May 2011

SYNTHETIC VISION

SESAR Advances · STARLite Vision

www.avionicstoday.com
 inside
May 2011 • Vol. 35, No. 5
magazine

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24 ■ E-Letters
• Review of top developments in the civil
and military aircraft electronics industry

Industry ■ Webinars
Wheels Up For SESAR................................... 18 www.aviationtoday.com/webinars
With 29 validation projects planned this year, the Single European Sky ATM Research • Global Partnerships in Avionics
program strives for tangible results to demonstrate progress toward Europe’s vision Development Engineering
by George Marsh • UAS Civil Airspace Integration: Progress and .
military Challenges
• Issues in Air Traffic Management
STARLite Vision............................................ 24 • Business Jet Connections: In-Flight
Northrop Grumman Small Tactical Radar-Lightweight (STARLite) systems provides coali- Connectivity Services and Solutions for
tion warfighters high-resolution imagery from unmanned aircraft systems and aerostats Business Aircraft
by Frank Colucci
• Airborne RFID: Radio Frequency
product focus Identification Takes Off
• ADS-B: Progress and Implementation
Synthetic Vision............................................ 28
Suppliers of synthetic vision systems, highly valued by pilots for safety and situational
awareness, strive for operational credits to use synthetic vision as a landing aid ■ Online Resources
by Ed McKenna • Aerospace Acronym Guide
also in this issue www.aviationtoday.com/av/acronym/a.html
• White Papers, Tech Reports
Editor’s Note www.aviationtoday.com/at/otherdocs/
UAS Integration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 • Aviation Today’s Job Board
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Cover: Pilot’s view through the Rockwell Collins Head-Up Guidance System with synthetic
vision. Photo courtesy Rockwell Collins.
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www.avionicstoday.com May 2011 Avionics Magazine 3

 editor’s note
by Bill Carey
UAS Integration
W
ith FAA expected to issue a
proposed rule this summer that
would govern operation of
small unmanned aircraft sys-
tems (UAS) in the National Airspace System
(NAS), work is picking up on a number of
fronts to open even wider access for UAS.
Pending budget approval, NASA this
year plans to embark on a five-year $157
million UAS Integration in the NAS Project
designed to reduce technical barriers and
validate concepts and technologies enabling
“routine” UAS operations in the airspace
system. The agency “will generate data for
Work is FAA use in rulemaking through develop-
ment, testing and evaluation of UAS tech-
picking up on nologies in operationally relevant scenarios,”
NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden Jr.,
a number of stated in testimony in March before the Sen-
fronts to open ate Transportation Committee.
Industry developments continue to push
wider access the envelope of unmanned flight. Northrop
for unmanned Grumman has announced a series of recent
achievements, including, in February, the
aircraft to the first flight of the tailless X-47B Unmanned
Combat Air System demonstrator; and in
NAS. January, the flight of two unmanned aircraft
in close proximity at high altitude to prepare
for autonomous aerial refueling in 2012.
There have been setbacks, too, as in the April
1 crash of AeroVironment’s hydrogen-pow-
ered Global Observer on its ninth test flight.
UAS, or what the mainstream media likes
to call “drones,” remain mostly a military phe-
nomena. But civil government and private-
sector interest in using them for missions
such as border patrol, aerial photography
and firefighting has been building for years.
In its most recent aviation industry forecast,
released in February, FAA reports that 100
U.S. companies, academic institutions and
government organizations are developing
300 UAS designs. The agency projects that
10,000 small UAS will be operating in the next
five years; in 10 years the fleet is projected to
increase to 25,000 units.
“We’re about building a new industry,”
said John S. Walker, co-chairman of RTCA
Special Committee 203, Unmanned Aircraft
Systems. “The technology is here and this is
where the best and brightest of government
and industry need to come together to find
the tipping point where we go off and do
really great things.”
Walker was among industry and govern-
4 Avionics Magazine May 2011 www.avionicstoday.com
ment experts who spoke during the Avionics
Magazine webinar, “UAS Civil Airspace
Integration: Progress and Challenges.” They
described progress on several fronts toward
merging manned and unmanned air traffic.
Nevertheless, UAS flights in the United
States currently are limited to either restrict-
ed airspace, or in the NAS by obtaining a
certificate of authorization or waiver from
FAA, a costly and time-consuming process.
FAA in 2008 established an Aviation
Rulemaking Committee to recommend how
to proceed on regulating small UAS, where
the greatest market growth is projected.
Those recommendations, describing air
vehicles weighing 55 pounds or less and fly-
ing no higher than 1,200 feet above ground
level, are the basis for the pending Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking. Adoption of a final
rule is anticipated in 2012 or 2013.
Work continues on the technical barriers
to UAS entry. Andrew Lacher, UAS Integra-
tion Lead with MITRE Corp.’s Center for
Advanced Aviation System Development,
said three key challenges are being addressed:
the integrity of the command and control
communications link between the aircraft
and ground; maintaining safe separation of
UAS through “sense and avoid” technology;
and integrating UAS in the existing air-traffic
control system. “We see these three big chal-
lenge areas as being very complex, involving
significant technical, operational, procedural
as well as policy components to their resolu-
tion,” Lacher said.
John Appleby, program manager with the
Science and Technology Directorate of the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS),
described a UAS modeling and simulation
capability at MIT Lincoln Laboratory in
Lexington, Mass., co-sponsored by DHS,
FAA and the Department of Defense. Flight
testing using surrogate aircraft is planned in
fiscal 2011 or 2012.
RTCA SC-203 plans to issue Minimum
Aviation System Performance Standards for
overall UAS systems in December 2012, fol-
lowed by both Sense-and-Avoid subsystem
and Control and Communication subsystem
MASPS in December 2013, Walker said.
 go beyond ILS

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International: 602.365.3099. Or visit honeywellsmartpath.com.
©2011 Honeywell International Inc.
 EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Bill Carey
301-354-1818
bcarey@accessintel.com

