Honeywell/Trimble Navigator gets FAA Approval
Honeywell to Supply Advanced Avionics Systems for FedEx DC-10 Cockpit Upgrade
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Honeywell/Trimble Navigator gets FAA Approval
Honeywell to Supply Advanced Avionics Systems for FedEx DC-10 Cockpit Upgrade
Honeywell
"FANS-1" Saves Flight Time, Fuel for more than 15 Airlines Crossing Pacific
Honeywell to
Supply Next-Generation "Digital Gyro" on Airbus Family
Saudia Calls
for Honeywell Flat Panel Cockpit Displays for New MD-90s
Honeywell
Launches New Flight Management System with Orders From Boeing and Douglas
ATA Chooses
Honeywell/Trimble Navigation Management System
Honeywell's
New Maintenance Software Set for Field Test with America West Airlines
Australian airline selects Honeywell TCAS 2000 for wide range of aircraft types
PHOENIX, DEC. 4 Ansett Australia became the latest in a recent series of non-U.S. airlines to sign up for collision avoidance equipment when they chose Honeywell to retrofit a wide range of aircraft in their fleet with the company's new Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS 2000).
The airline ordered 64 shipsets for retrofitting on their fleet of Airbus A320s, Boeing 767s and BAe 146s.
Initial provisioning is scheduled for the first part of 1997 with installations beginning in mid-1997.
Recently, SAS chose the advanced Honeywell collision avoidance system for their narrowbody fleet on order. Earlier this year, British Airways, Qantas and Saudia Arabian Airlines all ordered Honeywell's enhanced TCAS.
These decisions stem, in part, from proposed governmental regulations in Europe and Asia calling for across-the-board installation of TCAS in commercial air transport aircraft with 30 or more seats.
"This is a brand new TCAS customer for us." said Steve Irwin, manager of international marketing for Honeywell. "Of course we're pleased to welcome a new TCAS customer, but we also applaud the airline's decision to proceed with this important safety measure in advance of any potential governmental mandate in 1998 or 1999. It demonstrates the airline's interest in using the most advanced technology available for safety."
"With the early availability of our new system, we have a definite advantage in being able to outfit airlines who want to take advantage of the enhanced TCAS as soon as possible," Irwin said.
Specific features of the new TCAS 2000 include:
The new TCAS will support the anticipated growth in Airborne Collision Avoidance Systems in the future air traffic environment. With future operations revolving around Communication, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM), TCAS 2000 could become a necessary aid for enhanced visibility in traffic separation.
TCAS 2000's extended range capability the system tracks beyond 80 nautical miles, doubling the range of the current-generation TCAS could play a vital role in reduced separation standards in oceanic regions.
One of the key anticipated updates is Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) for GPS-enhanced air-to-air surveillance. ADS-B will not only provide very accurate aircraft position and altitude, but also aircraft intent. This could bring substantial operational benefits in congested terminal areas and for parallel approach runways,.
Ansett Australia, headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, was founded in 1936. The airline operates an extensive network of domestic flights as well as international service to several destinations in southeast Asia and New Zealand.
SAS Selects Honeywell TCAS 2000 For Narrowbody Aircraft
PHOENIX, NOV. 18 -Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) has chosen Honeywell's new Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS 2000) for their narrowbody fleet of 737-600 aircraft on order from Boeing.
The order for 76 shipsets (41 firm, 35 option) makes SAS the second major carrier in Europe to select the enhanced TCAS from Honeywell's Air Transport Systems.
The airline will begin taking delivery of the aircraft in 1998 with Honeywell's TCAS 2000 installed.
"It was a very hard-fought competition but our system was chosen for several reasons, not the least of which is the early availability of the Honeywell system," said Tom Henderson, manager of international marketing for Honeywell. "Our first certification is scheduled for June 1997, which certainly gives us a head start on the competition for the enhanced TCAS design."
In addition to early availability, Honeywell cites technical reasons for their win at SAS, including TCAS 2000's state-of-the-art design and functionality along with improved reliability. "It's a total package value," said Ahmad "Tak" Takieddine, Honeywell marketing manager for northern Europe. We anticipate that SAS will now standardize the new TCAS on their MD-80 narrowbody fleet as well."
Specific features of the new TCAS 2000 include:
"The new TCAS will support the anticipated growth in Airborne Collision Avoidance Systems in the future air traffic environment. With future operations revolving around Communication, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM), TCAS 2000 will become a necessary aid for enhanced visibility in traffic separation," Henderson said.
TCAS 2000's extended range capability the system tracks beyond 80 nautical miles, doubling the range of the current-generation TCAS could play a vital role in reduced separation standards in oceanic regions.
One of the key anticipated updates is Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) for GPS-enhanced air-to-air surveillance. ADS-B will not only provide very accurate aircraft position and altitude, but also aircraft intent. This could bring substantial operational benefits in congested terminal areas and for parllel approach runways,.
SAS, headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, is the designated national carrier of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The airline has developed a global network of marketing and traffic alliances. SAS flies to 101 destinations in 34 countries.
McConnell to lead Air Transport Systems; Marrah to head Defense Avionics Systems
PHOENIX, OCT. 23 - Honeywell has named new general managers for two divisions of its Space and Aviation Control business. Both appointments will be effective Jan. 1, 1997.
Walt McConnell will become vice president and general manager of Air Transport Systems, with headquarters in Phoenix. He will replace Don Schwanz who will become president of Space and Aviation Control on Jan. 1.
Bob Marrah will replace McConnell as vice president and general manager of Honeywell's Defense Avionics Systems, based in Albuquerque, N.M. Marrah is currently vice president of Honeywell's Military Avionics Guidance and Navigation Operation in Clearwater, Fla.
A 33-year employee, McConnell has served in a variety of engineering and management positions in Phoenix and Albuquerque. He assumed his current position in 1992. McConnell holds an engineering degree and a master's of business administration, both from Arizona State University.
"Walt has successfully led Defense Avionics through a period of rapid change in the defense market," Schwanz said in announcing the appointment. "He was instrumental in evolving the division into a highly efficient business, organized around customer-focused teams." Earlier this year, McConnell was honored by Industry Week magazine as one of its "unsung heroes" for his leadership style and accomplishments.
Marrah joined Honeywell in Boston in 1965 and has served in technical and management positions with several Honeywell operations. He assumed his current position in 1993. He is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island.
"Under Bob's leadership, the Guidance and Navigation Operation has been recognized by customers and is known throughout the industry for its high level of product quality, responsiveness and overall performance," Schwanz said. Marrah received the Honeywell Lund Award for outstanding people development in 1992.
Air Transport Systems is the world's leading supplier of integrated flight deck systems and other airborne electronic systems for commercial aircraft. The division employs approximately 2,300 people, including about 1,700 in Phoenix.
Defense Avionics Systems develops and produces integrated cockpits, displays and other systems for military aircraft. The division employs more than 1,200 people, including about 1,100 in Albuquerque and more than 100 in Phoenix.
Space and Aviation Control is comprised of five market-focused divisions: Air Transport Systems; Defense Avionics Systems; Business and Commuter Aviation Systems, in Glendale, Ariz.; Military Avionics, in Minneapolis and Clearwater, Fla.; and Space Systems, in Clearwater. Space and Aviation Control had 1995 sales of about $1.5 billion, approximately 23 percent of Honeywell's total sales for the year
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PHOENIX, SEPT. 18 - The Honeywell/Trimble team announced today at the Institute of Navigation (ION) `96 Conference that its HT9100 GNSS Navigation Management System has received Technical Standard Order (TSO C129 A1) approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. This approval encompasses Standard Instrument Departures (SIDs), Standard Terminal Arrival Routes (STARs), GPS overlay and GPS approaches as well as Company routes, J-routes and V-route capability.
In addition, the HT9100 has also received Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) approval from the FAA on an American Airlines 727. The certification gives operators the ability to fly IFR (Instrument Flight Rules), supplemental enroute, terminal, non-precision approaches and primary oceanic/remote navigation with the system.
The Honeywell/Trimble team signed a strategic alliance last June and announced in December a launch order for more than 500 HT9100s from American Airlines. The second major project award came from American Trans Air (ATA).
The HT9100 system is a full flight regime lateral navigation system, designed to provide state-of-the-art navigation performance. The system combines the benefits of Global Navigation Satellite Sensor (GNSS) technologies and innovations with established airline Flight Management System (FMS) operational procedures.
The HT9100 is capable and certified for RNP/ANP (Required Navigation Performance/Actual Navigation Performance), similar to the Honeywell 747-400 FANS 1 software. (RNP is the required performance accuracy of a particular segment of airspace. ANP is a measure of the uncertainty in the position estimate of the system.)
The HT9100 is designed to permit GPS navigation under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions for en route, terminal area and approach operations. In addition, the system complies with FAA Notice N8110.60, permitting GPS as the sole navigation system for oceanic and remote operations.
The system shipset consists of a navigation processor unit (NPU), multifunction control and display unit (MCDU) and an antenna coupler unit (ACU). The NPU is the primary processing and control unit of the HT9100. It contains the Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, central processing units (CPUs) and navigation base for flight management functions. The MCDU controls the user input and display function. Data entry and display to the pilots are accomplished through the use of a 66-key alphanumeric keyboard with 12 line-select keys and 5.5-inch diagonal multi-color active-matrix liquid crystal flat panel display. The ACU receives, amplifies, conditions and sends GPS signals to the receiver in the NPU.
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PHOENIX, SEPT. 17 - In what is being termed the largest commercial flight deck upgrade program ever undertaken, Honeywell will work with McDonnell Douglas and Federal Express to install a new "Advanced Common Flightdeck" (ACF) on the express transport company's fleet of DC-10 trijets.
The cockpit upgrade is part of a long-term, two-phase project that could eventually convert a minimum of 60- DC-10 transports to advanced technology freighter aircraft. The upgraded aircraft will be redesignated MD-10s; the first are expected to join the Federal Express fleet in mid-1999.
According to Tom Goodman, vice president of marketing for Honeywell's Air Transport Systems, this program will also make it possible for other DC-10 owners to take advantage of the flight deck upgrade-representing a substantial total potential program value for Honeywell if this avionics retrofit program gains acceptance among the world's DC-10 operators (more than 300 aircraft).
The "glass cockpit" program will give the upgraded aircraft the latest in cockpit and control systems technology, including MD-11-derived Category IIIb autoland capability and navigation systems/sensors, as well as highly important commonality with new McDonnell Douglas aircraft coming off assembly lines.
The ACF is operationally based on Honeywell's integrated cockpit design for the two-crew MD-11, with six-across 8-by-8-inch displays showing all flight and systems information.
