Engineering and completions company Flying Colours is hoping to secure US supplemental type certification in September for retrofits of an automatic dependent surveillance - out (ADS-B Out) system for Bombardier Challenger 604 and 605 business jets.
European and Canadian approvals are expected to follow shortly after, the Peterborough, Ontario-headquartered firm says.
ADS-B Out is designed to improve air traffic management, by enabling the aircraft to continuously transmit highly accurate position and status information to air traffic control. This supplements, and in some cases replaces, traditional ground-based radar systems.
Work on the first aircraft – a Challenger 605 – is under way at the company’s facility in St Louis, Missouri, and it will be handed over to its owner immediately following approval.
“We have invested considerably in our internal avionics, sales and engineering teams in conjunction with outside engineering resources to develop this solution,” says Flying Colours director of sales Kevin Kliethermes. “Our STC requires minimal downtime for installation,” he adds.
Flying Colours will begin promoting the upgrade at November’s NBAA Convention in Las Vegas and says all three of its sites, including Singapore and Peterborough, will be authorised to carry out the work.
The company is now looking to expand its portfolio of ADS-B Out modifications, with the super-midsize Challenger 300 series likely to be the next candidate.
The European Aviation Safety Agency has mandated that by 7 December 2017, all aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of more than 5,700kg (12,500lb) or a maximum cruise speed of more than 250kt (460km/h) must be ADS-B Out compliant.
And under US Federal Aviation Administration regulations, ADS-B Out is mandatory from 2020 for all aircraft that fly in airspace that currently requires a Mode C transponder.
Source: Flight International