MANAGING EDITOR
Emily Feliz
301-354-1820
efeliz@accessintel.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Frank Alexander, Frank Colucci, Ron Laurenzo,
George Marsh, Ed McKenna,
James W. Ramsey, Jean-Michel Guhl

Distributing…
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DESIGN & PRODUCTION

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Teledyne’s LoadStar® Server Enterprise is the most AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

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distribute software parts and aircraft data to your airplanes. FULFILLMENT MANAGER George Severine
gseverine@accessintel.com
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES/BACK ISSUES 847-559-7314
Using floppy disks and CDs to distribute from desktop to data loaders across
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To find out how LoadStar® Server Enterprise from Teledyne will benefit your Access Intelligence, LLC
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 industry scan
BUSINESS/GA

Photo courtesy Jeppesen

iPad2 Flight Test
Jeppesen announced in March that it
completed rapid decompression testing of
an Apple iPad 2 tablet computer.
The test was completed to an altitude
of 51,000 feet, proving the integrity of the
iPad 2 in the event of sudden cabin pres-
sure loss, the company said.
Last year, Jeppesen completed a simi-
lar test of a representative iPad as part of
a program to obtain initial FAA authori-
zation of its Mobile TC charting App.
Jeppesen in February announced that
NetJets subsidiary Executive Jet Manage-
ment had received FAA authorization to
use the Mobile TC App for iPad as sole
reference for electronic charts, including
taxi, takeoff and landing phases.
The project included a three-month
in-flight evaluation involving 55 pilots, 10
aircraft types and 250 flight segments. It
followed established FAA authorization
requirements for electronic flight bags
(EFB) applicable to an air carrier.
The authorized EFB configuration is
a Class 1 portable, kneeboard EFB solu-
tion that is secured and viewable during
critical phases of flight as defined in FAA
Order 8900.1, Jeppesen said.
“Because of structural changes in iPad
Jeppesen electronic chart subscribers can access instrument charts and air-
2, Jeppesen determined that a new (rapid port diagrams on their Apple iPad tablets through Jeppesen Mobile TC App.
decompression) test was warranted. No
anomalies were detected during either
iPad testing period,” the company said.
tion picture — 600x266 pixels for the Garmin said the system has many of
GTN 650, 750 Series GTN 650; 600x708 pixels for the GTN the same features found on the G3000
Garmin on March 23 unveiled the GTN 750 — with five times more pixels than suite for Part 23 light jets, announced
650 and 750 series touchscreen multifunc- the GNS 430W and 530W, respectively. at the 2009 National Business Aviation
tion displays for GA aircraft, succeeding They feature “a shallow menu structure, Association conference, and G5000
the GNS 430W and 530W GPS/Nav/ desktop-like menu interface with intui- for Part 25 business jets, announced at
Comm systems announced in 1998. tive icons, audio and visual feedback, and NBAA 2010. Earlier in March, Garmin
The GTN 650 and 750 received FAA animation so that pilots know exactly unveiled the G1000H integrated glass
TSO authorization in March and are STC how the systems are responding to their cockpit for Part 27 helicopters.
approved “on a broad model list cover- input,” Garmin said. As with the G3000 and G5000, the
ing most Part 23 fixed-wing aircraft,” the Both display units have a finger G2000 uses the GTC 570 vehicle manage-
company announced. anchoring bezel around the side of the ment system, a 5.7-inch diagonal touch-
The GTN 650 has the same exterior display and fingerboard at the bottom of screen controller, for radio management,
footprint as the GNS 430W, but has a the screen for hand stabilization. weather systems management, synoptics
4.9-inch screen (diagonal) with 53 percent The GTN 650 is expected to be avail- and other systems. The G2000 system
more screen area. The GTN 750 has a able at a suggested retail price of $11,495; will come with high resolution, 12-inch or
6.9-inch screen (diagonal) with 98 percent the GTN 750 at $16,995, Garmin said. 14-inch diagonal displays. The system’s
more screen area than the GNS 530W, landscape oriented multifunction display
making it possible to view an entire chart Glass Cockpit has multi-pane capability, allowing mul-
via the Garmin FliteCharts and Chart- Garmin on March 29 announced the tiple pages to be viewed on the screen.
View applications, the company said. G2000 glass cockpit suite, designed for Garmin said it expects to receive certi-
Both units display a higher resolu- high-performance piston aircraft. fication of the G2000 this year.

8 Avionics Magazine May 2011 www.avionicstoday.com

Gulfstream G650 Crash aircraft was on track for certification this look forward to continuing the rigorous
One of five Gulfstream G650 flight-test year, with entry into service in 2012. testing required to achieve flight certifica-
aircraft crashed April 2 during takeoff In a statement issued April 4, Jay L. tion of the aircraft.”
performance tests in Roswell, N.M., kill- Johnson, chairman and CEO of Gulf-
ing four Gulfstream employees on board, stream parent company General Dynam- Eclipse Avio FMS
the company announced that day. ics, said, “I am confident that as Gulf- Eclipse Aerospace, Inc., March 30 said
Immediately following the accident, stream assists aviation authorities in the FAA has issued a Supplemental Type
Gulfstream temporarily suspended flight accident investigation, the cause of this Certificate (STC) for the Avio Integrated
testing of the remaining four test aircraft. terrible tragedy will be determined. We Flight Management System (IFMS) of
“All other certification and production
work on the G650 program continues,
and all other activities at the company are
proceeding normally,” Gulfstream said.
The accident aircraft, Serial Number
6002, first flew in February 2010 and had
accumulated 425 hours of flight-test time
as of March 31, Gulfstream said. The $POOFDUJOH
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combined flight-test fleet had accumu-
lated 1,570 flight hours.
According to a preliminary report
issued April 7 by the National Transpor-
tation Safety Board (NTSB), the aircraft
was performing a takeoff with a simu-
lated engine failure to determine takeoff
distance requirements at minimum flap
setting. The crash occurred at 0934 $0..&3$*"-
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mountain daylight time at Roswell, N.M.,
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saw the airplane sliding on the ground 5&45