Significantly, the electronic flight instruments, based on Honeywell's highly successful liquid crystal "flat panel" displays, will actually take the MD-10 cockpit a generation beyond the MD-11.
Flat panel displays offer a number of technical advantages over current-generation CRT-type displays, including improved reliability, lower power consumption, lighter weight and improved sunlight readability.
A major benefit of the new ACF derives from the Aircraft System Controllers originally designed for the MD-11. This system manages the functions of all major aircraft systems such as the hydraulic and fuel systems, eliminating the need for a flight engineer as a crew member.
The ACF also uses a new generation of high speed, high capacity computers built around Honeywell's innovative Versatile Integrated Avionics (VIA) architecture.
The VIA architecture is based on breakthrough avionics concepts shared computing resources and robust partitioning developed by Honeywell for its Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) concept, widely considered the world's most advanced avionics architecture.
The VIA system design for the DC-10 upgrade will integrate multiple functions in the VIA computers, including:
Three of the VIA computers, coupled with a pair of new aircraft interface units linking them to the aircraft systems, replace 22 separate computers in the existing DC-10 design. With other changes in the avionics bay, an overall savings of approximately 1,000 pounds in removed equipment is predicted as a result of the ACF modification.
The VIA-based ACF concept is also being designed into the new McDonnell Douglas MD-95 100-passenger twin jet, and as an option for the MD-90 twin jets. The same ACF technology eventually could be available for all new McDonnell Douglas commercial transports, offering airline customers a high degree of cockpit and systems commonality.
Fleet commonality helps to lower an airline's training costs and need for spares, thus contributing significantly to lower cost of ownership.
An initial ACF installation in a flight test DC-10 will begin in early 1998, with first flight of the ACF-configured aircraft expected in the third quarter of 1998.
"We are especially excited about the prospects for our business made possible by the introduction of the MD-10," said FedEx Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Frederick W. Smith. "This aircraft with totally new avionics and state of the art systems will extend the useful life of the aircraft and make them compatible with the existing MD-11s already in our fleet."
FARNBOROUGH, ENGLAND, Sept. 4 - Honeywell has already delivered an Inertial Reference System (IRS) for the first of 13 Tupolev Tu-204 jetliners ordered this week at the Farnborough Air Show by Kato, an Egyptian industrial group.
Honeywell's IRS was certified on the TU-204 in 1992, becoming the first Western avionics system ever certified on a Russian-built aircraft.
Honeywell signed the contract with Kato earlier this year. The first IRS was delivered to AVIASTAR, the producer of the Tu-204 aircraft, this summer. The system consists of three inertial reference units.
At this week's air show, Kato placed the launch order for 13 Tupolev Tu-204 jetliners, powered by Rolls-Royce RB211-535E4B turbofan engines. They optioned an additional 17 aircraft and anticipate buying as many as 200.
Kato has established trade links throughout the former Soviet Union and will supply aircraft to start-up and expanding carriers in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). It is one of Egypt's largest companies with $1 billion in annual revenues derived from diverse industrial, commercial, property, financial and tourism activities.
The Tupolev Design Bureau is the leading designer of civil aircraft in the CIS. Tupolev-designed aircraft represent about 72 percent of the CIS market and are used in 35 countries worldwide.
"TCAS 2000" will certify in 1997
FARNBOROUGH, ENGLAND, SEPT. 3 - Honeywell is offering airlines a new version of its successful TCAS II Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance product, dubbed TCAS 2000. British Airways is the launch customer for the enhanced system that is scheduled for July 1997 certification.
The new TCAS will support the anticipated growth in Airborne Collision Avoidance Systems (ACAS) in the future air traffic environment.
Specific features of the new TCAS 2000 include:
In addition, to help airlines evaluate Resolution Advisory events, recorded RA/TA event data are downloadable to a floppy disk for later analysis.
To expedite the introduction of the new ACAS features, the TCAS 2000 design allows the software to be updated while onboard the aircraft using a portable data loader or airborne data loader.
According to Don Purdy, Honeywell business development manager, the FAA-required "Change 7" will be one of the first software updates, planned for late 1998. This version of the collision algorithms is expected to be the baseline for a European mandate for ACAS anticipated for January 2000. Change 7 will make TCAS more compatible with various air traffic control systems throughout the world while reducing unnecessary resolution advisories and multiple traffic advisories, among other features.
New CNS-ATM features can also be supported by TCAS 2000. One of the key anticipated updates is Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) for GPS-enhanced air-to-air surveillance. ADS-B will not only provide very accurate aircraft position and altitude, but also aircraft intent. This could bring substantial operational benefits in congested terminal areas and for parallel approach runways. TCAS 2000's extended range capability may also play a vital role in reduced separation standards in oceanic regions.
FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW, ENGLAND, SEPT. 3 - The Honeywell/Racal SATCOM team achieved a significant milestone in aeronautical satellite communications when Singapore Airlines (SIA) signed up for the team's 1000th multi-channel SATCOM.
This sale continues a long-standing relationship with Singapore Airlines on SATCOM applications, from cockpit voice to Automatic Dependent Surveillance, as CNS-ATM has emerged to address the safety, efficiency and capacity of the future air traffic system.
Since it was formed in 1989, the Honeywell/Racal SATCOM partnership has emerged as one of the most successful teaming arrangements in the aviation industry. At the time, both companies had been actively engaged in developing satellite communications products for several years with Racal already in production of a single-channel high gain system when the companies joined forces.
Interestingly, Singapore Airlines was one of the original launch customers for the Honeywell/Racal system. In 1991, SIA became the first carrier to offer commercial global sky telephone service for international air travelers.
Since then, the Honeywell/Racal SATCOM team has shipped more multi-channel systems than any other supplier and has achieved significant market acceptance worldwide, with more than 65 percent of all multi-channel systems flying today coming from the team.
The team has pioneered many developments in the field of aeronautical satellite communications, including:
Last November, the team announced that it had shipped its 500th multi-channel system to MD-11 launch customer Swissair.
"Airlines recognize that they need to be able to offer their passengers high quality, reliable telecommunications serviceswhether they're flying over the ocean or a desert," said Tom Goodman, vice president of marketing for Honeywell's Air Transport Systems. "It's getting to the point where passengers are expecting to see a menu of voice, fax, PC-data and other value-added services when they get on a commercial airliner. Coupled with opportunities for operational cost savings from the flight decksuch as FANSthe argument for investment in multi-channel SATCOM is compelling," Goodman continued.
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Firm certification dates set for additional aircraft types
FARNBOROUGH, ENGLAND, SEPT. 3 - More than 15 international airlines are now taking advantage of Honeywell's "FANS-1" software package for the Boeing 747-400 to save time and money on long-haul international flights.
FANS, the Future Air Navigation System initiated in 1983 by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), is a global plan for more efficient communication, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management (CNS/ATM) of airspace. The software package developed by Honeywell in conjunction with Boeing allows aircraft to take more direct flights and fly closer together with no degradation of safety margins.
The system was first put into operation by Qantas onboard a 747-400 following extensive trials and certification by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the Civil Aviation Authority of Australia.
Since then a number of airlines have followed suit, including Air India, Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, Asiana, Cargolux, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, Japan Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Thai International, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic Airways.
A significant milestone was achieved in August when United launched what has been called the longest nonstop service in its history Chicago to Hong Kong made possible by using FANS to take a shortcut route through Chinese and Siberian airspace.
Ultimately, FANS is expected to be utilized on domestic flights but its greatest application is seen for trans-oceanic flights and routes over remote regions where lack of radar and ground navigation systems make air traffic control difficult or impossible.
In the meantime, Honeywell has scheduled an aggressive series of further certifications for additional aircraft types. These include:
Aircraft type Certification scheduled
Boeing 777 January 1997
McDonnell Douglas
MD-90 and MD-11 September 1997
Boeing 757 and 767 December 1997
ICAO estimates that airlines flying around the world could save $5 billion annually and passengers could enjoy shorter flight times thanks to FANS.
Honeywell, the only avionics supplier to have a certified FANS package, supplies several key elements:
The FANS-1 system was designed to be the first implementation of a broad-based ICAO CNS-ATM concept. The first operational benefits are being realized in the United States/Pacific Rim region. During oceanic flights, where radar surveillance is not available, the FANS system sends and receives digital data messages between the pilot and the air traffic controller, providing automatic position reporting between the aircraft and the ground. GPS integration allows precise navigation anywhere in the world.
The key to improving Air Traffic Management efficiencies is the direct controller/pilot data link communications, which is more immediate and reliable than existing high-frequency (HF) radio communications. Onboard the aircraft, this has been achieved by integrating the required functions inside the flight management system.
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Digital design saves 30 pounds per aircraft with improved reliability
FARNBOROUGH, ENGLAND, SEPT. 3 - Honeywell has been selected to supply Airbus with new digital ring laser gyros (RLGs) that will trim 30 pounds of weight from each aircraft while offering airlines improved reliability and maintainability as well as lower power consumption.
The GG1320 digital gyro is at the heart of Honeywell's integrated 4-MCU-size Air Data/Inertial Reference System (ADIRS) and will replace current generation analog RLGs on the A320, A319, A321, A330 and A340 aircraft.
The new gyro is scheduled to be certified on the A320 family in December 1996 and on the A330/A340 in the first quarter of 1997.
Honeywell's digital RLG offers a 30.6 lb. (13.9 kg) weight saving per aircraft along with 28 percent power reduction, improved reliability and maintainability, automatic re-alignment and increased hardware provisioning and spare capacity.
According to Don Dodgen, director of marketing for Honeywell's Air Transport Systems, the unit is also fully backward compatible and intermixable with previous systems.
"The bottom line is 'reduced cost of ownership,'" Dodgen said. "The impact on Aerospatiale will be minimal as most of the software is identical to already certified versions and the unit will have TSO (Technical Standard Order) approval."
Previous-generation RLGs have lasers powered by an external high-voltage power supply up to 2,000V, and a gyro output which is transmitted in a series of pulses and converted by outside electronics through an interface with 26 wires, including two high voltage wires. The digital gyro is a greatly simplified device that needs only 15V and 5V standard power and provides direct digital output proportional to angular rate.
The new ADIRS with GG1320 digital gyros for Airbus aircraft will be a three-axis configuration packaged in triple 4 MCU-sized containers.
FARNBOROUGH, ENGLAND, SEPT. 2 A six-company team led by AlliedSignal Aerospace has been selected to develop data communications routing technology for the Aeronautical Telecommunications Network (ATN) for use in the air traffic control system of the future. Honeywell's experience working on the Future Air Navigation System (FANS) has earned the company a critical position on the team.
