Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC
THE Enhanced ground- proximity warning system (EGPWS) is to become compulsory for aircraft operated by major US long-haul and most regional airlines. The US Federal Aviation Administration will issue a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in April 1998, calling for implementation by the end of the year.
With an average price of $92,500, it will cost at least $600 million to retrofit the 4,500 US-registered large transports (Part 121), and the 2,000 US regional aircraft (Part 135) with six or more seats, which must have systems fitted by 2003.
Several US airlines, including American Airlines/AMR Eagle, Alaska Air, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, have already adopted the EGPWS. Anticipating the FAA's move, the US Air Transport Association, members of which operate most of the US airline fleet, had already voluntarily agreed to install systems.
The proposed rule does not cover US military services, or business and general-aviation aircraft, although the US Department of Defense has already opted to install the EGPWS on 260 transporters.
The EGPWS, which was developed by AlliedSignal Aerospace, is certificated in six types, including the Airbus Industrie A300 and A320, Boeing 737/757/ 767 and the Fokker 100. Supplemental type certificates (STCs) are being developed for additional aircraft, including the Airbus A330/A340 and the Boeing 777.
"We are doing STC work for all categories of aircraft," says AlliedSignal's Frank Daly.
Airbus and Boeing are already offering the EGPWS in new production aircraft at customer request. They will make the system standard for US customers when the rule is finalised. Airbus has said that it will be standard on all new-delivery aircraft "-as soon as the technology is sufficiently mature".
Compared to the GPWS, the enhanced version compares a digital database of the world's terrain with the aircraft's location and altitude to generate a map-like contoured display of the surrounding terrain. The basic GPWS offers a 15s alert, while EGPWS provides a 1min warning.
AlliedSignal Aerospace is now the only EGPWS manufacturer, but has no plans to license production. Dassault Electronique and Teledyne Controls have teamed to offer the ground-collision-avoidance system, which is a similar system to the EGPWS.
Source: Flight International