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with sparks and smoke coming from
the bottom of the wing, and described
the airplane being fully involved in fire .&%*$"-
while still moving across the ground. The
airplane struck several obstructions and
came to rest upright about 200 feet from
the base of the airport control tower.”
Gulfstream identified the four employ-
ees who were aboard the aircraft April 3.
Killed were experimental test pilots Kent
Crenshaw, 64, and Vivan Ragusa, 51, and 8IFO
1FSGPSNBODF
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The ultra-long-range, large cabin
G650, Gulfstream’s newest jet, first flew
on Nov. 25, 2009. Gulfstream said the

www.avionicstoday.com May 2011 Avionics Magazine 9

 industry scan
the Eclipse twin-engine light jet.
The IFMS system was developed for
the twinjet by Innovative Solutions &
Support (IS&S), of Exton, Pa., and is
offered by Eclipse Aerospace as part of
its “Total Eclipse” package.
“Orders for Total Eclipse jets com-
plete with the new Avio IFMS are now
being taken with delivery time averaging
60 days,” stated Mason Holland, Eclipse
Aerospace CEO.
The IFMS system incorporates dual
WAAS/SBAS Beta-3 GPS receivers,
supporting dynamically calculated top
of decent guidance and coupled LPV
approaches. Flight management data is
presented on a 15-inch, high-resolution
multifunction display. Data entry is per-
formed through integrated bezel pushbut-
tons and encoders as well as an externally
mounted keyboard, IS&S said.
“The Avio IFMS avionics suite is one
of the most advanced cockpits available
on any aircraft,” said Roman Ptakowski,
IS&S president. “The 13 microprocessors
in the IS&S displays control all major air-
craft systems. Improvements to e-Chart,
mapping and satellite weather functional-
ity along with FMS precision navigation
give the Eclipse Twin-Engine Jet unri-
valed performance.”
Honeywell, Aspen MFD
Honeywell and Aspen Avionics, Albu-
querque, N.M., said they are collaborat-
ing to produce a “NextGen-ready” mul-
tifunction touchscreen cockpit display
for general aviation. The companies have
completed a development agreement to
bring Honeywell’s Bendix/King KSN
770 multifunction display to the market
before the end of 2011.
The Bendix/King KSN 770, part of
the company’s Apex Edge series, is a 5.7
inch touchscreen display with GPS, com-
munication and navigation capabilities.
Based on a scalable system architecture
and interfaces to most general aviation
aircraft, it will be integrated with Aspen’s
Evolution Flight Display system.
The KSN 770 will have Localizer
Performance with Vertical Guidance
(LPV) and Wide Area Augmentation
System (WAAS) capabilities. It also will
display weather radar, Enhanced Ground
Proximity Warning System (EGPWS),
data link weather, traffic information and
charts and maps.
“Honeywell and Aspen are deliver-
ing a level of technical innovation and
10 Avionics Magazine May 2011 www.avionicstoday.com
ergonomic functionality previously only
available to business jet customers,” said
John Uczekaj, Aspen Avionics president
and CEO. “The product’s interoperabil-
ity, expandable architecture and flexible
interface offer a clear alternative to exist-
ing systems.”
Goodrich Acquisition
Goodrich Corp. has signed an agreement
to acquire flight-control actuation sup-
plier Microtecnica S.r.l., based in Turin,
Italy, for $462 million.
The agreement, expected to close in
the second quarter, was concluded with
SSCP Aero Holdings S.C.A., a company
backed by the European private equity
firm Stirling Square Capital Partners. The
latter firm acquired Microtecnica from
Hamilton Sundstrand via management
buyout in 2008.
Microtecnica supplies flight control
actuation systems and components for
helicopters, regional and business aircraft
and missiles, as well as aircraft thermal
and environmental control systems. The
company employs 700 people at facili-
ties in Turin, Luserna San Giovanni and
Brugherio, Italy, and Bristol, U.K. Sales
this year are expected to be $220 million.
Microtecnica will become part of the
Goodrich Actuation Systems business.
“This acquisition supports our busi-
ness model and fits with our strategy by
increasing Goodrich’s exposure to three
growth markets: commercial and military
helicopters, commercial regional, busi-
ness and general aviation aircraft and
missile actuation,” said Marshall Larsen,
Goodrich chairman, president and CEO.
Commercial
Smoke Warning
The National Transportation Safety
Board (NTSB) was investigating the
cause of an apparent electrical incident
April 4 aboard a United Airlines Airbus
A320, leading to the emergency evacua-
tion of 109 passengers and crew.
United Airlines Flight 497 left Louis
Armstrong New Orleans International
Airport around 7:25 a.m. CDT and
returned 20 minutes later, “due to electri-
cal difficulties and smoke in the cock-
pit,” according to an NTSB advisory
issued that day. Upon landing, the crew
described a loss of anti-skid braking and
nose-wheel steering and exited the run-
way 2,000 feet from the approach thresh-
old, NTSB said.
The safety board issued an investiga-
tion update April 7. In interviews, “the
crew indicated that, at about 4,000 feet,
the airplane’s electronic centralized
aircraft monitoring (ECAM) system
provided an autothrottle-related message,
then an avionics smoke warning message,
accompanied by instructions to land.
Despite receiving this message, neither
crew member recalled smelling smoke or
fumes during the flight.”
The captain used the electronic check-
list for the avionics smoke warning indica-
tion, which included shutting down some
of the aircraft’s electrical system. The first
officer’s display screens went blank, the
ECAM messages disappeared, the cock-
pit to cabin intercom stopped functioning
and the air-driven emergency generator
deployed.
The captain was able to use the air-
speed, altimeter and attitude indicators
on his primary flight display during the
return to the airport.
After landing, the aircraft’s forward
right slide did not properly inflate during
the emergency evacuation. Investigators
later found the aspirator that inflates the
slide partially blocked, NTSB said.
The cockpit voice recorder captured
about 7 minutes and 30 seconds of the
flight, NTSB said. The flight data record-
er contained 25 hours of data and cap-