Aeronautical Telecommunications Network Systems Inc. (ATN-SI), a group of 11 airlines funded by the Federal Aviation Administration, chose the team for the Router Reference Implementation (RRI) program. RRI involves developing software that will determine the routing for messages on the system. ATN routers are the foundation of the ATN's interoperable communications system, providing a "connection" for seamless, data link communications worldwide.
The ATN sometimes described as the "Internet of the skies" will connect a diverse set of air-to-ground and ground-to-ground communications systems, such as VHF, Mode S and SATCOM, to provide global information transfer between air traffic management, aircraft operations, service providers and passengers.
"As the only company to have a FANS product certified and flying in revenue service and with our air-ground communication managment experience on the Boeing 777, Honeywell will be able to make a significant contribution to this program," said Bob Kerr, manager of CNS-ATM programs, Honeywell Air Transport Systems.
The team includes AlliedSignal, Honeywell and Vertel of the U.S. and Sextant Avionique, Sofreavia and Thompson-CSF of France. Work will begin in December, with first deliveries in May 1998
This technology will be a key piece of the Future Air Navigation System, which the FAA plans to use to replace the current air traffic control system. Under FANS, communications between pilots and the ground will be through data messages that can be read from displays in the cockpit or control tower.
For traffic separation, ground radar will be supplemented by airborne Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS) and automatic dependent surveillance broadcasts, which transmit position based on the global positioning system (GPS). Honeywell manufactures TCAS, GPS, flight management and satellite communications equipment.
In addition to overall FANS expertise, Honeywell brings to the team experience with OSI communications protocols on the Boeing 777 as well as experience developing application service elements.
Honeywell is a global controls company focused on creating value through technology that enhances comfort, improves productivity, saves energy, protects the environment and increases safety. The company services customers worldwide in the homes and buildings, industrial, and aviation and space markets. Honeywell employs 53,000 people in 95 countries, and had 1995 sales of $6.7 billion.
FARNBOROUGH, ENGLAND, SEPT. 3 The Honeywell/Racal satellite communications team has launched an upgrade of their MCS-6000 and MCS-3000 multi-channel SATCOM systems to support new Inmarsat third-generation services for Aero I and spot-beams.
Ideally suited to narrowbody aircraft, intermediate-gain Aero I capability will allow airlines to offer their passengers global communications for telephone, fax and PC data for all land mass areas and most oceanic regions.
SATCOM installations on narrowbody aircraft are expected to grow substantially in the next several years as global communications capability becomes an expectation, not just a convenience for many business travelers. Viewing this trend in conjunction with anticipated reductions in charges for Aero-I services, along with lower antenna procurement and installation costs, makes SATCOM even more practical for international, "narrowbody routes."
As an extension of the Aero-I upgrade, existing high-gain MCS equipment can be upgraded via Service Bulletin to take advantage of "evolved Aero-H" services.
Using evolved Aero-H in spot beam coverage allows the operator to take advantage of reduced service charges available with spot beams and 4.8 kbs voice CODECs.
Racal Avionics is a member of the Racal Electronics Group of companies which has some 100 operating companies worldwide with an annual turnover in excess of 1 billion. Racal Avionics' equipment is in service in over 100 different civil and military aircraft types operating in more than 60 countries.
Honeywell is a global controls company focused on creating value through technology that enhances comfort, improves productivity, saves energy, protects the environment and increases safety. The company services customers worldwide in the homes and buildings, industrial, and aviation and space markets. Honeywell employs 53,000 people in 95 countries, and had 1995 sales of $6.7 billion.
China facility to open in fall; Blanchard named director
PHOENIX, JULY 12 -- Honeywell will open a new facility in Shanghai in partnership with Chinese airline customers for the purpose of supporting Honeywell's commercial avionics products in the region.
"The idea is to enhance our airline support by developing mutually beneficial partnerships with the local airlines," said Vance Bradley, vice president of customer support for Honeywell. "Our capabilities there will allow the airlines to improve the cost of ownership of their component maintenance operations."
Ron Blanchard, a 37-year Honeywell employee with experience in the start-up of both Honeywell's France and Singapore support centers, was named manager of the new facility, to be called the Honeywell China Service Center (HCSC). Blanchard, who is now assembling the staff for HCSC, most recently served as manager of Customer Support Quality Processes.
According to Blanchard, Honeywell intends to authorize airline facilities to meet strict Honeywell standards. "We will provide the necessary expertise to accomplish this as well as serving as a local distribution center and technical training facility," Blanchard said.
As part of the partnership concept, Honeywell will offer a menu of services to provide technical support, inventory and facility management. The airline partners thus gain technical knowledge, repair capabilities and repair business revenue.
"We anticipate that our airline customers will be able to lower their costs and get faster responses through this partnering relationship," Blanchard said.
Initial staffing for the HCSC in addition to Blanchard includes a Honeywell training technician, a Honeywell customer engineering representative and two Chinese administrative employees.
The HCSC is located in a building owned by the China Aviation Supplies Corporation (CASC) in the Outer Gaoqiaio free trade zone in Shanghai. The facility will include a training center, conference area, offices and a bonded warehouse.
Space and Aviation president to give keynote address
PHOENIX, MAY 7 -- The President of Honeywell's Space and Aviation Control business, John Dewane, will give the keynote address on Tuesday, May 14 at the Avionics Maintenance Conference being held in Phoenix, May 12-17. Honeywell's Air Transport Systems, a co-sponsor of the conference, will have a variety of equipment and technologies on display for visitors.
A highlight of the Honeywell suite (Rooms 315-318) is the STS-2000 Automated Test System. This system tests the latest avionics technologies such as the new fault-tolerant Air Data/Inertial Reference Unit and Line-Replaceable Module architecture developed by Honeywell for the Boeing 777.
In addition to hardware on display, Honeywell will be giving computer-based demonstrations of some of its latest technologies, including: AMOSS (Airline Maintenance and Operational Support System)*, Satellite Landing System, Global Positioning System, SATCOM, CNS/ATM, integrated modular avionics (IMA) and the ADT-222C air data tester.
Honeywell representatives will also be showing off the company's World Wide Web Internet site that allows customers to download the latest service bulletins or access the customer training catalog and customer support directory.
*NOTE TO EDITORS: A separate announcement detailing Honeywell's new belt-mounted processor and helmet-mounted display, part of AMOSS, is also available.
Service Bulletins from avionics manufacturer get to airlines
in minutes instead of weeks thanks to the World Wide Web
PHOENIX, MARCH 18 -- Until recently, commercial airlines that use Honeywell avionics which includes most of the airlines in the world had to rely on paper copies of documents to get important product update information on hardware and software modifications. Once approved for release, it can take weeks for a typical Service Bulletin to reach the customer and be available to the end user. Now these Service Bulletins can be downloaded free of charge in a matter of moments by qualified customers from Honeywell's World Wide Web site.
Honeywell's Air Transport Systems has already brought more than 100 Service Bulletins on-line, dating back to July 1995, and will be adding documents at the rate of several hundred per year to its Web site. Two aircraft manufacturers and several airlines have already been granted approval to access the secure, password-protected site.
The general Honeywell Web site for its commercial aviation businesses is:
To get to the Service Bulletin page, users should set their Web browser to:
http://www.cas.honeywell.com/cs.html
Customers get access to the documents through the Honeywell "Customer Support" home page. Prospective users can request a password by filling out an electronic form. Once in the password-protected area, a registered customer can scroll through the list of available Service Bulletins and select a particular document for either viewing or printing.
Files are available in several formats:
Paul Santori, manager of customer training for Honeywell, says that eventually many kinds of data and documents will be delivered to customers electronically. "Airlines are going to enjoy tremendous benefits from this new technology in terms of both the speed and convenience of access to product service information," Santori said. "For example, not only will users access information almost instantly right from their desktop or portable computer but they'll automatically get the latest revision, which becomes available as soon as it is "posted" in the Honeywell database. And they get this information without the need to visit an internal airline library and without the past unavoidable delays of the supplier-to-airline printing and distribution process.
"In addition," Santori said, "once the information is captured in digital form, the user can call up all the powerful functions of a word processing program for example, to search for particular keywords."
According to Santori, Honeywell's commercial divisions ship more than 200,000 customer support documents per year amounting to 40 million sheets of paper weighing more than 250,000 pounds.
"Anything we can do that helps us avoid costs while providing even better service to customers is a real 'win-win' proposition," Santori said.
Training Catalog, Customer Support Directory On-line
In addition to Service Bulletins, the Honeywell Web site also contains the Air Transport Systems "Customer Training Course Catalog and Schedule" and "Worldwide Customer Support Directory."
The Customer Training section includes training schedules, course outlines, enrollment information, training contacts and on-line course registration
The Customer Support Directory provides an extensive list of Honeywell telephone contacts for worldwide customer support, customer engineering, spare parts service, navigation database services and AOG hotlines.
NOTE: The Honeywell corporate home page, with links to Honeywell's Space and Aviation Control and Commercial Aviation Systems, can be found at: http://www.honeywell.com
Continued strong market for both widebody and narrowbody SATCOM in evidence at Asian Aerospace show
SINGAPORE, FEB. 6 -- Saudia Arabian Airlines (Saudia) and Alitalia have selected the Honeywell/Racal SATCOM team to supply multi-channel satellite communications systems new aircraft on order. The announcements were made today at Asian Aerospace '96, being held this week in Singapore.
Saudia will have the Honeywell/Racal system installed on 23 777s, five 747-400s, 29 MD-90s and four MD-11s. Alitalia will install SATCOM on six 767s the airline has on order.
"This is a good indication that the market for multi-channel satellite communications is still quite robust," said Chris Dusard, Honeywell marketing manager. "A SATCOM order for a narrowbody aircraft like the MD-90 is especially significant because it shows that airlines are recognizing the crucial role that reliable communications will play in the emerging Future Air Navigation System (FANS) environment."
Although Swissair began equipping its narrowbody Airbus fleet last October, the Saudia decision to equip their MD-90s with SATCOM marks the launch of satellite-based cockpit communications specifically to take advantage of FANS.
As further evidence of continuing demand for SATCOM, Dusard pointed out that the Honeywell/Racal team now has orders for more than 600 systems in the air transport market alone. "Airlines recognize that they need to be able to offer their passengers high quality, reliable telecommunications whether they're flying over an ocean or a desert," Dusard said. "The ability to provide fax, PC-data and other value-added services in addition to voice communications will become an increasingly important discriminator for passengers. And when you factor in all the opportunities for operational cost savings from cockpit communications -- like you get with FANS -- the investment in multi-channel SATCOM becomes even more compelling."
