Singapore Airlines (SIA)has become the first customer for the Airbus future-air-navigation system-A (FANS-A), with a commitment to install it on its fleet of long-haul A340-300s.
Airbus aims to gain certification of FANS-A equipment on the A330/340 in April 1998, with ßight trials using its A340 testbed due to begin shortly. SIA plans to retrofit the 11 A340s it will have in service by April 1998 with the FANS-A, while the remaining six on firm order will have the system installed during production.
Competing for the order to supply the advanced flight-management-system (FMS) which forms the heart of the FANS-A are Honeywell and Sextant Avionique/Smiths Industries. Honeywell is aiming to have its FMS certificated by April 1998, but the Sextant/Smiths team has not yet revealed a firm timetable.
All FANS-A-capable aircraft will be fitted with Smiths datalink control display units in the cockpit, for text communications with air-traffic-controllers, and satellite-communications equipment.
Cathay Pacific Airways, meanwhile, is close to a decision on installing the FANS-A on its A330/340 fleet, but is understood to be concerned that the limited number of FANS routes available may not justify the cost of the upgrade. By the time that the equipment is available, Cathay will have taken delivery of 11 A340s and all but one of 13 A330s it has on order, requiring a costly retrofit programme. One option under consideration is fitting only half of the fleet with the FANS-A.
Airbus says that initial A340 FANS-A flight trials will be carried out at Toulouse, using a dedicated ground station, but will be expanded later to include "tests with active air-traffic controllers in various parts of the world".
Source: Flight International
