Challenger 604. Photo: Bombardier
Mid-Canada Mod Center (MC2) recently received FAA approval for its Challenger 604 CL604 future air navigation system (FANS), the company says. The system previously held a Transport Canada supplemental type certificate (STC).
The system mod and upgrade includes these components from Universal Avionics: the UNS-1Lw flight management system (FMS), a 5-inch FMS control display unit (CDU), a CVR-120R cockpit voice recorder, a UniLink UL-801 communications management unit (CMU) and a solid-state data transfer unit. Also included are a Miltope printer and a True North Avionics TN1007-100 data link unit.
UniLink UL-801 was developed in full compliance with DO-178B Level C guidelines and meets FANS 1/A+ standards. Mid-Canada Mod Center notes that FANS over iridium (FOI) is an inexpensive alternative compared to the Inmarsat for FANS data link communications. The system was tested for interference against an existing Inmarsat Swift Broadband system.
“Mandates are fast approaching and 2020 is just not that far away – especially when we can conservatively see in the range of 2,000 fixed and rotary wing aircraft in Canada alone that can and will be affected by the pending changes,” says Vice President of Mid-Canada Mod Center Bill Arsenault. “While the OEMs are doing a good job of supporting their legacy aircraft, those of us considered independent modification providers are able to find alternative, and sometimes more customized solutions with somewhat more flexibility in pricing. We now have several existing STCs to answer the 2020 mandate – and more coming.”