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Advanced Common Display System is latest application of Honeywell's Versatile Integrated Avionics (VIA) technology
SINGAPORE, FEB. 6 -- Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) has specified Honeywell's 8-by-8-inch flat panel liquid crystal displays for its new McDonnell Douglas MD-90 airliners.
The flat panels for the Saudia aircraft will take advantage of recent advances made by Honeywell in the development of integrated modular avionics technology. These advances have been updated and repackaged by Honeywell for its VIA 2000 system, which promises airlines significant improvements in avionics system performance and cost of ownership. The Saudia application will use the display elements of the VIA 2000 system and become a selectable option for Douglas Aircraft's Advanced Common Display offering.
Saudia confirmed an order for 29 MD-90 twin-jets and four MD-11 freighters last October. As part of the agreement, the airline requested that Douglas work with Honeywell to offer Honeywell's flat panel technology on their MD-90s.
In a separate development, Douglas has also decided to provide Honeywell's flat panel displays for the recently launched MD-95 aircraft program.
The flat panel cockpit instruments for both Douglas aircraft types will share the same part number. This means that in addition to the inherent technical advantages that flat panels bring -- improved reliability, lower power consumption, improved sunlight readability, for example -- airlines will be able to take advantage of equipment commonality. This reduces both training and maintenance costs while reducing the number of spares that an airline needs to stock.
Honeywell is already a major supplier of avionics on the MD-90 twin-jet. Honeywell's standard equipment includes flight management system, inertial reference system, electronic flight instrument system, digital flight guidance system, air data computers, the auxiliary control system and the windshear computer system.
Honeywell is a global controls company focused on creating value through technology that enhances comfort, improves productivity, saves energy, protects the environment and increases safety. The company services customers worldwide in the homes and buildings, industrial, and aviation and space markets. Honeywell employs 50,000 people in 95 countries, and had 1995 sales of $6.7 billion.
SINGAPORE, FEB. 6 -- Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) has agreed to equip their entire new fleet of 777, 747-400, MD-11 and MD-90 aircraft with Honeywell advanced avionics. The Honeywell win is for "buyer furnished equipment," that is, equipment specifically selected by an airline in addition to avionics that come as standard fit on each airplane. This includes satellite communications systems (SATCOM), Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS), Mode S transponders and Global Navigation Satellite Sensor Units (GNSSU). Selection of the Honeywell/Racal multi-channel SATCOM for the MD-90 represents a significant narrow-body win for the team. In addition, the 747-400 aircraft will have the Honeywell Inertial Reference System installed.
According to Abaas Hosain, director of airline marketing for Honeywell, the Saudia win is the result of nearly three years of talks between Honeywell, Saudia and aircraft manufacturers, Boeing and McDonnell Douglas.
"We have worked very hard to become Saudia's preferred avionics supplier," said Hosain. "Saudia's selection of Honeywell is strong recognition that we have a superior product and the best customer support in the industry."
Saudia's aircraft order, announced in Oct. 1995, includes 23 777s, five 747-400s, 29 MD-90s and four MD-11s. Honeywell is a major supplier of standard-fit avionics on each of these aircraft.
Boeing 777
On the Boeing 777 twinjet, Honeywell is the predominant avionics supplier with an innovative integrated modular avionics architecture called the Airplane Information Management System (AIMS) and a new fault-tolerant integrated navigation system called the fault-tolerant Air Data/Inertial Reference System (FT-ADIRS).
Boeing 747-400
The Boeing 747-400 has several major systems supplied by Honeywell as standard equipment:
McDonnell Douglas MD-11
Honeywell's standard avionics on the MD-11 was the world's first commercial fully integrated flight deck supplied by a single manufacturer which includes:
McDonnell Douglas MD-90
The Honeywell avionics equipment on the McDonnell Douglas MD-90 is also a fully integrated avionics system that includes:
Honeywell is a global controls company focused on creating value through technology that enhances comfort, improves productivity, saves energy, protects the environment and increases safety. The company services customers worldwide in the homes and buildings, industrial, and aviation and space markets. Honeywell employs 50,000 people in 95 countries, and had 1995 sales of $6.7 billion.
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"Pegasus" FMS allows airlines to take advantage of CNS/ATM benefits
SINGAPORE, FEB. 6 -- Honeywell's Air Transport Systems has developed a new flight management system (FMS) that has 25 times the throughput capacity of the previous generation with as much as 16 times more total memory capacity. The system will provide greater functionality, greater reliability and capability for future growth while weighing less than current-generation products. The new FMS, dubbed "Pegasus," has been specified by Boeing for its 757 and 767 airplanes and by McDonnell Douglas for its MD-11s and MD-90s.
The new Pegasus FMS is the latest example of how Honeywell is leveraging technology originally developed for the Boeing 777 program, which uses the same microprocessor, software architecture and flight management software.
The announcement was made at the Asian Aerospace '96 trade show and exhibition.
According to Tom Goodman, vice president of marketing for Honeywell, "The Pegasus FMS gives airlines exactly what they've been asking for: the capability to take advantage of all the important Communication, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) benefits of the coming era in aviation."
Goodman said that a major selling point of the Pegasus project is that it provides new FMS functionality using current FMS boxes. "It's ideal for both retrofit and forward fit because all it takes is adding a single electronic component assembly to existing line replaceable units. Thus, the Pegasus functionality can be applied to all current Honeywell FMS products."
Physically, the Honeywell Pegasus consists of an Electronic Component Assembly unit (two circuit cards stacked together) which is designed to fit into a single existing slot in Honeywell flight management computers. The new microprocessor comes from the same family as the 777's. The processor provides approximately 25 times the throughput capacity of a current FMS, greatly enhancing system response time and eliminating resynchronization problems common to early-generation flight management computers.
System memory is also significantly improved. Current-generation flight management computers offer a maximum two-megabyte navigation data base capacity. In the Pegasus this is increased to 16 megabytes nav data base capacity with another 16 megabytes for operational program memory.
The greatly increased processor speed and system memory are key to Pegasus' ability to incorporate future functions. Along with these features, Pegasus will also offer airlines greatly improved reliability of operation.
The new Pegasus FMS is scheduled for certification in the fourth quarter of 1997.
Goodman says that the Pegasus design holds the promise of providing a high degree of software re-use, thus reducing software development time in the future. The Pegasus design also introduces a high degree of flexibility and "tailorability," enabling airlines to fit the FMS into their unique operating environments.
"We expect to see tremendous benefits to airlines," Goodman says. "Providing the solutions that airlines need to operate more efficiently in the environment of the Future Air Navigation System is the best way for Honeywell to maintain our premier position as the world's leading supplier of flight management systems."
Honeywell is a global controls company focused on creating value through technology that enhances comfort, improves productivity, saves energy, protects the environment and increases safety. The company services customers worldwide in the homes and buildings, industrial, and aviation and space markets. Honeywell employs 50,000 people in 95 countries, and had 1995 sales of $6.7 billion.
SINGAPORE, FEB. 6 -- McDonnell Douglas has specified Honeywell's new Versatile Integrated Avionics (VIA 2000) avionics architecture for the recently launched MD-95 twin-jet. The VIA system which will form the basis of the MD-95's Advanced Flight Deck features six-across 8-by-8-inch flat panel liquid crystal displays. Dual VIA computers will integrate the following functions:
The VIA 2000 is based on key advances that were made by Honeywell in the development and implementation of what is widely considered the world's most advanced avionics architecture -- the Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) concept.
The breakthrough avionics concepts developed for IMA -- shared resources and robust partitioning -- are also carried out in VIA 2000 in a design that allows the system to fit into conventional aircraft racks.
In addition to providing VIA 2000 functions, Honeywell will also take a major integration role on the MD-95's flight deck, supplying the following systems:
The VIA 2000 concept of using common line replaceable units (LRUs) with shared computing means that fewer LRUs are used, with attendant lower weight and fewer wires, and a significant overall improvement in system reliability. Furthermore, fewer spares are needed and fleet commonality is enhanced.
The robust partitioning and modular design of the VIA 2000 system allows efficient system customization, system updates or system upgrades as well as greater ease of certification -- all of which also contribute to lower cost of ownership over the life of the equipment.
The MD-95 program was formally initiated in October 1995 with a launch order from ValuJet Airlines. The first plane is scheduled for delivery in June 1999.
The MD-95 family is designed to meet the need for an advanced technology aircraft to be operated on high frequency, short- to medium-range routes.
Similar in size to the Douglas DC-9, Series 30, the MD-95's two-crew electronic flight deck will have a high degree of commonality with the MD-80 and MD-90 thanks in large part to a continuing tradition of Honeywell avionics.
Honeywell is a global controls company focused on creating value through technology that enhances comfort, improves productivity, saves energy, protects the environment and increases safety. The company services customers worldwide in the homes and buildings, industrial, and aviation and space markets. Honeywell employs 50,000 people in 95 countries, and had 1995 sales of $6.7 billion.
SINGAPORE, FEB. 6 -- The recent announcement by Malaysia Airlines for approximately $4 billion worth of commercial jetliners from Boeing includes a variety of advanced avionics systems from Honeywell that are standard on the aircraft.
The Malaysia order is composed of 15 Boeing 777s and 10 747s to add to their fleet of aircraft. Honeywell is the predominant avionics supplier on both aircraft.
Boeing 777
On the Boeing 777 twinjet, Honeywell is the predominant avionics supplier with an innovative avionics architecture called the Airplane Information Management System (AIMS) and a new fault-tolerant integrated navigation system called the Air Data/Inertial Reference System (ADIRS).
In addition to these systems, Honeywell supplies a new Air/Ground System for the 777 that provides a positive indication that the airplane has weight on wheels.
Boeing 747-400
The four-engine 747-400 entered service in 1989 equipped with several major systems from Honeywell as standard equipment:
Honeywell is a global controls company focused on creating value through technology that enhances comfort, improves productivity, saves energy, protects the environment and increases safety. The company services customers worldwide in the homes and buildings, industrial, and aviation and space markets. Honeywell employs 50,000 people in 95 countries, and had 1995 sales of $6.7 billion.
SINGAPORE, FEB. 6 -- Honeywell and stock company AVIACOR, a leading Russian producer of commercial aircraft, announced today that they have signed a Strategic Alliance Agreement for the purpose of using Honeywell avionics on AVIACOR-produced aircraft.
The agreement was signed at the Asian Aerospace '96 Air Show and Exhibition by Don Schwanz, vice president and general manager of Honeywell's Air Transport Systems; Mike Smith, vice president and general manager of Honeywell's Business and Commuter Aviation Systems; and Lev Khasis, president and CEO of AVIACOR.
