Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC
Certification of an enhanced vision system (EVS) on the Gulfstream V (GV) business jet is now set for July or August. Work had been delayed by the lack of a test aircraft, but installation of the production EVS on a GV will begin in mid-April.
Gulfstream completed proof of concept testing with the Kollsman-developed EVS last September, including over 100 approaches in various weather conditions. The test aircraft was then delivered to a customer, and certification testing had to await the availability of aircraft 501, the GV that will be used to flight test aerodynamic refinements for the GV-SP. The aircraft is due to fly in June or July, with a further 30-40 approaches required for certification of the EVS.
The company says the EVS improves safety when landing in low visibility. The combination of forward-looking infrared sensor and head-up display will also reduce the risk of runway incursions and controlled flight into terrain, Gulfstream believes. Several customers have already ordered the EVS, which will be certificated later on the GIV-SP and GV-SP.
Talks are continuing with the US Federal Aviation Administration on how operators will be permitted to use the EVS. Gulfstream's goal is to enable the pilot to descend below the 200ft (61m) decision height for an approach to a Category 1 runway (if it is visible on EVS) down to 100ft, at which point the approach must be aborted if the runway is not visible to the unaided eye.
The cooled infrared sensor, mounted in the nose of the aircraft, operates in the 1-5 micron waveband. Runway lights are most visible at 1.2 microns.
Source: Flight International
