Honeywell and Gulfstream collaborate on display problem
Honeywell is working with Gulfstream to certificate and field a Primus Epic avionics reversion-logic software fix to prevent momentary blanking of cockpit displays in the PlaneView integrated flightdeck on G350, G450, G500 and G550 business jets.
The US Federal Aviation Administration has issued an airworthiness directive requiring a revision to the flight manuals advising flightcrew of appropriate procedures in the event the displays go blank. Gulfstream says PlaneView-equipped aircraft have a head-up display and standby instrument system that are independent of the affected displays and allow continued safe flight and landing even with all four screens blank.
The FAA cites one occurrence in which all four displays in an aircraft simultaneously went blank during flight and did not recover until the crew pulled circuit breakers, after which three of the displays returned to normal. Honeywell says no other Epic functionality or aircraft systems were affected by the event. The avionics manufacturer has identified several scenarios where reversion-logic software algorithms in the Epic advanced graphics module can respond incorrectly to certain failure conditions and one or all of the displays can go blank. Four graphics modules drive the PlaneView cockpit’s four display units.
Honeywell says it is aware of momentary blinking or blanking of displays on other aircraft types with Epic avionics and has delivered software to the aircraft manufacturers to prevent the problem. The company experienced delays developing the Primus Epic integrated avionics system, which in addition to Gulfstream’s PlaneView is the basis of Dassault’s EASy flightdeck and equips the AgustaWestland AB139, Cessna Citation Sovereign, Embraer 170/190 family and Raytheon Hawker 4000.
■ Gulfstream has appointed former NASA Dryden researcher Gerard Schkolnik as director of its supersonic technology programmes, including research into sonic boom suppression, structural concepts and advanced materials, and propulsion integration and supersonic aerodynamics.
GRAHAM WARWICK / WASHINGTON DC
Source: Flight International
