FAA Seeks Replacement for Honeywell Cockpit Displays

FAA is proposing a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the replacement of certain older Honeywell cockpit displays on Boeing 737 and 777 family aircraft due to their vulnerability to Wi-Fi interference. 

 

The agency said the Honeywell phase 3 display units (DU) are susceptible to radio frequency emissions in Wi-Fi frequency bands at "radiated power levels below the level that the displays are required to tolerate for certification of Wi-Fi system installations." 

 

During testing of the phase 3 DUs on 737 series aircraft, the displays went blank for as long as 6 minutes when subjected to Wi-Fi frequencies. If the systems were to go blank during takeoffs and landings, it could result in the flight crew’s loss of control of the aircraft at altitudes insufficient for recovery, FAA said. The displays provide flight critical information such as airspeed, altitude and heading.

 

The proposal was filed during the same week that an FAA advisory panel is meeting to complete recommendations on expanding the in-flight use of personal electronic devices (PED) by passengers connecting to the Internet through onboard Wi-Fi systems. FAA is recommending affected operators replace the existing phase 3 DUs with new phase 3A DUs and installation of new DU database software.

 

According to FAA, the AD affects 157 aircraft, with a total cost of retrofitting the planes with new displays at $1.6 million, or about $20,000 per plane.