tured about 18 minutes of data relevant
to the flight. Both the CVR and FDR
stopped recording prior to landing.
Airbus technical advisors and the
French Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses
were taking part in the investigation with
other parties, NTSB said.
747-8 Intercontinental
The Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental
completed its first flight March 20,
departing Paine Field in Everett, Wash.,
for a four-hour, 25 minutes flight, landing
at Boeing Field in Seattle.
The first flight of the newest member
of the 747 family marked the beginning
of a 600-hour flight test program. The
aircraft reached a cruising altitude of
19,000 feet and speed of 250 knots.
Boeing says the 747-8 Intercontinental
will have the lowest seat-mile cost of any
large airliner, with 12 percent lower costs
than its predecessor, the 747-400. The
aircraft provides 16 percent better fuel
economy, 16 percent less carbon emis-
sions per passenger and generates a 30
percent smaller noise footprint than the
747-400.
The 747-8 Intercontinental applies
interior features of the 787 Dreamliner,
including a new curved, upswept architec-
ture, providing a greater feeling of space
and comfort, while adding more room for
personal belongings, Boeing said.
First delivery of the 747-8 Interconti-
nental is scheduled for the fourth quarter
this year. Thirty-three aircraft have been
ordered by launch customer Lufthansa
as well as Korean Air and VIP customers.
Air China has agreed to order five 747-8s,
pending government approval.
LiveTV Agreement
JetBlue Airways subsidiary LiveTV
signed a letter of intent with Continen-
tal Airlines in March to provide ViaSat
Ka-band service for live television and
in-flight Internet access.
LiveTV said it expects to install the
new service on Continental’s fleet of 200
Boeing 737s and 757s beginning in 2012.
The first Continental aircraft is
expected to launch the service following
JetBlue’s introduction of the ViaSat-1
broadband network for the first time in
commercial aviation, also in 2012. ViaSat
and JetBlue signed an agreement in Sep-
tember 2010 for the provision of in-flight
broadband access and other services on
JetBlue’s fleet of 160 aircraft.
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As planned, the Continental instal-
lation would provide passengers with 95
channels of live television programming
and airborne Internet access provided by
ViaSat.
Canadian North 737
The Esterline CMC Electronics ‘Integ-
riFlight’ GPS landing system has been
certified for GPS Localizer Performance
with Vertical Guidance (LPV) approach
operations on a Boeing 737-300 operated
by Canadian North Airlines.
CMC Electronics said the stand-
alone, “ILS look-alike” system involves
installation of dual CMA-5024 WAAS
GPS receivers in conjunction with dual
CMA-5025 control panels, providing “a
highly economic approach” to retrofitting
aircraft with LPV capability.
Logic-Air Aviation Services of Mira-
bel was responsible for development and
installation of the system and holds the
Supplemental Type Certificate (STC)
issued by ACS-NAI, a Transport Canada
approved Design Approval Organization.
ACS-NAI,based in Winnipeg, provided
engineering and certification support,
including STC data and documentation.
The CMA-5025 control panel was
designed and produced by Air Data Inc.,
of Montreal in partnership with CMC.
“The addition of LPV capability to
our aircraft permits us to provide signifi-
cantly improved schedule reliability for
™
www.avionicstoday.com
our scheduled and charter clients, given
the absence of traditional ground-based
approach aids at many of the remote
Canadian destinations we serve,” stated
Chris Drossos, Canadian North 737-300
project pilot.
SJU Board Chairman
Matthias Ruete, director general of
the European Commission’s Mobility
and Transport Directorate-General,
was appointed chairman of the SESAR
Joint Undertaking (SJU) Administrative
Board.
The SJU is the public-private partner-
ship formed in 2007 to manage the Devel-
opment phase of the Single European
Sky ATM Research (SESAR) program.
Eurocontrol and the European Commis-
sion are founding members.
Ruete succeeds Daniel Calleja Crespo,
who had chaired the SESAR JU govern-
ing body since its establishment in 2007.
Bo Redeborn, principal director ATM at
Eurocontrol, remains deputy chairman
of the board. Matthew Baldwin, recently
appointed director of the EC’s Air Trans-
port Directorate, has been designated as
Ruete’s alternate.
“Daniel Calleja has been an outstand-
ing chairman of the SESAR JU’s Admin-
istrative Board. As much as we regret to
see him leave, we’re also looking forward
to working closely together with Mr.
Ruete in the future. I am fully confident
2/25/11 3:35 PM
May 2011 Avionics Magazine 11
 industry scan
that our cooperation will be as success-
ful in this next, very decisive phase of the
SESAR work program,” stated Patrick
Ky, SESAR JU executive director.
Onboard Surveillance
The Lufthansa Technik Innovation busi-
ness unit introduced the “aerosight” on-
board camera surveillance system at the
Aircraft Interiors Expo 2011 exhibition in
Hamburg, Germany.
The company said aerosight is an
Internet Protocol (IP) based camera sys-
tem with an integrated local area network
(LAN) connection that can be connected
to pilots’ electronic flight bags (EFBs)
and other network-capable displays or
laptops. The system does not require any
additional routers, control units or dis-
plays in the cockpit.
The system uses EFBs to display the
camera images and can simultaneously
control up to 16 cameras located by the
cockpit entrance, in the passenger cabin
and in the cargo bay. It switches automat-
ically between a color visual display for
daytime viewing and an infrared-based
night vision mode.
Lufthansa Technik said it developed
aerosight for an undisclosed commercial
airline and has started installing the sys-
tem in the customer aircraft.
MILITARY
F-35 Flight Tests
Lockheed Martin reported “considerable
flight test progress” of the F-35 Lightning
II during the first quarter 2011, with the
program conducting 199 test flights ver-
sus a plan of 142 flights.
The test program remained ahead of
plan despite the grounding of some test
fleet aircraft for four to 15 days as offi-
cials investigated the cause of a dual gen-
