Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE
Airbus Industrie is being pressed by major international carriers to offer a choice of new liquid crystal display (LCD) systems in the cockpits of future aircraft, as the consortium narrows the final selection of vendors to Rockwell Collins and Sextant Avionique.
The European consortium plans to fit its A320/A330/A340 family of aircraft with a yet-to-be-selected LCD system in place of Sextant cathode ray tube (CRT) displays from 2001 onwards. The new six-screen system will be offered as a retrofit on existing aircraft, as well as a standard fit on the future A340-500/600 and planned A3XX widebodies.
Airbus has dropped Honeywell and Smiths Industries from the competition, leaving the final choice between Rockwell Collins and Sextant. The consortium, while confirming that it intends to select a single vendor for the displays, insists that "-we've not yet made a final decision".
Several airlines have written to Airbus asking for an option of a second LCD supplier. They are understood to include A340-500 launch customers EVA Airways and Singapore Airlines, along with A320/A330/A340 operators Ansett Australia, All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways and Malaysia Airlines.
LCDs, which are already standard on the Boeing 777, offer the advantage of a greater information display - including video imaging - easier maintenance and longer operational lives, compared to CRTs. The new displays also take up less space and generate considerably less cockpit heat.
Source: Flight International
