Duncan Aviation announced it recently completed an industry-first Controller Pilot Data Link Communications\/Future Air Navigation System (CPDLC\/FANS) 1\/A+ installation. The Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) was recently issued by the FAA and covers the Challenger 601. The installation features the upgraded NZ-2000 Honeywell Flight Management System (FMS), which integrates with current Challenger 601 Original Equipment Manager (OEM) flight decks. <\/p>\n
\u201cOur installation is unique in the industry,\u201d says Regional Avionics Sales Manager Mark Francetic. \u201cAll other FANS FMSes on the market for the Challenger 601s are standalone units, but Duncan Aviation is installing an integrated Honeywell FMS, which is superior to any of the CPDLC\/FANS 1\/A+ solutions currently available. This upgraded Honeywell FMS satisfies all current NextGen mandates for FANS\/CPDLC, and is an integral part of our ADS-B OUT, and WAAS LPV programs. Additionally, it\u2019s a far more affordable option than the standalone systems currently available.\u201d
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\nThis CPDLC\/FANS 1\/A+ upgrade also demonstrates Duncan Aviation\u2019s commitment to its customers to keep their aircraft flying in airspace around the world. <\/p>\n
\u201cDuncan Aviation is developing solutions for these aircraft, along with all others, well before the mandate deadlines prevent aircraft that are not properly equipped from flying in desired airspace,\u201d says Avionics Tech Rep Chris Christianson. \u201cBy doing these upgrades and modifications now, we also hope to eliminate the ever-growing issue of obsolescence with regard to aging avionics systems that will soon or already face being sunset.\u201d <\/p>\n
The Honeywell system integrates with current Challenger 601 flight decks and is forward-fit compatible with future mandates. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re committed to offering our customers cutting-edge solutions, and one of the reasons this Honeywell system is superior to anything else out there is that it is designed to accommodate future mandates we may see for United-States airspace,\u201d says Francetic. \u201cWe\u2019re anticipating mandates for ADS-B IN and an updated version of Link2000 and CPDLC in the United States. Right now, these systems are used primarily when flying over water and through EU airspace, but when future mandates are issued for U.S. airspace, this Honeywell system will already be ready for the upgraded equipment.\u201d<\/p>\n