erator/starter failure that occurred during
a flight March 9.
Each of the three F-35 variants – con-
ventional takeoff and landing (CTOL),
carrier and short takeoff/vertical landing
(VTOL) – exceeded planned test flights.
The STOVL variant performed 61 verti-
cal landings compared with 10 vertical
landings during 2010.
Two production-model aircraft, des-
ignated AF-6 and AF-7, flew for the first
time in preparation for delivery to the
U.S. Air Force this year.
From the start of flight testing in
December 2006 through March 31 this
12 Avionics Magazine May 2011 www.avionicstoday.com
year, F-35s had flown 753 times, includ-
ing production-model flights, Lockheed
Martin said April 4.
Maintenance Terminals
General Dynamics Information Technol-
ogy was awarded a contract from the U.S.
Air Force, initially for $3 million, to pro-
vide ruggedized laptops in support of the
F-22A Integrated Maintenance Informa-
tion System (IMIS) program.
The three-year, indefinite delivery,
indefinite quantity contract potentially is
worth $23 million if all options are exer-
cised, General Dynamics said.
The company will purchase, deliver
and integrate ruggedized laptops that
will be used as Portable Maintenance
Aids with F-22As. The mobile computing
devices are used for technical data dis-
plays, diagnostic fault isolation, material
management, maintenance documenta-
tion, health monitoring, prognostics and
upload/download of operational data.
General Dynamics will install each
laptop with required software, perform
functionality tests and integrate required
systems in support of the IMIS program.
In addition, the company will main-
tain an inventory control database to
track equipment shipping and returns
and maintain detailed records, to include
warranty information.
The majority of work will be per-
formed in Bossier City, La., supporting
seven Air Force bases: Tyndall AFB, Fla.;
Langley AFB, Va.; Elmendorf AFB,
Alaska; Hickam AFB, Hawaii; Sheppard
AFB, Texas; and Nellis AFB, Nev.
Hellfire II Romeo
The U.S. Army Joint Attack Munition
Systems (JAMS) Project Office and
Lockheed Martin March 28 announced
the successful firing of an AGM114R
Hellfire II missile with a live warhead in a
sixth proof-of-principle test.
The flight test at Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla., demonstrated the missile’s enhanced
software capability and performance in
a “military-operations-in-urban-terrain”
scenario. The multipurpose warhead
design enables the missile, with a designa-
tor spot laser, to seek out and defeat hard,
soft and enclosed targets.  The initial
fielding of the Hellfire II Romeo version
is scheduled for late 2012.
The Romeo version combines capabili-
ties of four previous Hellfire II variants
into one multipurpose missile, accord-
ing to Ken Musculus, Lockheed Martin
director of Air-to-Ground Missile Sys-
tems. New design features include a three-
axis inertial measurement unit, which
enables properly equipped launch plat-
forms to engage targets to the side and
behind them without having to maneuver
the aircraft into position.
The missile can be launched from
high or low altitudes due to its enhanced
guidance system and improved naviga-
tion capabilities, optimizing the missile’s
impact angle for enhanced lethality,
Lockheed Martin said.  
The Hellfire II Romeo version inte-
grates with all Hellfire II-compatible
platforms, including the Apache, Kiowa
Warrior, Cobra, Seahawk and Tiger
helicopters, and can be launched autono-
mously or with remote designation.
T/R Module Standard
Northrop Grumman said it has set a new
standard for its gallium nitride-based
high-power transmit/receive (T/R) mod-
ules, reliably operating them for more
than 180 days during continuous high-
power testing.
The tests prove that the next gen-
eration of active electronically scanned
arrays (AESA) is capable of reliable oper-
ation while producing much greater radar
sensitivity, at higher efficiency and lower
cost, Northrop Grumman said April 12.
In an evaluation conducted by the
company’s Advanced Concepts and Tech-
nology Division, the T/R modules were
tested by using high-stressing operational
long-pulse waveforms, which operated on
the modules nonstop for six months. The
waveforms were designed to simulate elec-
tronic activities of actual radar functions
in a relevant environment.
“By successfully employing the latest
advances in high-power semiconduc-
tor technology in a functioning T/R
module, we have demonstrated the great
performance and reliability of our design
approach,” said Steve McCoy, vice presi-
dent of the Advanced Concepts unit.
“This new level of maturity also sup-
ports technology readiness for the next
generation of Northrop Grumman’s high
performance, low-cost AESA radars, and
opportunities for cost reduction and per-
formance upgrades to our current AESA
product line,” he said.
Elbit Acquisition
Elbit Systems Ltd., on March 30 said it
completed the acquisition of remaining
shares of Elisra Electronic Systems held
by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) sub-
sidiary Elta Systems. Elisra, a supplier of
electronic warfare solutions based in Bene
Beraq, Israel, now is a wholly owned sub-
sidiary of Elbit Systems.
Elbit announced in late February that
it had reached agreement to acquire the
remaining 30 percent of Elisra shares
held by IAI Elta for $67.5 million. Elbit
already owned 70 percent of Elisra.
Component units of Elisra include
Tadiran Electronic Systems Ltd., and
Tadiran Spectralink Ltd.
UNMANNED SYSTEMS
Global Observer ‘Mishap’
AeroVironment said its Global Observer
high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned
aircraft system (UAS) experienced a
“mishap” April 1 while undergoing flight-
test envelope expansion at Edwards Air
Force Base, Calif. The company reported
no injuries or property damage.
An investigation board will be con-
vened to determine the cause of the mis-
hap, which was not described in detail.
The first of two aircraft developed
under a Joint Capability Technology
Demonstration was performing its ninth
test flight. The mishap occurred at 2:30
a.m. PDT, about 18 hours into the flight,
AeroVironment said.
The hybrid-electric powered aircraft
first flew Aug. 5, 2010. Following the
completion of an initial flight-test phase
in October, AeroVironment said its pro-
