Aviage Systems is planning to incrementally add more functions to the Comac C919’s flight management system this year, as the programme moves further towards certification.
Speaking to FlightGlobal recently, Aviage’s vice-president strategy and growth Mike Ingram, says it is all hands on deck as the aircraft moves towards type certification testing.
“There is no decrease of work going on between the continued integration and flight test,” he adds.
Ingram says that, to date, “nothing major” has popped up in the testing of the aircraft related to the systems and software that Aviage supplies.
Over the course of the year, Aviage will add more functionality to the C919’s flight management system via a series of block-point upgrades to the software. These will include more advanced algorithms and navigation systems refinements.
Ingram adds that Comac sets “very aggressive” schedules for its suppliers, but it is difficult to get a sense of whether there may be additional delays to the programme.
“They hold their cards close to their chest. They’re not as transparent as some other OEMs, so we don’t know how much difficulty there is inside of Comac.”
Two C919s - aircraft 101 and 104 - have flown so far and Comac is targeting to have the type certificated in 2020/21.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
