Management Systems
Universal Avionics Systems, Tucson, Ariz., introduced WAAS-enabled Flight Management Systems (FMS).
Universal said the FMSs, known as the UNS-1Lw, UNS-1Ew, UNS-1Espw, and UNS-1Fw, will be used on business/regional jets and are designed for operational approval for oceanic, enroute, departure and arrival procedures, non-precision approaches, LNAV/VNAV approaches and LPV (Lateral Precision with Vertical) approaches.
The FMS receiver features extensive anti-jamming capabilities in the RF hardware and incorporates all-in-view tracking of up to 12 satellites with a loss of lock re-acquisition time of less than 3 seconds. It also meets the continuous wave interference specification from RTCA DO-208 and DO-229. FAA certification is expected later this year. Visit www.uasc.com.
Databus Interface
United Electronic Industries (UEI), Canton, Mass., released its DNA-429-5xx series of ARINC 429 bus interfaces.
The DNA-429-566 offers 6 Tx/6 Rx channels; the DNA-429-512 provides 12 Rx channels; and the DNA-429-548 has 4 Tx/8 Rx channels. All boards are fully compliant with the ARINC 429 spec and are software selectable for high speed (100 kHz) or low speed (12.5 kHz) operation.
Receive channels include automatic label filtering so only data from selected channels is captured. The filter may be set to forward data from between one and 255 labels, or may be disabled so all data is captured, regardless of source.
Each received word may also be time stamped with the date and time of reception. Software for the DNA-429 series is provided as part of the UEIFramework.
The framework supports all popular Windows programming languages as well as supporting programmers using Linux and most real-time operating systems. Visit www.ueidaq.com.
Passenger Info Systems
ARINC Direct, Annapolis, Md., will add streamlined APIS (Advance Passenger Information System) reporting and verification services to its portfolio of flight services for business aviation.
The new capabilities will be provided through a partnership with SecureTRANSIT, a provider of APIS services for commercial airlines. ARINC will integrate the APIScontrol and APISadvisor applications of SecureTRANSIT into its standard flight services portfolio.
APIS regulations require cross-border flights in North America to report the identities of all passengers and crew.
ARINC Direct APIS service will automate manual tasks associated with collecting and manipulating passenger and crew data and filing APIS reports.
Advanced features will validate, submit and track APIS transmissions automatically. This ensures Part 135 operators will submit compliant APIS data and streamlines the process. The system also stores crew and passenger manifests. Visit www.arinc.com.
Telecom Units
International Communications Group, Newport News, Va., added the AeroCom 2200 to its family of AeroCom cabin telecommunications units (CTUs).
Designed for general aviation and military applications, the AeroCom 2200 offers many features common to a typical office telecommunications system. Standard functions include conference calling, intercom, call transfer, executive override, call queuing, voice prompts, least cost routing and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Through an internal server, the AeroCom 2200 supports VoIP handsets with delivery to communications transceivers in IP, PCM or analog voice protocols. Transceiver connections are available via 2-wire analog, CO, CEPT-E1 or Ethernet digital circuits.
The CTU is compatible with all single- and multi-channel Iridium satellite systems, including Inmarsat Aero H/H+/I, and is broadband ready. The open-ended architecture ensures compatibility with emerging new communications services as they come on line without the need for new external interface devices. Visit www.intcomgrp.com.
Engine Test Systems
Sakor Technologies released its DynoLAB PT dynamometer engine test system, which is used for performance, durability and quality control testing, as well as calibration and other development procedures on engines and components, transmissions and entire vehicles in the aerospace and other industries.
Sakor, Okemos, Mich., said the system can also provide data acquisition and controls and a range of test cell accessories, including throttle actuators, spark/fuel controls, combustion analysis, cooling packages, fuel measurement and conditioning.
Sakor said the DynoLAB PT’s distributed Ethernet and Wireless Ethernet I/O configuration offers increased bandwidth and noise immunity as well as easy installation, maintenance and future expansion. Visit www.sakor.com.
Helicopter IFE
Flight Display Systems, Alpharetta, Ga., said its cabin entertainment equipment is available as a factory option for the Agusta A109S Grand helicopters.
Working in partnership with Northern Avionics of Milan, Italy, Flight Display Systems’ equipment has already been installed on multiple Agusta helicopters.
A standard entertainment system on an Agusta A109S Grand helicopter includes a 10.4-inch LCD monitor, a Helicopter Moving Map computer processing unit and a DVD/CD/MP3 player, which is all manufactured by Flight Display Systems. The Northern Avionics installation facility is located at Linate Airport in Milan, Italy. Visit www.flightdisplay.com.
Composite Resins
Italian prototyping service bureau Provel used heavily filled composite stereolithography resins from DSM Somos in wind-tunnel test applications in the development of a scaled prototype of the new M-346 fighter trainer aircraft for Italian trainer design company Alenia Aermacchi. Provel said it chose to produce the model using the DSM Somos composite stereolithography resin ProtoToolT 20L, rather than the popular powder sintering technique.