gram team installed a hydrogen-fueled
generator and liquid hydrogen fuel tanks.
The Global Observer is designed for
“stratospheric, persistent” surveillance,
flying at an altitude of 55,000 to 65,000
feet for 5 to 7 days. Communications
and sensor payloads on the aircraft will
cover an area up to 600 miles in diameter,
equivalent to more than 280,000 square
miles, AeroVironment said.
“Flight testing an innovative new
solution like Global Observer involves
pushing the frontiers of technology and
convention,” said Tim Conver, AeroVi-
ronment chairman and CEO. “Risk is a
component of every flight-test program,
and the learning that results from a mis-
hap enables us to improve system reliabil-
ity and performance.”
AeroVironment, Monrovia, Calif.,
in September 2007 was awarded a con-
tract to develop and demonstrate Global
Observer as a JCTD program. Six U.S.
government agencies have provided $140
million in funding for the program.
UAS Training Center
L-3 Link Simulation & Training, based
in Arlington, Texas, and the University
of North Dakota have signed agreements
to jointly establish an unmanned aircraft
systems (UAS) training center at Grand
Forks Air Force Base, N.D.
The UAS Training Center, expected to
begin operations in June, will offer MQ-1
Predator and MQ-9 Reaper training
opportunities to UND students pursuing
a bachelor’s degree in aeronautics with
a major in unmanned aircraft systems
operations. The training center also is
expected to provide UAS pilot and sen-
sors training to U.S. government agencies.
L-3 Link will supply the training cen-
ter’s high-fidelity simulator and logistics
support as well as sensor operator course
development and training.
The Predator and Reaper training
system integrates ground control station
hardware, simulation software and high-
fidelity, correlated databases in creating
a fully immersive training environment.
Unmanned aircraft and sensor perfor-
mance are modeled to support complex,
real-world mission scenarios.
Simulation scenarios including “a
robust urban environment” will be inte-
grated with visualizations of moving
vehicles and people, accurate terrain and
various weather conditions.
“L-3 Link is very proud to partner
with the University of North Dakota in
establishing the first non-military UAS
educational institution in the U.S. to pro-
vide Predator and Reaper aircrew train-
ing,” said L-3 Link President Leonard
Genna.
Relative Navigation
Northrop Grumman April 7 said its Rel-
ative Navigation system exceeded accu-
racy requirements during recent flight
tests for the U.S. Air Force Research
Laboratory Automated Aerial Refueling
(AAR) program.
The objectives of the AAR program
are to demonstrate critical technology to
enable refueling of unmanned aircraft
and develop tools to support airworthi-
ness certification for integration with the
existing Air Force tanker fleet.
The Relative Navigation software,
hosted in a Northrop Grumman LN-251
GPS/inertial navigation system (INS) was
tested in a Learjet surrogate aircraft oper-
www.avionicstoday.com
ating with a modified refueling tanker.
The test also used a modified Rockwell
Collins 24-channel GPS receiver with
enhanced tracking integrated with the
LN-251 chassis.
A series of eight flight tests demon-
strated the Relative Navigation software
“produces consistent and predictable real-
time accuracy performance across data
link drops and varying time delays, close
proximity and mid-range vehicle separa-
tions,” Northrop Grumman said.
The flight tests were conducted in
collaboration with the Air Force Flight
Test Center’s Test Operations Combined
Test Force, the 190th Air Refueling Wing
of the Kansas Air National Guard and
Calspan Corp.
Indra ‘Pelican’
Indra, of Spain, said its Pelican rotary-
wing unmanned aircraft system received
a Special Airworthiness Certificate
from the country’s State Aviation Safety
Agency to perform integration, test and
demonstration flights.
The certificate is the first awarded
in Spain for a rotary-wing UAS, and
“implies that the Pelican system complies
with quality and security standards simi-
lar to those of manned aircraft and that
the operation is fully safe under the flight
conditions defined” by the safety agency,
Indra said April 11.
  Indra said the UAS is expected to
enter service in 2012.
  Capable of carrying a variety of
payloads up to 50 kilograms, the Pelican
can fly more than six hours with electro-
optical payload and is equipped with a
gas or jet propellant 5 engine for naval
purposes. The Pelican system is based
on the APID60 platform, developed by
CybAero, of Linköping, Sweden.
CONTRACTS
➤ Rockwell Collins signed a mainte-
nance agreement with L-3 Communica-
tions to provide avionics support for the
U.S. Air Force MC-12W Project Liberty
aircraft, a modified Super King Air 350
used for intelligence, surveillance and
reconaissance. Rockwell Collins will
maintain 37 MC-12Ws equipped with its
Pro Line 21 integrated display system.
➤ AeroVironment in April received a
$14.8 million order under an existing con-
tract with the U.S. Army to supply digital
retrofit kits for the Raven UAS.
May 2011 Avionics Magazine 13
 people
Monte Belger
Metron Aviation, of Dulles, Va.,
appointed Monte Belger vice president
of Industry Relations. Belger most
recently served as vice president of
transportation system solutions for
Lockheed Martin.
Belger worked for more than 30 years
for the FAA, last serving as the agency’s
acting administrator. He previously held
the title of acting deputy administrator Monte Belger
from 1997 to 2002.
Belger also was associate administrator for Air Traffic
Services, responsible for day-to-day operations of the nation’s
airspace system, and supervised FAA’s modernization plan,
including all major development and acquisition programs.
Tonka Hufford
Aero Dynamix Inc., of Euless, Texas, a developer of helicopter
light modifications for night-vision goggle operations, named
Tonka Hufford operations manager for project development.
Hufford most recently was president of RSG Aviation.
He has a background in aircraft completions, manufacturing,
operations and marketing, with more than 20 years of aviation
experience. He has held a variety of management positions in
the industry, and served as vice president of operations for MD
Helicopters just prior to joining RSG Aviation.

