Industry Leader Interview
Pres Henne, Gulfstream's senior vice president of programs, engineering and test, speaks about the advances in synthetic vision technology.
Avionics: Gulfstream has said it will offer synthetic vision technology as an optional upgrade to owners of G550, G500, G450 and G350 aircraft models, as well as to future customers. Why do you think synthetic vision technology is important to your customers?
Henne: It is the next logical step in display technology, resulting in faster and more accurate tactical flight decisions by pilots and ultimately increased safety of flight.
Avionics: Why do you think synthetic vision is "arriving" in the corporate aviation sector before military or commercial aviation? Would the circumstances of corporate aviation make that sector more receptive to the technology?
Henne: Corporate aviation has led before in innovations. Examples include Gulfstream's enhanced vision system, certified by the FAA in 2001, the PlaneView LCD cockpit and Gulfstream's Broad Band Multi Link, to name but three examples. Safety and reliability are paramount in business aviation, plus the aircraft often land at airports which do not have all the navigational aids and facilities found in larger commercial airports.
Avionics: Could you tick off some of the operational benefits that synthetic vision may be able to provide down the road to bizjet operators-on approach and in ground operations, for example?
Henne: According to the FAA, 91 percent of general aviation fatal air accidents in 2005 were caused by pilot's loss of control of the aircraft, including during approach, landing and flying into terrain. SVS provides pilots information in terms of terrain distance and horizontal and vertical bearing. In addition, EVS has proven to be extremely effective in ground operations.
Avionics: Do you foresee a "marriage" between synthetic vision and enhanced vision technologies? What synergies could that achieve?
Henne: Yes, improved safety of flight and ground operations.
Avionics: Could you lay out the schedule of flight tests, etc., en route to your planned certification next year?
Henne: We hope to achieve FAA certification of the Gulfstream Synthetic Vision-Primary Flight Display (SV-PFD) in 2007. We do not, as a matter of course, publish our development and test programs.
Avionics: Do you have customers lined up to receive the Synthetic Vision-Primary Flight Display as a retrofit or new installation?
Henne: Through our Customer Advisory Board, which comprises 75 customers who meet formally in Savannah twice a year and in between via telephone conferences, we receive important feedback and guidance on many of our R&D activities. Without their encouragement and endorsement it would be extremely rare for us to proceed on such a program as SV-PFD.
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On The Floor Booth Reviews
Eaton Aerospace, Booth #1649
Eaton's booth at NBAA 2006 features a broad array of products and systems showcasing the company's leading position in fluid power, fluid, fuel and air distribution; electromechanical actuation motion control; electrical distribution; cockpit interface and circuit protection; engine sub-systems; and fluid health monitoring for the industry's diverse array of aircraft platforms, from emerging very light jet to medium- and long-range business jet segments. Key platforms include the Embraer Phenom 100, Raytheon Premier 1, Cessna Citation, Bombardier Challenger, Gulfstream 150, 450 and 550, Dassault Falcon, Raytheon Hawker 4000, Airbus ACJ and Boeing BBJ.
ECS, Booth #1266
ECS announces the release of its new electronic flight bag (EFB) installation solution, EZMount˙. Easy to install, the EZMount˙ mounting system, with minor adjustments, works with any EFB system on the market and in both vertical and horizontal mounting configurations. Continuing to grow its installation support services, ECS combines cutting-edge technology with creative design to develop effective avionics installation provisions. In addition to EFB and avionics systems installation initiatives, ECS continues to offer comprehensive design and engineering services with in-house DER, DAR, and DMIR personnel to provide approved design data packages and supplemental type certificates with PMA approvals, product conformity inspections, and approved design data, as well as 24-hour AOG support worldwide.
