Honeywell has acknowledged that certification of its Primus Epic integrated avionics on several applications is taking longer than expected because of the system's modular, cabinet-based, software-partitioned architecture. "We are later than we want to be [on the Embraer 170 regional jet], but we are working through a very integrated, complete system," says Vicki Panhuise, vice-president programmes, Honeywell Aerospace Electronic Systems. The system includes cockpit avionics, integrated utilities and fly-by-wire flight controls.
"We are breaking a lot of new ground because it is so integrated and partitioned," says Panhuise. The US Federal Aviation Administration has had to draw up new standards for separate certification of hardware and software in modular avionics. "We underestimated how much it would take," she says.
Eight 170/175s are flying at Embraer with software load 9, and Honeywell has just delivered load 10. Load 11 will add Category 2 autopilot, autothrottle and windshear guidance and allow completion of certification flight testing. Load 12 is the certification standard software, says Panhuise.
Bell/Agusta Aerospace received Italian type certification for the Epic-equipped AB139 helicopter at the show, while Gulfstream received provisional US approval for its Epic-based PlaneView cockpit in the G550 business jet in December, and is now testing the final certification software load.
Dassault's Epic-based EASy cockpit has been flying for more than a year on the Falcon 900EX business jet. The final flight software is being tested and delayed certification is expected in September. EASy testing in the 2000EX began in January. The Epic-equipped Cessna Citation Sovereign is on track for approval late this year. Certification of the Raytheon Hawker Horizon, which has Epic avionics with integrated utilities, has been delayed to early next year.
Source: Flight International