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14 Avionics Magazine May 2011 www.avionicstoday.com
ATA Appointments
The Air Transport Association of America (ATA) named Ste-
ven Lott as vice president, Communications.
Lott joined the ATA from the International Air Transport
Association (IATA), where he served as head of communica-
tions for North America for the past four years. In that role, he
helped establish a presence in the United States and particularly
in Washington, D.C., for IATA, which represents 230 U.S. and
international airlines.
In this new role, Lott will help drive communications strat-
egy and work closely with the ATA government affairs and
policy teams to advocate for the airline industry in Washington
and around the world. He will report to Jean Medina, who was
named senior vice president of Communications in January.
ATA also named Christopher C. Brown vice president of
legislative and regulatory policy. Brown brings more than 15
years of experience in aviation policy and government affairs to
his new position, where he will focus on outreach to key stake-
holders to advance policy and legislative issues.
Brown joined ATA from Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, where
he was senior counsel of the Government and Regulatory
Affairs Practice Group and served as senior congressional
affairs advisor to the firm’s client, United Airlines.
Prior to joining the firm of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips,
Brown spent two years with the FAA, where he was assistant
administrator and deputy assistant administrator for Govern-
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Paul Jonas
Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation
Research hired Paul Jonas as director of Environmental Test
Labs and Special Programs. Jonas, formerly of Hawker Beech-
craft Corp., succeeds interim director John Laffen.
As director of the Environmental Test Labs, Jonas oversees
operations of the labs, which create simulated environments
for the research and testing of equipment and components for
aircraft, automotive, medical and other industries to determine
their susceptibility to temperature, altitude, humidity, shock,
vibration and environmental and electrical effects.
The labs can test for compliance with FAA technical stan-
dard orders using RTCA DO-160 certification and to military
standards and specifications.
Col. Michael Williamson
U.S. Army Col. Michael E. Williamson was named joint pro-
gram executive officer of the Joint Tactical Radio System
(JTRS) executive office based in San Diego. He succeeds Acting
JPEO Howard Pace, Jr.
The JTRS program is developing a family of interoperable,
modular, software-defined radios for handheld, ground mobile,
airborne and maritime applications.
As JPEO, Williamson will provide direction and guidance for
the development, acquisition, testing, product improvement and
fielding of JTRS capabilities.
Prior to assuming his new role, Williamson served as deputy
program manager, Program Executive Office, Integration. His
previous experience includes serving as the director of Systems
Integration within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of
the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology and as a
Future Combat System project manager.
Cedric Gautier
Cedric Gautier, president and CEO of EADS Group subsidiary
EADS Sogerma, was named program manager of the A400M
military transport, effective April 1. He succeeds Rafael Tentor,
who becomes head of Airbus Military aircraft programs.
Gautier will oversee the A400M through certification, deliv-
ery and entry into service with launch customers.
Airbus Military plans to produce 2.5 aircraft per month by
the end of 2015. The company in March said it had received
orders for 174 aircraft from eight customers.
John DiStasio
Crane Aerospace & Electronics, Beverly, Mass., announced the
appointment of John P. DiStasio as senior director of business
development for Microwave Solutions for the company’s Elec-
tronics Group. He will lead the business development team at
sites including Beverly, Chandler, Ariz., West Caldwell, N.J., and
San Jose, Costa Rica.
DiStasio joined Crane from Cobham-M/A-COM Inc., where
he was director of field sales. He holds a bachelor’s degree in
Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University.
Microwave Solutions provides RF and microwave products
for radar, electronic warfare, missiles and other systems.
www.avionicstoday.com May 2011 Avionics Magazine 15
 calendar
May
2-5 16th Annual International Symposium on Aviation Psychology, Wright
State University and Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio. Visit
www.wright.edu/isap.
10-12 Integrated Communications Navigation and Surveillance (ICNS)
Conference, Westin Washington Dulles Airport, Dulles, Va. Visit http://i-cns.org.
17-19 European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE),
Geneva PALEXPO and Geneva International Airport, Geneva, Switzerland.
Visit www.ebace.aero.
17-19 Air Traffic Control Association/FAA/NASA Technical Symposium,
Resorts Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, N.J. For information, contact ATCA at
703-299-2430 or visit www.atca.org/techsymposium.
June
15-16 RTCA 2011 Annual Symposium: Accelerating NextGen Through
Public-Private Partnership, Walter E. Washington Convention Center,
Washington, D.C. Visit www.aviationtoday.com/rtca.
20-26 Paris Air Show, Le Bourget, Paris. Visit www.paris-air-show.com.
July
20-23 Airborne Law Enforcement Association (ALEA) Annual Conference
and Exhibition, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans. Contact
ALEA, phone 301-631-2406 or visit www.alea.org.
August
16-19 Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International
Unmanned Systems North America, Walter E. Washington Convention
Center, Washington, D.C. Visit www.auvsi.org.
16-21 MAKS 2011 International Aviation & Space Salon, Zhukovsky,
Moscow Region, Russia. Visit www.aviasalon.com.
September
11-15 Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) Conference &
Exhibition, Washington State Convention Center, Seattle. Visit http://apex.aero.
12-15 Autotestcon 2011, Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore.
Visit http://autotestcon.com.
October
3-5 Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) Annual Conference &
Exposition, Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, National Harbor,
Md. Contact ATCA, phone 703-299-2430 or visit www.atca.org.
10-12 National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Annual Meeting &
Convention, Las Vegas. Contact NBAA, phone 202-783-9000 or visit
www.nbaa.com.
10-12 Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting & Exposition,
Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C. Contact AUSA,
phone 703-841-4300 or visit www.ausa.org.
16-20 Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC), Renaissance Seattle
Hotel, Seattle. Visit dasconline.org.
November
13-17 Dubai Airshow, Airport Expo, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. For
information, phone +44 (0) 20 8846 2700 or visit dubaiairshow.aero.