EDO Corp., Booth #1390
EDO Corp., a leading manufacturer of aviation antennas, including the well-known Dorne & Margolin antenna product line, will be exhibiting a wide selection of communication and navigation antennas. Our booth display will focus on antennas within our product line that are optimized for business-jet applications, including both established products with years of flight heritage and new product developments. EDO will display a cross-section of antenna products for applications such as radio altimeters, VHF communications, VORLOC, glideslope, marker beacon and DME, as well as support equipment, such as couplers and diplexers. VORLOC and glideslope systems on display will include both blade and loop systems, and towel-bar, true loop antennas that are widely used on helicopters. VHF communications equipment will include the company's full range of whip and blade antennas. EDO's N27-Series of low-profile marker beacon antennas and the NI50-Series of lightning-resistant DME antennas also will be displayed, as well as its radio altimeter product line, represented by the PN19-Series of conformal, microstrip-based antennas. New products at EDO's booth will include the latest versions of our N48-Series of VORLOC antennas, including the new -5 and -6 series, which are designed to withstand extreme vibration and temperature exposure levels. Also at the EDO booth will be an all-new Antenna Products-Brochure with embedded CD-R-based, PDF-driven, Product Catalogue. This Catalogue is now fully searchable by both keyword and part number, and includes Specification Sheets for our many antenna systems.
Innovative Solutions & Support, Booth #1253
Innovative Solutions & Support (IS&S) is a pioneering designer and manufacturer of electronic cockpit avionics instrumentation, including RVSM-compliant air data systems, air data computers, engine and primary flight flat panel displays and multifunction/mission display systems. At NBAA, IS&S will be exhibiting its innovative Cockpit/IP˙ all-glass primary flight, navigation and multi-function display system in cockpit mockups of Pilatus PC-12, Boeing 767, Socata TBM and Cessna Citation aircraft. The company will also exhibit its air data instrument systems that that are RVSM compliant, including Altimeters, Mach Air Speed Indicators, Digital Air Data Computers (DADCs), Air Data Display Units (ADDUs), Alerters and Analog Interface Units (AIUs). Executives from IS&S will be on hand to discuss how the Cockpit/IP Flat Panel Display System significantly improves flight safety and security, streamlines vital in-flight information and offers PC-12 pilots, passengers and owners 'Part 25' performance capabilities at less than 'Part 23' costs. In addition, they will address how IS&S and its installation partners have designed an approach to flat panel upgrades that significantly minimizes the cost and downtime typically required for retrofits, allowing owners to return their aircraft to revenue-generating service in unprecedented time frames. For the B767, the upgrade has been accomplished in 48 hours. IS&S will also demonstrate optional installations available through its flat panel upgrades, including electronic flight bag features such as runway, approach and enroute charts providing pilots real-time, GPS-referenced location data both on the ground and in the air. Additional features that will be demonstrated include graphical weather subscription-based satellite services that receive real-time weather information for all the regions of North America and a 'Zoom' feature that magnifies pilot-selected settings making them larger and easier to read. This same feature is utilized in making charts displayed on the Class III EFB larger and easier to read.
Paperless Cockpit, Booth #4850
Paperless Cockpit features its premium solutions for the modern cockpit during the NBAA Convention. An Aviation Technology and Systems Integration company, Paperless Cockpit provides in-cockpit technology solutions, aviation consulting and cockpit management tools, offering the most efficient, versatile and comprehensive products on the market. Bringing a full range of products from Class I through Class III electronic flight bags (EFBs), Paperless Cockpit lightens the load of aviation professionals and enthusiasts worldwide. At NBAA 2006, Paperless will present its line of EFB products, which feature two main lines-the E-Board XP3 EFB and FliteServ C2 EFB. E-Board XP3 offers portability and ergonomics sought after in an all-in-one system. Its compact design, combined with the company's state-of-the-art displays, offers a versatile system for use in and out of the cockpit. The FliteServ C2 EFB features a solid in-cockpit EFB platform to serve as a robust tool to corporate pilots in any type of flight operation. Visitors to the booth will have a chance to obtain information on the latest developments in Paperless Cockpit's line of products and services, and experience functionality of such programs as the company's EFB Manager software, Jeppesen's JeppView flight deck, simulated WSI InFlight weather. Paperless Cockpit also will feature information on services provided by its partner, Aviation Data Systems. Aviation Data Systems is a source of fboweb.com aviation web service, as well as its innovative air-to-ground digital messaging and flight operations system for general and commercial aviation, optimized to run on Paperless Cockpit EFB platforms. The Paperless Cockpit Advantage lies in superior products, unmatched technical and customer support, and industry know-how.
