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Avionics Installations And Modifications Create New Work For MROs

Bill Carey December 03, 2021
Garmin 5000 flight deck upgrade

Flight Deck Refresh

Garmin

Garmin obtained supplemental type certificate approval of the G5000 flight deck upgrade of Cessna Citation Excel/XLS midsize jets in 2019. Just over two years into the program, the avionics manufacturer says it has equipped 10% of the in-service fleet. The retrofit, which replaces the original Honeywell Primus 1000 suite, costs about $500,000-550,000 and saves an estimated 200 lb. in weight. In October, Duncan Aviation said its St. Paul, Minnesota, facility had installed its third—and the company’s fifth—G5000 upgrade.

Universal Avionics SkyLens

Enhanced Vision System

Universal Avionics

Elbit Systems’ company Universal Avionics plans to enter formal certification flight testing of its ClearVision Enhanced Flight Vision System on a Boeing 737NG. The supplemental type certification installation includes dual SkyLens head-wearable displays—a first on a large transport category aircraft—and a single EVS-5000 multispectral camera. AerSale provided the prototype aircraft and led the engineering, design, modification, installation and now flight tests.

FreeFlight Systems radar altimeter

5G Interference Hardened

FreeFlight Systems

FreeFlight Systems expects to begin shipping its new RA-5500/6500 Terrain Series radar altimeters, designed to mitigate interference from 5G wireless networks, in 2022. The Terrain series has a compatible form factor with other manufacturers’ radar altimeters and can be integrated with older analog indicators. “It would be what I would call minimal modification of the aircraft,” says FreeFlight Systems President Anthony Rios. “It would be mostly just a connector change. It wouldn’t be structural—you don’t have to cut things or put new trays in.”

SmartSky ATG shipset

Air/Ground Connectivity

SmartSky Networks

MRO and completions company Flying Colours Corp. will act as a sales and installation facility for SmartSky Networks’ new 4G LTE air-to-ground connectivity system. The SmartSky shipset consists of an aircraft base radio and two antennas (transmit and receive) mounted to the bottom of the fuselage. Sales and installations will be available through Flying Colours locations in Peterborough, Ontario, and St. Louis, Missouri.

OneWeb satcom terminal agreement

Low Earth Orbit

OneWeb

Satellite network developer OneWeb unveiled a joint development agreement with engineering company GDC Advanced Technology to certify new aviation terminals for OneWeb’s future low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, one of multiple new LEO constellations being launched. The companies will develop satcom terminals sized for airliners per the ARINC 791 specification and for smaller regional and business aircraft, then apply for supplemental type certifications to install terminals on several different aircraft types. GDC’s Tracy Trent (left) and OneWeb’s Ben Griffin display a transmit array at APEX Expo.

Plane Simple Antenna

Plane Simple Antenna

Satcom Direct

Satcom Direct (SD) reported the successful functioning of the Plane Simple Antenna System on its Gulfstream G350 testbed during a series of transatlantic and European validation flights. Over 16 hr. of testing, the tail-mounted, Ku-band system demonstrated its compatibility with the Intelsat FlexExec satellite network. The SDR Gateway router supported Wi-Fi distribution to numerous personal electronic devices in the cabin. SD is developing the two-line replaceable unit system (antenna and modem) with QEST Quantenelektronische Systeme of Germany.

Honeywell Anthem

Future Flight Deck

Bill Carey/AW&ST

Product line director Jason Bialek pilots a concept demonstrator of Honeywell’s new Anthem cockpit, which the company unveiled in New York City in October. A fifth-generation integrated avionics suite, Anthem emphasizes autonomy, connectivity and touchscreen interfaces. The first applications will be on the seven-seat Lilium Jet and five-seat Vertical Aerospace VA-X4 vertical-takeoff-and-landing air taxis, both of which are expected to enter commercial service in 2024. Honeywell also reports interest from manufacturers of business and general aviation aircraft.

Genesys UH-60 cockpit modernization

International Appeal

Genesys Aerosystems

Genesys Aerosystems, formed from the 2014 management buyout of Chelton Flight Systems and S-TEC Corp. from Cobham Avionics, is ramping up marketing of its modernized avionics suite for the UH-60A/EH-60A Black Hawk. It is targeting international operators of A-model and eventually L-model UH-60s. Genesys and XP Services received FAA supplemental type certification of the EFIS upgrade in October 2020. Genesys is also working with Borsight Inc. to certify new avionics for the Aero Vodochody L-39NG Albatros jet trainer.

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In addition to developing full integrated avionics suites, avionics manufacturers have introduced equipment upgrades and retrofits focused on improving pilots’ situational awareness and satisfying the growing demand for inflight connectivity, which will be served by new terrestrial and satellite-based communications networks.

 

Bill Carey

Based in Washington, DC, Bill covers avionics, air traffic management and aviation safety for Aviation Week. A former daily newspaper reporter, he has covered the commercial, business and military aviation segments as well as unmanned aircraft systems. Prior to joining Aviation Week in November 2017, he worked for Aviation International News and Avionics and Rotor & Wing magazines.

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