EO/IR Sensor Payload
Schiebel Aircraft GmbH, of Vienna, Austria, and Wescam L-3 Communications, of Burlington, Ontario, announced the first flight of a Camcopter S-100 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with the Wescam MX-10 EO/IR payload installed.
The MX-10 flew at a test range near the Schiebel production facility in Wiener Neustadt, Austria. The trial focused on the advanced EO/IR capabilities of the MX-10 and enabled detailed observation of the surrounding area. The MX-10 was controlled via datalink with real-time imagery transmitted successfully back to the aircraft’s ground control station, according to the companies.
The 37-pound MX-10 stands less than 14 inches tall. The turret is capable of simultaneous high-definition digital video, NTSC or PAL analog video outputs, and is compatible with all existing MX-Series command and control, moving map, SLASS and radar interfaces. It can incorporate up to six sensors.
The Camcopter S-100 Vertical Takeoff and Landing UAV operates day and night, under adverse weather conditions, with a beyond line-of-sight capability to 200 km. In the standard configuration it carries a 75-pound payload for over six hours. Visit www.schiebel.net.
Wireless LAN STC
Banyan Avionics, based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was awarded an FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) for the Thrane & Thrane Aviator 200 Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) system for installation on Cessna 500, 550, S550, 552, 560 and 560XL models.
The Thrane & Thrane system allows pilots and passengers to use Wi-Fi-enabled PDA devices, including Blackberry, iPhone and iPad, to access a range of applications, including e-mail, Web and voice communications.
Banyan said the installation can be performed as quickly as two weeks and can be completed at Banyan during regular maintenance inspections. Banyan said it is working to obtain Brazilian approval for the system as well. Visit banyanair.com.
Emissions Reporting
Colt International, of Webster, Texas, introduced an emissions reporting program, which is designed to be a turnkey solution for flight departments operating in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme.
The company said its Emission Reporting Program ensures that operators comply with the March 31, 2011, deadline to submit verified 2010 emissions data.
The program will record, monitor, error check and safeguard relevant flight data and then build the proper reports necessary for verification. Visit www.coltinternational.com.
Connector Sales Agent
Carlisle Interconnect Technologies, of St. Augustine, Fla., named Microwave Marketing as its technical sales agent and representative for Carlisle’s range of RF and microwave connectors, cables and components within Ireland, the United Kingdom and Spain.
Carlisle said the appointment will strengthen its European presence and fully compliments Microwave Marketing’s existing range of systems for the RF and microwave markets. Visit www.CarlisleIT.com.
Headset Agreement
Aviation headset manufacturer Sennheiser, of Old Lyme, Conn., and Brazilian airframer Embraer signed an agreement to incorporate the Sennheiser HMEC 26 active noise reduction headset into Embraer’s Phenom and EJet aircraft. The agreement includes Embraer’s Phenom 100, 300 and EJet 170, 175, 190 and 195 series, as well as the Lineage 1000.
The headset includes Sennheiser’s NoiseGard active noise compensation system, which decreases residual noise by up to 90 percent, and ActiveGard, which protects against potentially harmful volume surges, according to the company. Visit www.sennheiserusa.com.
Gulfstream Expansion
Gulfstream Aerospace, based in Savannah, Ga., purchased a 253,000-square-foot building to expand its research and development program. The new facility is located adjacent to the company’s Research and Development campus in Savannah.
Located on 49.2 acres, the facility includes about 30,000 square feet of office space, 223,000 square feet of light manufacturing and warehouse space and the potential for additional office, lab and warehouse development. Gulfstream’s Research and Development campus consists of three different phases and is home to about 1,450 employees. Visit www.gulfstream.com.
Messaging Contract
GOL Airlines, a low-cost carrier based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, has chosen ARINC to provide the global Type B business messaging service for its growing operations, under a recent contract.
Airlines use Type B messaging for mission-critical communications including passenger reservations, weather data and flight planning. ARINC handles 16 million of such messages daily. ARINC provides network protocol and message format conversion. Visit www.arinc.com.