Sensor Systems Inc., Booth #3309
The very light jet (VLJ) aircraft has brought challenges in development of airborne communications antennas. Although these aircraft are within the size and weight class of the single-engine piston markets, VLJ speed and altitude performance requires antenna protection from lightning and P-Static environments. Sensor Systems Inc. has developed a new line of VHF antennas with these requirements in mind. The S65-8280-41 VHF antenna provides the performance required for these environments. The lower profile, all-metal design eliminates problems with P-Static and damage from direct lightning effects. See us at NBAA 2006.
Spectralux Corp., Booth #884
Spectralux Corp. showcases two significant avionics technologies at NBAA. The first is NexNav˙, a custom form factor Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) sensor that comes from a strategic alliance between Spectralux and Accord Software, and supports GPS Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) Class Beta 3 for LPV approaches. Also at the Spectralux booth is the company's QuickBuild˙ modular avionics technology, a system of configurable CCAs that can dramatically reduce the time and cost of bringing avionics assemblies to market. Products that have recently been developed using QuickBuild include data translators, a Quick Access Recorder and a data link line replaceable unit (LRU).
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NBAA Seminars
All sessions are held in the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla. Visit www.nbaa.org
FBO Services for Business/Corporate Aviation, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in Room S320CD.
This session will be moderated by David Vornholt, president of Riverside Enterprises Corp. Guest speakers include Jeff Kolham, Aviation Management Consulting Group; David Ivey, Wilson Air Center; Todd Baumgartner, NetJets; and Josh Stewart, XJet Club. An industry panel, including a corporate flight department operator, an industry FBO representative and an FBO/airport consultant, will examine the partnership between the providers of products, services and facilities, and the impacts airports place on the providers and the many business aviation aircraft operators that rely upon them. This session will explore the latest on airport/FBO rates and charges, as well as existing and/or evolving airport rules and regulations that either directly affect, or have the potential to adversely affect, airport access and business aviation. Future airport-related challenges for both business aircraft operators and the FBO community also will be addressed.
NBAA's Communications Satellite Programs Overview, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Room S320EF. Moderated by Elizabeth Young, Aerospace Industry Consultant. The guest speaker is Jose Joaquim S.P. Cabral, Navegação Aérea de Portugal. Discover what these "here and now" communications satellite systems can bring to your "anytime, any place" communications needs, in both voice and data.
NBAA/FAA/GAMA Update on Implementation of RNP/RNAV/SAAAR for Business Jets, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m in Room S320EF. Moderated by Jeff Williams, FAA. This updated session, conducted by a panel from FAA, GAMA and NBAA, as well as operators, will provide a discussion of both the progress that has been made and the challenges that remain on the implementation of required navigation performance/area navigation/ special aircraft and aircrew authorization required (RNP/RNAV/SAAAR) for business jets. RNP/RNAV/SAAAR procedures are key to continued access and safety improvements for the business aviation community.
ATC Traffic Flow Management for Flight Operations Personnel, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in Room S320B. Guest speakers include Jo Damato from NBAA and Carmine Gallo, Jim Burgan, Rob Lowe, Bob Everson and Doug Molin of the Federal Aviation Administration. FAA and industry representatives will address the public resources currently available for a business aviation flight department to navigate the National Airspace System (NAS) from a scheduler's, a dispatcher's and a pilot's perspectives. A better understanding of Traffic Flow Management (TFM) and Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) will detail how to proactively operate in the NAS and reduce delays.
NBAA Enhanced Vision Systems (EVS) Session, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. in Room S320B. Moderated by Gulfstream Aerospace's Gary Freeman, guest speakers for this session include Glenn Connor of Kollsman and FAA's Les Smith. Being able to see where you have previously been unable to do so brings a whole new paradigm of safety and efficiency to business aviation. But, it also brings about new issues in the areas of certification and training. This session will address these concerns and more.
FAA's Plan to Evolve and Transform the U.S. Air Transportation System - Committing to 2025, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. in Room S320C. This session is moderated by Gisele Mohler of FAA, and includes guest speakers Loretta Martin, Ken Leonard and Steven Van Trees from FAA and Jay Merkle of the U.S. Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO). FAA and JPDO personnel will update the industry on plans to transform today's National Airspace System (NAS) into the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NGATS), how the expanded OEP Plan will work, and what benefit it will offer to stakeholders.
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