"This agreement establishes the basis for a long-term relationship and future agreements on a variety of programs that AVIACOR is involved with," said Smith. "Our first step is to determine the applicability of Honeywell equipment to new and retrofit aircraft that will be produced by AVIACOR."
The alliance specifically calls for studying the development and certification of Honeywell avionics for various AVIACOR-produced aircraft.
AVIACOR's Khasis noted that installation of Honeywell navigation equipment on AVIACOR-produced aircraft will provide considerably increased reliability and consequently will expand the market potential for their aircraft.
The agreement specifies potential programs for the installation of Honeywell's integrated avionics systems, Flight Management systems (FMS), satellite communications (SATCOM), collision avoidance (TCAS) and global positioning (GPS) systems for both retrofit and forward fit use on various aircraft produced by AVIACOR.
Samara-based AVIACOR is one of largest aircraft manufacturers in Russia. At present, the TU-154M aircraft is the factory's main product, with about 1,000 units produced, representing 60 percent of the air passenger transportation market of the Confederation of Independent States (CIS).
Honeywell is a global controls company focused on creating value through technology that enhances comfort, improves productivity, saves energy, protects the environment and increases safety. The company services customers worldwide in the homes and buildings, industrial, and aviation and space markets. Honeywell employs 50,000 people in 95 countries, and had 1995 sales of $6.7 billion.
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SINGAPORE, FEB. 6 -- ATA, the United States' tenth largest airline, has chosen the Honeywell/Trimble team to supply dual HT9100 GNSS Navigation Management Systems for their entire "non-FMS" fleet of 34 airplanes, including 14 Lockheed L-1011s and 20 Boeing 727s. Based on dual installation for each aircraft, a total of 68 systems were ordered, plus spares.
The value of the order was not disclosed.
This retrofit program will replace the carrier's current Omega navigation systems with modern GPS navigation and flight management system capability.
Certification and installation will begin in July on L-1011 widebodies. Certification for the 727 fleet is expected to begin in August. Installations should continue through Sept. 1997.
The HT9100 GNSS Navigation Management System is a full flight regime lateral navigation system, designed to provide state-of-the-art navigation performance. The Honeywell/Trimble system combines the benefits of global navigation satellite sensor (GNSS) technologies and innovations with established flight management system (FMS) operational procedures.
According to Michael Lydon, Honeywell marketing manager for the program, the airline chose the Honeywell/Trimble system for several reasons. "They told us they were preparing for the anticipated shutting down of Omega stations over the next few years and wanted to replace their present capability with a worldwide, multi-sensor navigation system that would be compatible with future precision approach guidance to Category I minimums. The Honeywell/Trimble team was able to offer a very economical package that meets both their current and long term requirements."
Darrell Davis, Trimble director of air transport products, pointed out that the HT9100 offers a technology foundation consistent with the future Communication, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management environment. The HT9100 will implement RNP/ANP (Required Navigation Performance/Actual Navigation Performance) similar to the Honeywell 747-400 FANS 1 software. RNP is the required performance accuracy of a particular segment of airspace. ANP is a measure of the uncertainty in the position estimate of the system. The HT9100 is designed to permit GPS navigation under Instrument Flight Rules conditions for en route, terminal area and approach operations. The system complies with FAA requirements permitting GPS as the sole navigation system for oceanic and remote operations.
The system has a built-in worldwide navigation database and can accommodate up to 200 user-defined flight plans with as many as 100 waypoints each.
An HT9100 system consists of a navigation processor unit (NPU), multifunction control and display unit (MCDU) and an antenna coupler unit (ACU).
The ATA order follows closely on the team's December 1995 announcement of a launch order by American Airlines for more than 500 shipsets. The two companies announced their strategic alliance at last year's Paris Air Show.
ATA was founded in 1973 and has grown to become the United States' tenth largest airline by maintaining their position as a low cost, value-oriented carrier. ATA's primary scheduled service is to the nation's most popular vacation destinations from four gateways -- Boston, Chicago-Midway, Indianapolis and Milwaukee.
Based in Indianapolis, ATA employees more than 4,500 people systemwide and operates a fleet of 46 aircraft which includes Lockheed L-1011s, Boeing 757s and Boeing 727s. The company trades on the NASDAQ exchange under AMTR.
Trimble is a world leader in the emerging commercial markets for GPS satellite-based navigation, positioning and communication data products. The company holds more patents on GPS technology than any organization including the U.S. Government. These products are sold worldwide for diverse applications including land and hydrographic survey; GIS data acquisition; military; general, corporate and commercial aviation; marine navigation; vehicle tracking and communications; and mobile GPS. The company also manufactures and sells GPS engines for the OEM market. Founded in 1978 and located in Sunnyvale, Calif., Trimble has been a leader in providing GPS solutions since 1984.
Honeywell is a global controls company focused on creating value through technology that enhances comfort, improves productivity, saves energy, protects the environment and increases safety. The company services customers worldwide in the homes and buildings, industrial, and aviation and space markets. Honeywell employs 50,000 people in 95 countries, and had 1995 sales of $6.7 billion.
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SINGAPORE, FEB. 6 -- Beginning in April, Honeywell and America West will begin field test evaluations on Honeywell's Airline Maintenance and Operations Support System (AMOSS). The testing is expected to last six months.
America West agreed to enter into a field trial of AMOSS, a system developed by Honeywell and Computing Devices International (CDI), to demonstrate the functionality and to validate the performance of a system designed to address the rising cost of airline maintenance and flight operations.
"We're pleased the test period is set to begin," said John Riley, Honeywell marketing manager for Airline Services. "We are excited about the potential AMOSS presents to save money for airlines which are reconfiguring their ground support. The system may be equally valuable to OEMs who are beginning to offer lifecycle maintenance support for their customers in the business jet market. With AMOSS, we're not adding another layer of technology -- we're enabling the advanced technology they already have to work more efficiently and effectively."
Since Honeywell first announced the new system last summer, there have been many inquiries about AMOSS from airlines and the entire industry.
AMOSS saves money by reducing turnaround times at the gate and costly troubleshooting on the ground. Two-way, air-to-ground communication (via ACARS or SATCOM, for example) allows AMOSS to connect an aircraft's onboard avionics with ground-based support -- flight operations/dispatch, maintenance control, maintenance planning, engineering and line and hangar shops. In this way, data from an aircraft in-flight may be downloaded to ground support for analysis and diagnosis through a unique AMOSS diagnostic algorithm based on models.
Honeywell is developing a fault-model for the 757 which will be a computer representation of how the aircraft reacts to certain faults. "The fault model helps us to execute the core diagnostic routines," Riley said.
Honeywell is a global controls company focused on creating value through technology that enhances comfort, improves productivity, saves energy, protects the environment and increases safety. The company services customers worldwide in the homes and buildings, industrial, and aviation and space markets. Honeywell employs 50,000 people in 95 countries, and had 1995 sales of $6.7 billion.
SINGAPORE, FEB. 6 -- Alitalia, the Italian national airline, is modernizing its fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-82 aircraft, including five new aircraft delivered in 1995, with advanced cockpit avionics from Honeywell. Approximately 45-85 aircraft could be fitted with Electronic Flight Instrument Systems (EFIS) and Flight Management Systems (FMS) over the course of the next few years.
The EFIS installation consists of four 5-by-6-inch cathode ray tube (CRT) displays (one Primary Flight Display and one Navigation Display for each pilot) as well as associated computers, panels and other electronics for each aircraft. The Honeywell EFIS increases efficiency and enhances flight safety by simplifying the cockpit layout and improving the crew's situational awareness. This equipment upgrade also allows for greater operational commonality among aircraft types with electronic displays. The new electronic displays replace existing electromechanical Attitude Director Indicators, Horizontal Situation Indicators and Radio Altimeter Indicators.
The FMS installation actually adds an extensive new capability to the aircraft since Alitalia's MD-82's are not currently equipped with flight management.
In addition to giving crews complete flight management features, Honeywell's FMS for Alitalia will provide functionality not previously found on MD-80-series flight management systems.
The new FMS provides a navigation data base three times larger than the standard MD-82 retrofit option. This enhancement, from a 200,000 word data base to approximately 600,000 words, will allow Alitalia to use a single nav data base for their entire route structure.
The Honeywell FMS for Alitalia also provides a Global Positioning System (GPS) interface. This will allow the airline to take advantage of GPS worldwide navigation and terminal area approach capabilities as these functions become available.
Honeywell began delivering equipment in June 1995 for the first five aircraft, three of which were retrofitted by Douglas Aircraft Co.
Value of the contract could exceed $25 million, depending on the number of aircraft that Alitalia eventually chooses to retrofit.
Besides the EFIS and FMS upgrades on these aircraft, Honeywell also supplies the Digital Flight Guidance Computer, Digital Air Data Computers and Windshear Alerting and Guidance Systems as standard equipment on all MD-80-series aircraft. In addition, Honeywell is Alitalia's chosen supplier for TCAS and SATCOM (in conjunction with Racal Avionics) on their MD-11 aircraft.
Alitalia, headquartered in Rome, was established in 1947 and is among the world's 15 largest airlines with a worldwide network of scheduled passenger and cargo services.
"This order has great significance for both Honeywell and Douglas Aircraft because it shows the confidence that Alitalia has in the MD-80 aircraft and the capability of Honeywell avionics to take the airline into the 21st century," said Mike Lorey, Honeywell regional marketing representative.
PHOENIX, Dec. 5 -- American Airlines has notified the Honeywell/Trimble team with a Letter of Intent that it has been selected to supply the HT9100 GNSS Navigation Management System for the airline's "Omega Replacement Program." Under the agreement, the Honeywell/Trimble team will deliver at least 400 of its new GPS-based navigation systems to retrofit American's fleet of MD-80, 727 and DC-10 aircraft. First installation is anticipated to take place in summer 1996.
The HT9100 GNSS Navigation Management System is a full flight regime lateral navigation system, designed to provide state-of-the-art-navigation performance. The system combines the benefits of Global Navigation Satellite Sensor (GNSS) technologies and innovations with established airline Flight Management System (FMS) operational procedures.
This announcement marks the first major project award for the Honeywell/Trimble team. The two companies announced the signing of a strategic alliance at this year's Paris Air Show on June 12. The alliance is intended to give the companies enhanced competitive opportunities over a broad range of markets in the rapidly emerging field of GPS products and services. The HT9100 will be jointly developed by the team and manufactured at Trimble's Avionics Division in Austin, Texas.
