Rockwell Collins Airshow 21 system to be standard on ultra-long-range business jets
Bombardier is to upgrade its Global Express ultra-long-range business jet with the integrated cabin electronics developed for the super-large Global 5000. Beginning in 2006, the Rockwell Collins-developed cabin electronics system will be standard in the Global Express XRS, which is replacing the basic aircraft in production.
Collins' Airshow 21 cabin management system, for which the Global 5000 is the launch application, has been selected by Dassault as an option on the Falcon 900DX/EX, 2000EX and 7X, beginning with mid-2006 deliveries. Raytheon has selected Airshow 21 for a Hawker 800XP interior upgrade, and Gulfstream has extended its use of the cabin management system to include its G350, G450, G500 and G550.
Bombardier expects supplemental type certification of the Global 5000 interior by year-end, allowing delivery of the first aircraft to a Middle Eastern customer in January. The interior systems are undergoing "unprecedented" testing before entry into service to ensure reliability, says Marc Bouliane, Bombardier's Global product manager. This will include 200-250h of live on-aircraft testing, which began in July.
The cabin system will be phased into the Global XRS by the second quarter of 2006, says Bouliane, after proving itself in service on the Global 5000. The production line has already switched to the improved XRS after delivery of 150 Global Expresses, with the first aircraft expected to fly early next year.
With a dual-redundant Ethernet backbone, the Airshow 21 suite in the Global 5000 controls the cabin environment; provides communications and entertainment; manages lighting, waste and water systems; and enables centralised maintenance. Single-channel Inmarsat Swift64 high-speed data satellite communications is standard, with a second channel optional, and Collins' eXchange broadband link - using Connexion by Boeing - will be certificated as an option in October next year.
The Dassault and Gulfstream cabin management systems are based on FireWire backbones, says Collins. Gulfstream, meanwhile, has developed its own wireless broadband cabin communications system, using Arinc's SkyLink Ku-band satcom service. The $650,000 Broad Band Multi-Link (BBML) system has received supplemental type certification in the GIV, with approval in the GV/G500/G550 expected in the fourth quarter, followed by the G350/G450 in the first quarter of 2005.
Gulfstream is guaranteeing minimum connection speeds of 512kb/s to and 128kb/s from the aircraft, compared with 64kb/s for single-channel Swift64. SkyLink service is limited to North America, but North Atlantic and European coverage will be added in the first quarter of next year, with the Pacific following in late 2005 or early 2006.
GRAHAM WARWICK / WASHINGTON DC
Source: Flight International
