

MEMS-Based AHRS The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently approved the first standalone micro electromechanical system- (MEMS)-based attitude heading reference system (AHRS) for general aviation. Crossbow Technology, San Jose, Calif., designed the equipment…

Editor's Note

People

Stevens Aviation: Altenbern, Award Winner The Federal Aviation Administration has named James Altenbern the 2003 Avionics Maintenance Technician of the Year for the South Carolina district. He is employed at Stevens Aviation’s…

ATM Modernization

Perspective: IFALPA View: Emerging Technologies

The hottest ticket for "right now" avionics applications has to be reduced vertical separation minima (RVSM) for domestic U.S. and Canadian airspace. The opening of the extra flight levels above 290 will…

Editor's Note

Product Focus: Wire and Cable

The importance of wire and cable selection, installation and maintenance cannot be overstated. The aviation industry’s approach to the parlous state of electrical wiring can be likened to an alcoholic’s progress—stout denial,…

Commercial

Safety: Pre-Emptive Pattern Analysis

A nosewheel’s hard impact during a landing last year shows how pattern analysis can lead to safer practices. In this event, the analysis followed the costly incident, but the broad lesson about…

Editor's Note

Industry Scan

Enter Entegra Avidyne Corp. recently gained Federal Aviation Administration approval for its FlightMax Entegra primary flight display (PFD). The 10.4-inch display presents standard flight instrumentation, and its approval includes Avidyne’s solid state…

Editor's Note

Dispersing Heat: The Problems

Heat is an awkward parameter to control in an avionics system, especially if normal operation generates large amounts of it. And every part, wire and circuit board trace that has energy flowing…

Editor's Note

Editor's Note: Predicting the Recovery

It is not a scientific study. Still the survey that Helios Technology conducted at the previous two Maastricht air traffic control (ATC) shows in the Netherlands is interesting, if only to gauge…