The HT9100 will implement RNP/ANP (Required Navigation Performance/Actual Navigation Performance) similar to the Honeywell 747-400 FANS 1 software. RNP is the required performance accuracy of a particular segment of airspace. ANP is a measure of the uncertainty in the position estimate of the system.
The system shipset consists of a navigation processor unit (NPU), multifunction control and display unit (MCDU) and an antenna coupler unit (ACU).
The NPU is the primary processing and control unit of the HT9100. It contains the Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, central processing units (CPUs) and navigation data base for flight management functions.
The MCDU controls the user input and display function. Data entry and display to the pilots are accomplished through the use of a 66-key alphanumeric keyboard with 12 line-select keys and a 5.5-inch diagonal multi-color active-matrix liquid crystal flat panel display.
The ACU receives, amplifies, conditions and sends GPS signals to the receiver.
Other products in the HT9000 family received their first operational certification for primary oceanic navigation earlier this year and are now in airline service on routes to Europe, North America and the Pacific Rim.
Trimble is a world leader in the emerging commercial markets for GPS satellite-based navigation, positioning and communication data products. The company holds more patents on GPS technology than any organization including the U.S. Government. These products are sold worldwide for diverse applications including land and hydrographic survey; GIS data acquisition; military; general, corporate and commercial aviation; marine navigation; vehicle tracking and communications; and mobile GPS. The company also manufactures and sells GPS engines for the OEM market. Founded in 1978 and located in Sunnyvale, Calif., Trimble has been a leader in providing GPS solutions since 1984.
PHOENIX, Nov. 8 - The Honeywell/Racal SATCOM team achieved a significant milestone in the progress of aeronautical satellite communications when they shipped their 500th multi-channel system on Oct. 23 to Swissair.
The team has sold more than 800 systems in the air transport and corporate aviation markets since beginning the partnership in 1989. Since then, the Honeywell/Racal SATCOM teaming arrangement has developed into one of the most successful partnerships in the aviation industry. The team has shipped more multi-channel systems than all other suppliers combined and has achieved significant market acceptance worldwide with more than 70 percent of all multi-channel systems flying today coming from the Honeywell/Racal team.
The team has pioneered many developments in the field of aeronautical satellite communications, including: first commercial voice trials, first approved voice system, first FAA-certified system in passenger service, first satellite fax service, first multi-channel operation, first "PC-data" trials and first application on board a narrowbody air transport aircraft (a Swissair A320, announced in October).
PHOENIX, OCT. 18 -- The Honeywell/Racal SATCOM team achieved another SATCOM "first" when the team's multi-channel satellite communications system was certificated on Oct. 2 by the German Luftfahrt Bundesamt (LBA) and the European Joint Airworthiness Authority (JAA) on a Swissair Airbus A320 narrowbody aircraft.
Swissair, the Swiss national airline, thus becomes the first airline in the world to begin equipping its medium/short-haul fleet for airborne satellite communications service.
The type certification work was performed by Daimler-Benz Aerospace Airbus Hamburg.
The airline has ordered multi-channel SATCOM systems for their fleet of 29 Airbus narrowbody aircraft including A319s and A321s in addition to A320s. Swissair has already fitted 13 McDonnell Douglas MD-11s with SATCOM and has plans for installations on its Boeing 747-300s.
Swissair will now be able to offer their passengers high quality, reliable telecommunications in many of their service areas that do not support airborne "terrestrial-based" telephone capability. The Honeywell/Racal satellite-based system makes airborne telephone service available anywhere in the world.
The airline opted for satellite communications capability because of its ability to provide passengers with global coverage as well as en-route operational benefits for the flight crew.
Swissair has been a pioneer in satellite communications, being an original launch customer for the Honeywell/Racal SATCOM system.
Racal Avionics is a member of the Racal Electronics Group of companies which has some 100 operating companies worldwide. Racal Avionics' equipment is in service in over 100 different civil and military aircraft types operating in more than 60 countries.
Honeywell is a global controls company focused on creating value through technology that enhances comfort, improves productivity, saves energy, protects the environment and increases safety. The company serves customers worldwide in the homes and buildings, industrial, and aviation and space markets. Honeywell employs 50,000 people in 95 countries and had 1994 sales of $6.1 billion.
PHOENIX, OCT. 1 -- America West Airlines has agreed to enter into a field trial of an Airline Maintenance and Operations Support System (AMOSS) being developed by Honeywell and Computing Devices International (CDII). The trial program will be designed to demonstrate the functionality and validate the performance of a system designed to address the rising cost of airline maintenance and flight operations. AMOSS is an innovative ground-based software system that provides a state-of-the-art fault isolation and diagnostic capability that integrates aircraft and ground support services. AMOSS enables various ground services to interact electronically with each other and with the aircraft in flight to reduce diagnostic and maintenance time, improve diagnostic accuracy and minimize paperwork and duplication. AMOSS saves money by reducing turnaround times at the gate and costly troubleshooting on the ground.
For the trial, Honeywell and CDII will create an initial installation of AMOSS at America West. This installation will be used to support daily operations, beginning in March 1996. The results of the trial will then be incorporated into a real time maintenance and operations support system that will be available to America West and other airlines. Honeywell and CDII signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) on Sept.27 for the purpose of forming a working team (the AMOSS Group) that combines their expertise in designing and operating commercial avionics data systems. CDII is an industry leader in information systems technology. Honeywell is the world's leading supplier of commercial avionics systems with a worldwide network of product support facilities. The AMOSS Group will demonstrate that AMOSS is a valuable ground support tool for integrating and dispersing important maintenance and flight operations data. One key area where AMOSS will provide significant payback to airlines is in the reduction of "no-fault-founds."
America West Airlines is a Phoenix-based domestic carrier providing scheduled passenger service to 70 destinations in 28 states throughout the United States.
Computing Devices International, Inc. (CDII), a division of Ceridian Corporation, was formerly known as the Government Systems Group of Control Data Corporation. CDII is a developer, manufacturer and integrator of electronic information solutions for commercial aviation markets worldwide. CDII integrates open systems solutions that satisfy customers' requirements for manufacturing, engineering, and information management systems. Computing Devices is a worldwide preferred supplier of electronic systems, systems integration and services to defense agencies and the aerospace and aviation industry with more than 45 years of experience on hundreds of programs and platforms.
Honeywell is a global controls company focused on creating value through technology that enhances comfort, improves productivity, saves energy, protects the environment and increases safety. The company serves customers worldwide in the homes and buildings, industrial, and aviation and space markets. Honeywell employs 50,000 people in 95 countries and had 1994 sales of $6.1 billion.
PHOENIX, SEPT. 29 -- Honeywell has been authorized by Fokker Aircraft to add Global Positioning System (GPS) functionality to the Honeywell Flight Management System (FMS) for both the Fokker 100 and Fokker 70 airplanes. Honeywell's FMS is standard fit for both aircraft types.
Honeywell's common FMS for the Fokker JetLine aircraft provides full lateral and vertical navigation performance. While lateral navigation provides heading guidance, vertical navigation provides the flight crew with full envelope performance predictions and coupled aircraft guidance. The Honeywell FMS, standard on the Fokker 100 and the standard option for the Fokker 70, is the only flight management system that has been certified on either aircraft type.
Adding GPS functionality to the Honeywell FMS will greatly enhance an airline's navigation capability by taking advantage of GPS precision for primary en-route navigation, non-precision approaches and, ultimately, precision approaches.
This will yield significant operational cost savings for Fokker operators as they are permitted to fly optimized routes and altitudes under the new "Euronav" and Future Air Navigation System (FANS) air traffic management systems.
This enhancement is designed for forward fit as well as retrofit applications. Certification is scheduled for mid-1996.
Honeywell's experience in GPS dates to the early 1980s when Honeywell invented Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM) (now the industry standard for detecting and excluding erroneous satellite data). In 1986 Honeywell began flight testing equipment aboard a Boeing 767, followed by flight tests on an Airbus A310. In 1987, Honeywell's GPS/IRS was certified on a Beech 1900. In 1990, Honeywell participated in the world's first DGPS autoland on board a NASA 737. In 1993, the first "sole means" GPS approach was conducted at Aspen, Colo. using Honeywell's system. Today, hundreds of aircraft are flying with fully certified Honeywell GPS receivers.
In addition to the FMS, Honeywell's inertial reference system, air data computer and engine pressure ratio transmitter are also standard equipment on Fokker jetliners.
Honeywell is a global controls company focused on creating value through technology that enhances comfort, improves productivity, saves energy, protects the environment and increases safety. The company serves customers worldwide in the homes and buildings, industrial, and aviation and space markets. Honeywell employs 50,000 people in 95 countries and had 1994 sales of $6.1 billion.
Trade press representatives who would like to view the demos are welcome to
stop by Honeywell's AIEM headquarters. Demo periods will be during our
hospitality suite hours, 5 p.m. to Midnight, Sept. 25-27. Contact Gana Lis or
John Riley at the Hotel Istana for more information. Demos will be held in
Honeywell's Hospitality Suite:
Presidential Suite
Hotel Istana
73 Jalan Raja Chulan
50200 Kuala Lumpur
Phone: 60-3-241-9988
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PHOENIX, SEPT. 25 -- Honeywell will demonstrate the capabilities of its Airline Maintenance and Operations Support System (AMOSS), ADT-222C advanced air data tester and an Airplane Information Management System (AIMS) emulator during the Airlines International Electronics Meeting Sept. 24-28 in Garden City, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
AMOSS is an innovative ground-based software system that provides a state-of-the-art communications link between aircraft and ground support services, helping airlines of all sizes realize the full potential cost savings from their advanced avionics. Honeywell developed AMOSS as part of its complete package of avionics systems for the Boeing 777.
Honeywell developed the AMOSS software system to enable the various ground services to interact electronically with each other and with aircraft in flight to reduce diagnostic and maintenance time, improve diagnostic accuracy and minimize paperwork and duplication.
While AMOSS takes full advantage of the Honeywell avionics on the 777, it also works with other airplanes, even those that are not equipped with central maintenance computers or ACARS capability. In addition, AMOSS can be customized to suit the particular needs of each aircraft operator.
The Honeywell Air Data Tester ADT-222C is the latest version of Honeywell's highly accurate and dependable pneumatic test equipment. The ADT-222C reduces manual test times and provides savings in automated testing. Though specifically designed to test Honeywell air data systems, the system can also be used to test other systems.
Also available will be a demonstration of a new AIMS emulation software package, developed by Thompson Training and Simulation using data licensed from Honeywell.
