The push is on for meeting airborne equipment mandates and requirements for new air traffic control environments, and Esterline CMC Electronics is here displaying avionics that do just that.
“It comes down to the whole CNS/ATM and NextGen upgrading,” said Greg Yeldon, president of Canada-based Esterline CMC. “As all that infrastructure and requirements and mandates continue to approach, there is more momentum in terms of upgrading aircraft and providing the avionics to meet those mandates.”
Here at the Farnborough Airshow, the Esterline CMC booth (Hall 1 Stand B11) features the company’s Cockpit 9000 flight deck in a simulator to show potential customers various upgrade options. “That’s always one that potential customers get a lot value out of, flying the cockpit,” said Yeldon. Cockpit 9000 has been retrofitted into legacy Lockheed Martin C-130s operated by 10 countries, bringing modern capabilities and extending the life of the utility turboprop by 30 years. The upgrade replaces the original avionics with six large LCDs and can include other CMC products, such as the CMA-9000 FMS, electronic flight bags and enhanced vision system using a CMC SureSight sensor. Night vision imaging system compatibility is also a popular option with Cockpit 9000 upgrades.
Esterline CMC also brought its NextGen Cockpit 4000 technology demonstrator, which it unveiled at the 2012 Farnborough Airshow. Cockpit 4000, which incorporates a large-area digital head-up display and now features new software functionality, is designed for the high-performance trainer and ISR/attack aircraft market.
A number of new helicopter programs have selected the CMA-9000 FMS and also CMC’s IntegriFlight CMA-5024 GPS landing system. Alenia chose the CMA-9000 for an upgrade to its C-27J fleet. “They are not upgrading the entire cockpit,” said Yeldon, “but this is the first step. It’s our civil-certified FMS going in, but it’s also utilizing our military FMS and tactical capabilities. It’s how these things are changing. It’s a great example of doing what they need but having a unique solution to meet their mandate and requirements. We, as a solutions provider, work with the customer to find the solution, and given the portfolio of products that we have, that’s where our sweet spot is.”
Civil Applications
Air Transat is equipping its Airbus A310-300 fleet with the CMA-9000. The Air Transat FMS includes Future Air Navigation (FANS 1/A) capability as well as Airline Operational Communication and controller-pilot datalink communications. All new Airbus Helicopters Super Pumas are equipped with the CMA-9000 as well as the CMA-5024 GPS landing system. Aircraft equipped with the CMA-5024 can add ground-based augmentation, as the unit is already equipped with a VHF data broadcast receiver.
The Airbus EC645T2 will also feature the CMA-9000 and CMA-5024. Aircraft equipped with precision GPS receivers such as the CMA-5024 offer an enormous advantage to countries without extensive ILS approach ground infrastructure. “This gives the ability to do precision landings down to precision limits at any airfield at minimal cost,” said Jean-Michel Comtois, Esterline CMC v-p of sales, government and public affairs. “They just need a local ground-based augmentation system.”
A supplemental type certificate has been issued for installation of the Esterline CMC CMA-1410 PilotView electronic flight bag in Boeing’s 757 and 767 models as part of a program conducted with Air Astana and PMV Engineering. Air Astana is installing the CMA-1410 and PilotView enhanced switching module unit on its 757/767 fleet. The 10.4-inch CMA 1410 is part of a family of CMC EFBs ranging from 8.4 to 12.1 inches, available as standard equipment on a variety of business and commercial aircraft.
Esterline CMC also announced the first purchase order for its Inmarsat SwiftBroadband-compliant, intermediate-gain, satcom antenna, the CMA-2200B, which is launching on Westjet’s 737NG. The antenna is an electronically steerable, phased-array unit and holds FAA and Transport Canada TSO approval.
Show visitors can also learn about Esterline CMC’s virtual training system (VTS), which promises to dramatically lower pilot training costs. “You’re going to see a radical change in training systems for air forces,” said Comtois.
The VTS allows a single aircraft equipped with a special card in its mission computer to fly as if other aircraft are in the air at the same time on the same mission. The pilot’s display and Hotas “see” simulated targets and formation partners.
“There’s no need to launch four airplanes and four pilots,” Comtois said. “Now you can do it with one airplane with a simulated partner and two targets that show on the ‘scope, and practice all the techniques and coordination.”
