ARINC is talking to two flight management system (FMS) suppliers about the next stage of its cockpit upgrade programme for classic aircraft. The move follows recent US Federal Aviation Administration supplemental type certification (STC) for phase one of the communication upgrade for Boeing 747 Classic aircraft.
The first phase of ARINC's programme upgrades classic aircraft for the communications, navigation and surveillance/air traffic management (CNS/ATM) operating environment by providing global VHF and HF datalink communications capability and digital VHF 8.33kHz channel-spacing voice capability. The next stage will incorporate an FMS, says Stuart Baily, vice-president of engineering. A decision on an FMS supplier will be made by November, he says.
The STC flight was performed on a 747-200 operated by launch customer for the programme Tower Air, which is upgrading a mixed fleet of 13 747 Classics. Work will start on one Polar Air Cargo 747-200 in November/December. US cargo carrier Southern Air Transport was due to be launch customer for the programme, but that airline went bankrupt last year.
Source: Flight International