Honeywell is a global controls company providing products, systems and services that increase comfort, environmental protection, energy conservation, productivity and safety in homes and buildings, industry, and aviation and space. The company employs 50,000 people in 95 countries on six continents and had 1994 sales of $6.1 billion.
PHOENIX, AUG. 18 -- The Honeywell/Racal SATCOM team has successfully demonstrated the ability to transmit PC data over satellite links using the Inmarsat satellite system. Results are being supplied to Inmarsat for further analysis.
The trials included transferring files from one personal computer to another and sending electronic mail (E-mail) over the satellite link to CompuServe, a commercial online information service. Messages were routed via an Inmarsat satellite to the British Telecom ground station in Goonhilly, England, thus simulating a typical operational scenario.
The ability to transmit PC data opens up a long-awaited area of SATCOM benefits. With this capability, passengers on board commercial airliners and corporate aircraft will be able to carry out nearly all the functions of a modern business office. This includes sending data from a laptop computer on board the aircraft to ground-based computer systems and communicating with online commercial services such as Prodigy, CompuServe and America Online. The Honeywell/Racal system already provides telephone and fax capabilities.
PARIS, JUNE 12 (Trimble and Honeywell announced today at the Paris Air Show that they have signed an agreement to cooperate in the development of Global Positioning System (GPS)-based products for the commercial, space and military aviation markets.
The agreement was signed by John Dewane, president of Honeywell's Space and Aviation Control business, headquartered in Phoenix, and Charles Trimble, president of Trimble, headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA
This alliance is intended to give the companies enhanced competitive opportunities over a broad range of markets in the rapidly emerging field of GPS services. Under the agreement, several Honeywell divisions under the Space and Aviation Control banner will pursue opportunities with Trimble involving bi-lateral integration of Trimble and Honeywell GPS products and technologies. Specifically, Honeywell's Air Transport Systems, Business and Commuter Aviation Systems, Space Systems and Military Avionics divisions will all work with Trimble to identify business opportunities.
The two companies will collaborate in areas such as technology development and application, joint product development and marketing and the supply of products to each other.
"We're enthusiastic about this opportunity to tap into the extensive avionics systems capabilities and worldwide resources that Honeywell brings to this partnership. The agreement enhances both companies' ability to maintain a leading edge in aerospace GPS implementation and technology," said Charles Trimble. "In a much broader perspective, our alliance with Honeywell is the latest example of Trimble's strategy to align with world-class technology leaders."
Dewane said: "Trimble's extensive GPS technology capabilities are a perfect complement to our own. They truly have emerged as a world leader in the markets for satellite-based GPS solutions. The cooperative programs we envision will reduce our overall investment and operating costs to greatly increase our competitive advantages as we pursue business together."
Trimble has provided GPS aviation solutions for over 10 years. Trimble was awarded the first GPS Technical Standard Order (TSO) certification; developed the first GPS Air Traffic Control/Management (ATC/ATM) system and, with Stanford University, has performed more than 110 autolandings achieving centimeter-level accuracy. Currently, Trimble is developing attitude determination, tracking and precision landing avionics. Since 1984, Trimble has delivered more than 40,000 airborne GPS receivers providing navigation and sensor functions for general and commercial aviation, air transport and military (P/Y) aircraft around the world.
Honeywell's experience in GPS technology dates back to the early 1980s. In 1986, Honeywell participated in Boeing 767 and Airbus A310 flight tests.
In November 1989, a Honeywell-equipped NASA Boeing 737 performed the world's first differential GPS autoland. Today, hundreds of business aircraft are flying with fully certified Honeywell GPS receivers and Honeywell equipment has been selected by many of the world's major airlines.
Trimble is a world leader in the emerging commercial markets for GPS satellite-based navigation, positioning and communication data products. These products are sold world-wide for diverse applications including land and hydrographic survey; GIS data acquisition; military; general, corporate and commercial aviation; marine navigation; vehicle tracking and communications; and mobile GPS. The company also manufactures and sells GPS engines for the OEM market. Founded in 1978 and located in Sunnyvale, Calif., Trimble has been a leader in providing GPS solutions since 1984.
Honeywell is a global controls company providing products, systems and services that increase comfort, environmental protection, energy conservation, productivity and safety in homes and buildings, industry, and aviation and space. The company employs 50,000 people in 95 countries on six continents and had 1994 sales of $6.1 billion.
PARIS, JUNE 12 (Honeywell has signed a agreement with Ramensky Priborostroitelny Zavod (RPZ), the leading Russian manufacturer of inertial reference systems, for the co-production of Honeywell navigation systems for sale to customers in the former USSR.
RPZ (Ramensky Instrument Manufacturing Plant) is an open joint stock company headquartered near Moscow. The agreement calls for co-production of Honeywell's inertial reference systems for use in the domestic markets of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Georgia and the Baltic states.
This represents the first time Western-designed avionics will be co-produced in the CIS for their domestic markets.
The intention is to gradually ramp up production capabilities at RPZ. The objective is to eventually have the majority of the content produced in Russia with critical inertial components supplied by Honeywell from the U. S.
Potential customers for the inertial systems include civil aircraft manufacturers, design bureaus and airlines.
The agreement calls for joint sales and marketing and product support from RPZ and Honeywell. RPZ will provide in-country customer support and repair service for the systems they co-produce with Honeywell.
The agreement was signed on May 22 by D. Larry Moore, President and Chief Operating Officer of Honeywell and by Anatoli V. Chumakov, General Director of RPZ.
"This is a long-term arrangement that is part of our overall strategy of establishing Honeywell as an integral part of the CIS industry infrastructure," said Moore. "We're not a newcomer to this part of the world by any means, so we know the importance of being recognized as a company that's here for the long run."
The agreement initially calls for production of Honeywell's 10-MCU-size inertial reference systems but it is expected that the teaming could eventually expand to include other navigation systems produced by Honeywell.
The team is working with U.S. State, Commerce and Defense departments on appropriate export licenses for each stage of the program.
Honeywell is a global controls company providing products, systems and services that increase comfort, environmental protection, energy conservation, productivity and safety in homes and buildings, industry, and aviation and space. The company employs 50,000 people in 95 countries on six continents and had 1994 sales of $6.1 billion.
PARIS, JUNE 12 (The Honeywell/Racal SATCOM team has been selected to supply multi-channel satellite communications systems for Pakistan International Airlines' fleet of eight Boeing 747-200s and six Airbus A310s.
The selection was made by the Pakistan national flag carrier and announced at the Paris Air Show being held this week.
COMSAT, a SATCOM service provider, and ASI, an Australian applications engineering company, have teamed to fund and manage the SATCOM program, including purchasing the Honeywell/Racal equipment, performing system integration, obtaining Inmarsat access approval, installing and commissioning the system. The Honeywell/Racal team begins delivery of SATCOM avionics in July.
The Pakistan installation will take advantage of the new Data-3 software developed by the Honeywell/Racal team. Data-3-level communication capability allows the airline to offer a variety of value-added in-flight services such as hotel/restaurant/rental car reservations and catalogue merchandise sales at minimal cost to passengers. Transactions will take place as satellite packet data transmissions rather than more costly direct voice calls. ASI will provide an advertising link-up with the aircraft's on-board entertainment system.
Some 600 Honeywell/Racal multi-channel systems have been sold of which the team has installed more than 300 in 16 different aircraft types.
Pakistan International Airlines the national airline of Pakistan, is headquartered in Karachi. Established in 1954, the airline offers international and domestic scheduled service throughout the world.
Racal Avionics is a member of the Racal Electronics Group of companies which has some 100 operating companies worldwide. Racal Avionics' equipment is in service in over 100 different civil and military aircraft types operating in more than 60 countries.
Honeywell is a global controls company providing products, systems and services that increase comfort, environmental protection, energy conservation, productivity and safety in homes and buildings, industry, and aviation and space. The company employs 50,000 people in 95 countries on six continents and had 1994 sales of $6.1 billion.
PARIS, JUNE 12 (Following eight months of flight testing in Australia and the Pacific region, certification of the first production implementation of the Honeywell "FANS 1" upgrade package for the Boeing 747-400 is expected to be granted within the month. Certifying authorities are the U. S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Australia.
FANS, the Future Air Navigation System initiated in 1983 by the International Civil Aviation Organization, is a global plan for more efficient "communication, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management" (CNS/ATM) of airspace. Endorsed by 85 member countries, the system allows programmed reduction of the mandatory separation between properly equipped aircraft, permitting more aircraft to fly optimum routes and altitudes. The net result will be to make air travel safer, faster and more efficient while providing much needed financial benefits to airlines.
The software package developed by Honeywell in conjunction with Boeing and first implemented by Qantas will allow airlines to take advantage of very significant operational cost savings.
Honeywell supplies several key elements of the FANS 1 package including:
The Honeywell flight management software upgrade package includes the following features:
The flight management system upgrade package is designed to be completely compatible with current 747-400 FMS equipment as well as Honeywell's SATCOM and global navigation satellite sensor unit avionics, which are offered as airplane options.
Among airlines that have ordered FANS 1 equipment for their 747-400s, in addition to Qantas, are Air India, Air New Zealand, Cargolux, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Singapore Airlines, Thai International and United Airlines.
The FANS 1 system is designed to be the first implementation of a broad-based ICAO CNS/ATM concept. The first operational benefits are anticipated in the United States/Pacific Rim region. During ocean flights, where radar surveillance is not available, the FANS system sends and receives digital data messages between the pilot and the air traffic controller, providing automatic position reporting between the aircraft and the ground. GPS integration allows precise navigation anywhere in the world. The key to improving Air Traffic Management efficiencies is the direct controller/pilot data link communication, which is more immediate and reliable than existing high-frequency (HF) radio communications. On the aircraft, this has been achieved by integrating the required functions inside the flight management system.
Honeywell is a global controls company providing products, systems and services that increase comfort, environmental protection, energy conservation, productivity and safety in homes and buildings, industry, and aviation and space. The company employs 50,000 people in 95 countries on six continents and had 1994 sales of $6.1 billion.
PARIS, JUNE 12 -- Honeywell announced the availability of its new Airline Maintenance and Operations Support System (AMOSS) to support the Boeing 777. The innovative ground-based software system provides a state-of-the-art communications link between aircraft and ground support services, helping airlines of all sizes realize the full potential cost savings from their advanced avionics.
Honeywell, the leader in aviation control technology, developed the AMOSS software system to enable the various ground services to interact electronically with each other and with aircraft in flight to reduce diagnostic and maintenance time, improve diagnostic accuracy and minimize paperwork and duplication. While AMOSS takes full advantage of the Honeywell avionics aboard the 777, it also works with other airplanes, even those that are not equipped with central maintenance computers or ACARS capability. In addition, AMOSS can be customized to suit the particular needs of each aircraft operator.
