Gulfstream plans to develop new flightdeck technology over the next couple of years that builds on its newly certificated Enhanced Vision System II and incorporates new equivalent visual operations (EVO) standards.
EVS II, which was certificated by the US Federal Aviation Administration in December, secured approval in August from the European Aviation Safety Agency authorising installation in European-registered aircraft and allowing all EVS equipped Gulfstreams to continue approaches down to 100ft (30m).
Gulfstream director of advanced cockpit programmes Mike Mena reveals that the manufacturer is already working on new technology that will combine EVS with synthetic vision and allow Gulfstream pilots to land anywhere in any conditions. "Stay tuned for the next two to three years," Mena said during a tour of Gulfstream's new flightdeck technology lab at its Savannah headquarters.
Gulfstream pioneered EVS, initially securing FAA certification in 2001. Kollsman's EVS II, which is 10kg (22lb) lighter and has four times more memory than EVS I, will be standard on G450s and G550s from the fourth quarter of this year. It will also be an option on the G500 and G350.
Mena says there are already 400 EVS units in service and so far they "have been very well received by our customers". EVS II allows Gulfstream pilots to spot runway lights and centrelines through fog while also depicting terrain. "This is just a first step. We have a long list of things we want to add," he says.
He adds the technology of the future, introducing EVO, will combine EVS with synthetic vision and allow pilots to land completely using the flight displays even in zero visibility. Mena says EVO "takes the best features and fuses them together," allowing pilots to land in zero visibility relying entirely on digital images.
EVS is not fused with Gulfstream's Synthetic Vision primary flight display, but under EVO operators should be able to use enhanced vision to view the landing environment with synthetic vision filling in the gaps caused by clouds, fog or snow. Gulfstream's SV-PFD, developed with Honeywell, secured FAA certification early this year. Mena says it is now being used by several operators and will be released to the entire Gulfstream fleet by the end of September.
EVO is part of the FAA's future vision for the national airspace system. "We want to be the leader," Mena says. "We'll have a prototype in the near future."
Meanwhile, Gulfstream is also now working on certificating its PlaneView-equipped business jets for required navigation performance 0.1. Gulfstream, working with Honeywell, secured FAA certification for RNP 0.3 procedures early this year and Mena says several operators are now using the technology, which allows more direct and lower approaches. He says RNP 0.1 should be certificated for PlaneView-equipped aircraft next year.
Gulfstream is confident its new flightdeck technology lab, part of its second research and development centre that opened on 22 August, will help it continue to be a pioneer in introducing new cockpit technology. The centre will also be an incubator for new cabin and composite technologies.
For example, the advanced cabin lab features an altitude chamber and an audio and video room where Gulfstream is now working on becoming the first manufacturer to offer high definition television on board aircraft.
In opening the new centre, Nicholas Chabraja, chief executive of Gulfstream parent General Dynamics, said the centre "ensures" Gulfstream's record of technological innovations in its 50-year history will continue into the future. "There's been an incredible list of accomplishments that have accelerated in the last 10 years," Chabraja says.
Source: Flight International