EFB Software
Aircraft Management Technologies (AMT) of Dublin, Ireland, has been selected to provide its Flightman software package for ATR’s Class 2 electronic flight bag (EFB). ATR uses The Esterline CMC Electronics PilotView EFB.
The extended EFB software suite will include additional applications to record and compute key operational information onboard, facilitate data transfer on and off the aircraft, and provide a ground-based interface for management and reporting of EFB data, AMT said.
The package includes eJourney Log, an electronic version of existing flight crew paper forms carried on commercial aircraft; and eTechlog, which allows the recording of technical data onboard the aircraft. Visit www.flightman.com.
Charting Agreement
Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen, of Englewood, Colo., signed a five-year charting and flight planning service renewal contract with Air Atlanta Icelandic.
Jeppesen systems provided in the agreement include tailored digital charting services such as e-Link Online and e-Link for Windows and Jetplanner services for use with the carrier’s flight planning system. Jeppesen AirSide Service is included in the agreement, which delivers pre-assembled, paper-based Jeppesen operational manuals, standard operating procedures and navigational charts to the aircraft prior to each flight. Visit www.jeppesen.com.
Datalink Certification
International Communications Group’s (ICG) Datalink-100 (DL-100) Satellite based Flight Deck Data Unit completed ARINC Avionics Qualification Program (AQP) testing. The certification is required in order to send ACARS and other datalink messages over the ARINC network. In addition to the AQP certification, the DL-100 has been certified by Iridium for operation over the Iridium satellite constellation and network.
The DL-100 provides bi-directional messaging over the Iridium Satellite Network via a Short Burst Data transceiver. Designed to send and receive Air Traffic System and Air Operations Center data messages, it provides connections to aircraft Data Management Unit/Communications Management Unit devices via ARINC 429 circuits, permitting the sending and receiving of traditional ACARS messages as well as supporting Controller Pilot Datalink Communications, ADS-C and other Future Air Navigation Systems. Visit www.icg.aero.
AS9100 Certification
ENSCO, of Falls Church, Va., successfully completed AS9100 Rev B and ISO 9001:2008 certification. The registration certifies ENSCO to provide aviation, space and defense software systems, including requirements analysis, design and development, system integration, verification and validation, quality assurance and customer support. Visit www.ensco.com.
Electronics Chassis
Curtiss-Wright Controls Electronic Systems (CWCES), based in Littleton, Mass., introduced a rugged 6-slot 3U OpenVPX (or 7-slot 3U CompactPCI) conduction cooled chassis for harsh military environments.
The SFF-6 Small Form Factor Chassis is the newest member of the CWCES Hybricon family of military COTS electronic packaging systems and includes the company’s CoolWall thermal technology to support system heat dissipation up to 400W. According to the company, the chassis speeds and simplifies the integration of high performance, low-power embedded COTS subsystems designed for use in space, weight and power-constrained military environments. Visit www.cwcelectronicsystems.com.
VDL Network Update
The Brazilian Department of Airspace Control (DECEA) selected SITA to update the country’s network infrastructure dedicated to air-ground VHF Data Link (VDL) communication.
The agreement includes the operation of the VDL service until 2030.
The new system will replace the current data communications system and will be used by DECEA to exchange air traffic control data link messages between aircraft and air traffic control systems, as well as between airlines and their airline operational centers, according to SITA.
The project includes the complete modernization of all network components, such as circuits and radio stations, and the expansion of airspace coverage. It will be the basis for data link communications service to ACARS-equipped aircraft operating in Brazil and also for next-generation ATN technology. Visit www.sita.aero.
Power Controller Card
Data Device Corp. (DDC), of Bohemia, N.Y., introduced the RP-26300 card, a compact (6.3-inch by 4.6-inch), multi-channel solid state Power Controller with the capability to distribute and control power to four independent 75 Amp subsystems and handle high current loads (up to 300 Amps) with channel paralleling.
The RP-26300 card provides advanced power control to protect sensitive electronics with EMI reduction; support load shedding; simplify crew operation with automated power control; extend maintenance schedules with diagnostic and prognostic data; and improve overall mission safety, reliability and longevity, according to DDC. Visit www.ddc-web.com.