"Because Honeywell avionics are standard on so many aircraft types, we are uniquely positioned to develop and provide value-added systems such as AMOSS for our airline and OEM customers," said John Riley, marketing manager for Airline Services.
"We are particularly excited about the potential AMOSS presents to save money for airlines which are reconfiguring their ground support. The system may also be equally valuable to OEMs which are beginning to offer lifecycle maintenance support for their customers in the business jet market. With AMOSS, we're not adding another layer of technology -- we're enabling the advanced technology they already have to work more efficiently and effectively," Riley said.
AMOSS saves money by reducing turnaround times at the gate and costly troubleshooting on the ground. Two-way, air-to-ground communication (via ACARS or SATCOM, for example) allows AMOSS to connect an aircraft's onboard avionics with ground-based support -- flight operations/dispatch, maintenance control, maintenance planning, engineering and line and hangar shops. In this way, data from an aircraft in flight may be downloaded to ground support for analysis and diagnosis through the unique AMOSS diagnostic program.
Using Honeywell's model-based diagnostic technology that actually "learns" from maintenance actions and their effects, AMOSS guides the ground-based support through diagnosis, suggests additional tests, and recommends a sequence of repairs based on probability and cost considerations.
In addition to minimizing communication errors and duplication of effort, AMOSS improves diagnostic accuracy and record-keeping, reduces No-Fault-Found problems and eliminates certification costs.
AMOSS provides a comprehensive interface with the 777's Portable Maintenance Access Terminal System (PMATS), as well as PC and MacIntosh-based Portable Maintenance Terminals. It features SGML capability, configuration and version management, and tail number and effectivity filters.
Honeywell is a global controls company providing products, systems and services that increase comfort, environmental protection, energy conservation, productivity and safety in homes and buildings, industry, and aviation and space. The company employs 50,000 people in 95 countries on six continents and had 1994 sales of $6.1 billion.
PARIS, JUNE 12 -- Japan Air System (JAS) has selected Honeywell's Airline Modifiable Information (AMI) software package to customize the data recording, reporting and analysis functions of its Boeing 777 fleet.
Honeywell introduced the AMI user-modifiable software as part of its Ground-Based Software Tool (GBST), developed to meet the higher standards for functionality, maintainability and dispatch reliability for the 777. By loading AMI software files into the aircraft's system, operators can tailor the functions of the Airplane Information Management System (AIMS), including the Airplane Condition Monitoring Function (ACMF), flight deck and data communications, flight management, central maintenance function and electronic checklists.
AMI customization enables airlines to perform high-level analyses of data generated by onboard systems, eliminating the need for additional buyer-furnished hardware. By improving fault isolation and detection, AMI also lowers operating costs by avoiding costly "shotgun" maintenance.
"We are excited that Japan Air System has selected Honeywell's AMI software program for its 777 fleet," said John Riley, marketing manager for Airline Services."By using AMIs to customize various aircraft systems, JAS will be able to tailor the advanced Honeywell avionics aboard the 777 to its flight operations and maintenance specifications. AMIs allow operators to configure their aircraft for more efficient performance."
The use of AMIs provides airlines the unprecedented ability to customize the various aircraft systems to their specific needs. For example, the 777 operator may use AMIs to specify report definitions, data recording definitions and data sampling frequencies on aircraft parameters such as engine trending and engine exceedance, within certification limits. In addition, AMIs may be used to install notes and help files into the aircraft, as well as to specify additional inflight diagnostic tests to be run under certain conditions.
Honeywell is a global controls company providing products, systems and services that increase comfort, environmental protection, energy conservation, productivity and safety in homes and buildings, industry, and aviation and space. The company employs 50,000 people in 95 countries on six continents and had 1994 sales of $6.1 billion.
PARIS, JUNE 12 (Honeywell advanced avionics technologies, developed to meet the high standards of the Boeing 777, are finding new applications across commercial air transport, military, business aircraft and aerospace markets. Such next-generation Honeywell systems as flat panel displays, Airplane Information Management Systems (AIMS) and the ground-based Airline Maintenance and Operations Support System (AMOSS) are leading the way to new capabilities in air and space travel.
In commercial air transport, Honeywell flat panel displays are featured in the Common Display System for the next-generation Boeing 737s. McDonnell Douglas is looking at similar flat panel displays for several commercial programs of its own.
Military applications of Honeywell's 777-derived technology, including flat panel derivatives and AIMS-based architecture, have been proposed for the E-6 aircraft. AIMS architecture also is being considered for Advanced Short Take-Off Vertical Landing (ASTOVL) aircraft and the ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency) Advanced Affordable Controls Technology program.
Honeywell anticipates that a scaled-down version of the 777 AIMS architecture could be the integrated modular avionics of choice aboard any of several proposed next generation 100-seat commercial jetliners.
Both major and regional airlines will benefit from the AMOSS software system developed for the 777, which cuts ground service costs by improving diagnostic accuracy and facilitating deferred maintenance.
In space, NASA selected Honeywell's Multifunctional Electronic Display Subsystem (MEDS), a derivative of the 777 "D" flat panel display, to upgrade its Space Shuttle cockpits. Flat panels offer enhanced off-axis viewability that is especially critical in a weightless environment. AIMS-based architecture is also playing a key role in advanced satellite control systems.
The liquid crystal display was chosen by Boeing and developed by Honeywell because the technology allows display units to be lighter, smaller, more energy efficient and more reliable than previous cockpit instrumentation while offering improved sunlight readability.
Honeywell's Airplane Information Management System, the "brains" of the 777, represents the cutting edge in advanced avionics systems. By applying advanced design technologies such as dual lock-step processing, shared resources and Honeywell's innovative SAFEbus™ (backplane design, AIMS eliminates the need for separate line replaceable units, providing a lighter, smaller, more energy efficient system with extremely high reliability and fault tolerance.
Honeywell's AMOSS software allows ground-based support(flight operations/dispatch, maintenance control, maintenance planning, engineering and line and hangar shops(to connect electronically with an aircraft's onboard avionics. In this way, data from an aircraft in flight may be downloaded to ground support for analysis and diagnosis through the unique AMOSS diagnostic program. Using Honeywell's model-based diagnostic technology that actually "learns" from maintenance actions and their effects, AMOSS guides the ground-based support through diagnosis, suggests additional tests, and recommends a sequence of repairs based on probability and cost considerations.
In addition to minimizing communication errors and duplication of effort, AMOSS improves diagnostic accuracy and record-keeping, reduces No-Fault-Found problems and eliminates certification costs.
Honeywell is a global controls company providing products, systems and services that increase comfort, environmental protection, energy conservation, productivity and safety in homes and buildings, industry, and aviation and space. The company employs 50,000 people in 95 countries on six continents and had 1994 sales of $6.1 billion.
The new Boeing 777 widebody twinjet, certified this April, features a technically advanced flight deck incorporating a variety of innovative avionics supplied by Honeywell.
Honeywell's Air Transport Systems which earned the predominant role in the development of the new 777 cockpit avionics, provides a revolutionary, highly integrated avionics architecture called "AIMS" (Airplane Information Management System) a new fault-tolerant integrated Air Data/Inertial Reference System (ADIRS) and a new Air/Ground System.
Among the highlights of the 777 avionics developed by Honeywell are six "flat panel" liquid crystal display (LCD) cockpit instruments, integrated AIMS cabinets and an overall design that offers extremely high reliability and maintainability. The 777 avionics concept is fully consistent with the early ETOPS (Extended Twin-engine Operations) certification.
Key AIMS Features
Honeywell's AIMS architecture is the centerpiece of an advanced avionics system designed to meet the very high requirements for functionality, reliability, maintainability and dispatch that Boeing set for the 777.
The AIMS consists of dual integrated cabinets that contain all of the central
processing and input/output hardware to perform the following functions:
The AIMS architecture offers a revolutionary advance in system functionality and "availability" through integration of functions in a shared cabinet.
Traditional "distributed" architectures require that each Line-Replaceable Unit (LRU) be self-contained. This results in a considerable amount of duplication in basic hardware and software elements common to all LRUs.
The AIMS concept, however, achieves significant cost, weight, reliability and maintenance advantages by maximizing the use of shareable cabinet resources.
These shareable resources include components such as power supply, processor, memory system, chassis, operating system, utility software, hardware BITE (Built-In Test Equipment) and shared input/output ports.
The AIMS also exploits a number of design technologies developed by Honeywell, Boeing and the semiconductor industry over the past eight years. For example, high-speed processing, "robust" software partitioning (strict separation of software functions) and Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) enable the integration of more system functions in a single processor channel.
Displays
The 777 flight deck features six Honeywell "D"-size (8-by-8-inch) flat panel displays in a horizontal layout similar to the 747-400. These advanced-technology LCD screens display flight, navigation and engine information with automatic reversion capability (in the event of failure of any screen, any other screen can be used to display the information).
Honeywell has been actively involved in the development of flat panel displays for almost a decade and the company has emerged as the world leader in the application of this technology to commercial avionics. The new displays need less space, weigh less and consume less power than current CRT displays. Honeywell obtained the first FAA certification for this type of display (for the 3-ATI-size TCAS display) in June 1990.
Flight Management
The Flight Management Function (FMF) for the 777 takes advantage of Honeywell's mature systems developed for the 757, 767 and 747-400 Boeing airplanes while at the same time providing greatly improved performance, functional capability and growth potential.
The Honeywell system includes passively cooled Control Display Units (CDUs) featuring color-capable flat panel LCD displays. The CDU controls the FMS and is capable of controlling other ARINC subsystems.
In addition to the latest 747 and 757/767 improvements, the 777 FMF allows growth functions such as integration with an Electronic Library System for taxi and terrain display, approach information and other information.
Central Maintenance Function (CMF)
The Honeywell CMF for the 777 consolidates the maintenance activity of virtually all systems on the airplane.
A primary objective is to reduce "shotgun" maintenance by improving fault isolation and detection capability thus reducing the number of spares needed and the number of dispatch delays and cancellations. In addition, the CMF reduces flow time and manpower required during the actual aircraft manufacturing process.
In general, Honeywell's CMF provides a low-risk approach for early ETOPS certification while offering substantial benefits in accuracy, development costs, airplane manufacturing costs and production scheduling and aircraft maintainability.
Airplane Condition Monitoring Function (ACMF)
The ACMF design enables the airline to make informed decisions and plans based on sound and timely aircraft information. The system is an extremely powerful, user-friendly data acquisition tool that continuously monitors engines and aircraft systems and generates reports cu