[Avionics Today April 14, 2014] Esterline CMC Electronics expects that the global aviation market will experience sustained growth over the next five to 15 years, said Vice President, Customer Support and Strategic Development Claude Chidiac in opening remarks at the AMC/AEEC Conference in Toronto.
A growing undelivered backlog of aircraft, NextGen and SESAR mandates, new aircraft Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) arising in growing economies including India and China, and next generation defense programs are the four main drivers of that growth, said Chidiac.
Echoing Chidiac in identifying emerging economies and world growth in the aviation industry, Ray Frelk, president of the Airline Avionics Institute, praised the industry and conference for its diversity and ability to overcome political, cultural and religious differences. “We can really be proud of that as an industry,” said Frelk, adding that it’s “maybe something that doesn’t happen anywhere else in the world.”
Though defense budgets in the Western world are known to be shrinking, Chidiac said there is possibility that defense positioning in Asia and now developments in Russia may reverse that trend.
For short term growth, Chidiac said Esterline CMC Electronics is “very focused” on NextGen’s 36 capabilities and two mandates, including Performance Based Navigation (PBN) and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out (ADS-B Out), with a Jan. 1, 2020 mandate for all aircraft flying in Class A, B, C and E airspace.
The NextGen requirement for DataComm will also guide Esterline CMC Electronics’ Roadmap according to Chidiac, as DataComm is brought in to enhance voice communications between Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) and pilots.
Chidiac said Esterline CMC Electronics has also recently seen a shift on the part of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), which are expressing a desire to control the cockpit. In response, Esterline is investing heavily in making equipment and products compatible with other avionics makers’ equipment as well as other standards and requirements.
Chidiac stressed that Esterline CMC Electronics is “not Garmin or Rockwell [Collins],” but specializes in meeting complex challenges. “We build our success on coming up with ways to solve very unique problems,” said Chidiac.