Safety Critical EFB
DDC-I, of Phoenix, has partnered with Quantum3D, of San Jose, Calif., to provide a safety critical, real-time display system for electronic flight bag (EFB) applications.
The integrated system will include Quantum3D’s OpenGL IGL-178 software graphics processing unit (GPU) running on DDC-I’s Deos safety critical real-time operating system.
The DO-178B Level A certifiable system is built to FAA’s highest safety certification level, making it suitable for use in Class 3 EFBs, the companies said.
Deos is a full-featured, DO-178B Level A certifiable embedded RTOS that has been used in hundreds of safety critical avionics applications on commercial and military aircraft.
Quantum3D’s IGL-178 implements the industry standard OpenGL SC (Safety Critical) API to render graphics on platforms with limited or no dedicated graphics acceleration. Visit www.ddci.com.
ADS-B Display
SkyVision Xtreme, based in Asheboro, N.C., introduced an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) traffic and weather display, with 3-D traffic, subscription-free weather, and control inputs for use with the Universal Access Transceiver (UAT).
The “Xtreme Vision” display system can collect and display all information provided by the ADS-B system (through connection with a UAT).
The company said the Xtreme Vision is the first ADS-B display to offer pilots all of the weather products available, including NEXRAD, METARs, TAFs, SIGMETs, NOTAMs and TRFs, provided via ADS-B. The display also can also be used to control the transmit data of the ADS-B transceiver. Visit www.navworx.com.
FLIR, Avionics Installation
Hangar One Avionics, of Carlsbad, Calif., was awarded a multi-million-dollar contract from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to upgrade the avionics systems on its fleet of 14 Eurocopter AS 350 B2 helicopters.
The work will be completed by the end of 2011 and is being performed at Hangar One Avionics’ facility at Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, Calif. Per the contract, Hangar One will install a Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) camera system, with live video feed downlink capability, a GPS-based mapping system and multi-band digital radio communications. Visit www.h1avionics.com.
CompactPCI Systems
GE Intelligent Platforms, of Charlottesville, Va., released a family of rugged, off-the-shelf CompactPCI-based computing systems designed to reduce the cost and time-to-market of developing systems for military vehicle platforms including UAVs, manned and unmanned ground vehicles and launch vehicles.
The systems, CRS-C2P-3CC1 and CRS-C3P-3CB1, are 2-slot and 3-slot pre-validated and application-ready systems. They are available in a range of application-specific configurations that can be delivered in a rugged, convection- or base plate cooled 3U chassis, according to GE Intelligent Platforms.
The CRS-C2P-3CC1 system measures 3.96-inch by 7.15-inch by 9.03-inch excluding connectors, and weighs 11 pounds. The CRS-C3P-3CB1 has dimensions of 5.60-inches by 4.25-inches by 8.76-inches, excluding connectors, and weighs 9 pounds. Visit www.ge-ip.com.
Licensing Agreement
Embvue, Inc., based in Montreal, signed a Technology Licensing Agreement with EADS and Airbus, granting Embvue a license to exploit AFDX-related Airbus patents.
Embvue supplies software-based AFDX products and services. It has participated in the development of AFDX since its inception and was part of the ARINC group that, with Airbus, helped establish the ARINC 664 Part 7 standard.
Embvue has already developed and launched its A-Stack (Certifiable software AFDX stack solution), A-Switch (Certifiable software AFDX switch solution) and Prodigy (DO-178B qualifiable network integration, optimization and deployment tool suite) products. Visit www.embvue.com.
In-Flight Email
EMS Aviation, based in Ottawa, Ontario, introduced the Aspire Portable AirMail System.
Weighing three pounds, the Portable AirMail system is used for sending and receiving text e-mail in-flight. The unit is not permanently installed on the aircraft, but can be carried on as required and connected to the aircraft’s existing Iridium antenna. Once the system is connected, up to four passengers can send and receive e-mail, EMS Aviation said.
The Portable AirMail system is designed to take advantage of low-bandwidth devices, such as BlackBerry and iPhone smartphones. It will be available in the second quarter this year.
Visit www.emsaviation.com.