Flight controls and avionics supplier Thales is pressing ahead with its new aircraft programme development work, and will soon roll out two avionics upgrades for the Sukhoi Superjet 100.
Speaking at the show yesterday, Thales head of regional aircraft and business jet activities Alan Boursier said: "We are now delivering a new version of the avionics suites, including the last two upgrades, namely in the flight management system and flight warning system."
The Superjet 100 made its maiden flight in May 2008, and two prototypes have accumulated more than 430 flight hours. Boursier says: "We will fit the upgrades directly to the third aircraft, which is due to fly in July, and afterwards we will retrofit the others. We still have a lot of flight testing to do, but according to our understanding it is the version that will be certificated at the end of this year."
Boursier says the flight management system modification relates to the vertical element of the type's 4D navigation system. Both upgrades were requested by Sukhoi as part of the normal development process and did not result from the flight-test programme.
"It was not a problem," he says, adding that Thales is ploughing "huge investment" into the Superjet programme, which he estimates at more than €100 million ($139 million).
Thales is also working on an avionics upgrade that will be rolled out on ATR's new -600 series aircraft. Boursier says: "We have delivered the version to switch on the engine and the final avionics suite that will fly in July."
In the business jet sector, Thales is developing the flight-control system for the Gulfstream 650, which is due to fly for the first time this autumn. This programme is significant as it represents both Gulfstream and Thales's first full fly-by-wire aircraft.
"The campaign is new for us, but it is working very well and the progress is very good," says Boursier.
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Source: Flight Daily News