DSM Somos said the resin produced overall time and cost savings. The final cost analysis on producing the M-346 model with ProtoToolT demonstrated a cost savings of more than 30 percent.
Alenia Aermacchi now considers ProtoToolT 20L stereolithography resin a standard for creating wind tunnel test parts for its aircraft designs. Visit www.dsmsomos.com.
Transformer Series
Beta Transformer Technology Corp., Bohemia, N.Y., introduced its Mil-Std-1553 dual transformer series, the DSS-1000. The series is available in ratios compatible with +3.3V, +5V, +12V and +15V transceivers.
The company said the header style design makes it a low-cost solution for high volume programs. This dual side-by-side transformer operates over the full Mil-temp range of -55°C to +130°C. Visit www.bttc-beta.com.
Mission Display Units
Barco, Kortrijk, Belgium, introduced a line of Mission Display Units that it says combines the technology of high-performance cockpit displays with the cost-efficiency of cabin-grade airborne mission display solutions.
Barco says the series, named MDU-2000, is fully compatible with night and daylight video cameras, moving maps, computers and radar inputs, and offers an innovative mission solution for an array of military and paramilitary helicopters and aircraft.
The MDU-2000 family includes a 5-inch-by-4-inch landscape MDU-254 and a 6-inch-by-8-inch MDU-268 that can be used in landscape as well as portrait orientation. The displays are equipped with Active Matrix LCDs and LED backlight technology.
The MDU-2000 family accepts a digital video input (DVI) as well as most analog video inputs. MDU-2000s are DO-178B (software) and DO-254 (hardware) certified up to level C for the DVI input. Visit www.barco.com.
Operating System
LynuxWorks, San Jose, Calif., released its latest Linux-based operating system, BlueCat Linux Micro Edition (BlueCat-ME), which LynuxWorks said makes it the first embedded RTOS provider to enable developers to work with Linux on both PowerPC and MicroBlaze architectures and LynxOS for PowerPC.
BlueCat-ME, which the company said is the result of its affiliation with chipmaker Xilinx, offers full support of the Linux 2.6 kernel.
LynuxWorks said the BlueCat-ME also offers the benefits of the latest Linux distribution to developers using non-memory management unit (non-MMU) architectures for their embedded systems for the first time.
LynuxWorks said BlueCat Linux is an implementation of the Linux model enhanced for a wide array of embedded systems, from small consumer devices to large-scale, multi-CPU systems. Visit www.lynuxworks.com.
Mobile Access Router
EMS Satcom, a division of EMS Technologies, added CNX-300 Mobile Access Router (MAR) to its CNX Cabin Gateway Series of airborne networking devices. The Atlanta-based company said the product is designed specifically to address military and government requirements.
The CNX-300 MAR combines the functionality of the Cabin Gateway product line including Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Hub and Terminal Adapter with the Cisco 3200 Series router. The CNX-300 product is built to operate on the Inmarsat Swift64 and future SwiftBroadband networks, and is expected to provide secure data, voice and video communications; seamless mobility and network interoperability; and advanced IP services using Cisco IOS Software. Visit www.ems-t.com.
Appearing at Avionics 2007
Flight Recorder, Slip Probe
During Avionics 2007 in Amsterdam, held March 7-8, Penny & Giles exhibited its data acquisition flight recorder (DAFR) and low airspeed/side slip probe (LASSP).
The DAFR is a versatile flight recorder that incorporates acquisition unit functionality, removing the need for separate line replaceable units in environments where space, weight and system reliability are critical factors. The company said its DAFR is one of the lightest and most compact full functionality crash protected recorders on the market.
The company’s LASSP represents the next generation of high accuracy airspeed measurement devices.
Developed initially for use on rotorcraft platforms, the probe is designed to interface with the Penny & Giles Air Data Computer to provide high accuracy air data throughout the flight envelope, Penny & Giles said. Visit www.pennyandgiles.com.
IP Cores
Sital Technology, Kfar-Saba, Israel, displayed Mil-Std-1553 IP cores at the Avionics 2007 conference.
The company said it provides several types of IP cores, depending on the application and required back-end interface. They include simple interface, which is mainly suitable for simple 1553 applications that do not have or do not require a CPU; DDC Software compatible interface, which is suitable for applications that have a CPU or applications that require a replacement for DDC enhanced min-Ace devices; and extended reliability logic, which is targeted for space applications.
All cores are available for RT (Remote Terminal), MT (Monitor Terminal) or BC (Bus Controller).
Sital Technology says the benefits of its cores include very small gate count and modular architecture allowing flexible implementations.
Also, Sital said, the IP cores are suitable for any Mil-Std-1553 remote terminal, monitor terminal or bus controller implementation and support any even clock frequency (in MHz). Visit www.sitaltech.com