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 EBACE2011
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MAY 17, 18, 19, 2011 | GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

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Graphic courtesy SESAR JU

European Iris program, depicted above, by 2020 will support air-traffic management through air-ground datalink communications.

Wheels Up
For SESAR
With 29 validation projects planned this year, the Single European Sky
ATM Research (SESAR) program strives for timely, tangible results

This progress is a result of Europe’s of Europe’s most ambitious research

By George Marsh Single European Sky ATM Research and development programs, is yielding

I
n Europe, the future shape of air-
traffic management (ATM) is becom-
ing visible today. All over the extended
continent, aircraft operators are seeing
temporal, financial and environmental
benefits from trials of controlled descent
approaches, 4D trajectories, datalink
communications, precision navigation,
enhanced surveillance and other new pro-
cedures and technologies.
(SESAR) program and shows that, to
coin a phrase, SESAR is now airborne
and climbing. After a four-year Defini-
tion phase during which a Master Plan
was created, the program’s Development
phase commenced in 2009 and is well
under way.
Officials of the SESAR Joint Under-
taking (SJU), the public/private part-
nership that is managing this second of
three phases, are clear that SESAR, one
tangible results. A basketful of benefits
will, they say, become available to aviation
stakeholders from now on and particu-
larly during the program’s third and final
phase, Implementation, which will suc-
ceed the Development phase from 2016.
The Development phase is the techno-
logical and operational pillar of SESAR,
intended to carry out all further R&D
activity required to field an ATM system
worthy of the 21st century. A collabora-

18 Avionics Magazine May 2011 www.avionicstoday.com

tive partnership was formed to lead it in
order to achieve maximum “buy-in” from
stakeholders, including the various Air
Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs),
aircraft operators, aircraft manufactur-
ers, the military, government agencies and
supplier companies.
The SJU is coordinating nearly 300
projects within 16 work packages that
form the overall R&D commitment.
According to Peter Hotham, SJU chief of
Technology and Innovation, 85 percent of
the work has been allocated to organiza-
tions best equipped to carry it out. As a
result, some 2,050 experts were working
on the program at this writing, a num-
ber expected to rise. Of 110 companies
involved, several are based in the United
States, including Boeing, Lockheed Mar-
tin, Honeywell, ACSS and Rockwell Col-
lins. The entire R&D effort is being under-
taken in close collaboration with FAA to
ensure interoperability with the equivalent
NextGen program in the United States.
Much of the present SESAR phase is
concerned with validating a new concept
of operations (ConOps) that will under-
pin European ATM transformation. This
concept, formulated as part of the earlier
Definition phase, requires progress in
three key areas:
1. A move to time-based operations,
largely realizable with current technology,
along with better communication between
ground and airborne equipment.
2. Introduction of trajectory-based
operations based on aircraft trajectories in
four dimensions (three spatial plus time).
These would extend gate to gate.
3. Implementation of an “intranet of
the air,” an over-arching communications
layer enabling all parties in the air and
on the ground to share ATM data. This
System Wide Information Management
(SWIM) system will enable wide situ-
ational awareness.
Michael Standar, SJU chief of Air
Traffic Management, says a combination
of these approaches will bring early bene-
fits to air transport. He notes in particular
that delivery of the 4D trajectory and the
ability of all aviation stakeholders to share
relevant information are crucial.
Patrick Ky, SJU executive director,
emphasizes the importance of early ben-
efits, pointing out that there is “low hang-
ing fruit” that can be harvested, much of
it through the use of existing equipment.
Early achievements will, Ky argues, sharp-
en stakeholders’ desire for further ATM
improvements and hence their willing-
ness to make the necessary investments in
equipment, operations and training.
“SESAR has been, is and always will
be about delivering results that can be
implemented easily,” Ky stated.
“By the end of 2011 we will have the
first program deliverables validated in an
operational environment, with benefits for
airlines, controllers, passengers and the
environment.”
Release 2011
This first set of deliverables, dubbed
SESAR Release 2011 and previewed at
the ATC Global conference in Amster-
dam in March, will provide early value for
stakeholders. Through simulations, pro-
totyping and shadow mode or live flight
trials, SESAR participants will perform
29 validation exercises across Europe. A
number have already taken place.
One notable achievement, for instance,
concerns an airborne safety net feature
that Airbus has developed but required
both validation and a justifying busi-
ness case. Essentially, the new capability
is the automation of avoidance actions
following TCAS resolution advisories
whereby the avoidance maneuver is flown
automatically rather than by the pilot.
This addresses those situations in which
pilots have ignored advisories because
they thought they conflicted with ATC
instructions or for other reasons, or have
reacted too late. A team led by French air
navigation services provider DSNA and
including experts from Airbus, consul-
tancy Egis Avia, Eurocontrol and NATS
in the United Kingdom has conducted the
validation and is working on business case
development.
Another deliverable will be a fully
validated “remote tower” concept under
which small local airports can be moni-
tored remotely and their traffic controlled
from a single, larger air-traffic control cen-
ter, avoiding the need to provide and man
a control facility at each airport. SESAR
member NORACON, a consortium of
eight ANSPs, performs ATC services
at Angelholm Airport, Sweden, from a
remote site with a remote tower prototype.
This is being used to demonstrate the
practicality of the Distant Aerodrome
Control Service.
NATS is carrying out new approach
procedures at Southampton Airport,
U.K., using satellite technology. The aim
is to reduce the number of disruptions due
to poor weather, to make approach opera-
tions more cost effective and to enhance
safety overall.
Yet another task for Release 2011 is the
www.avionicstoday.com
verification of Controlled Time of Arrival
procedures in support of initial 4D capa-
bilities. Prototype datalink and other
equipment will allow air-traffic controllers
and pilots to share the same information.
Eurocontrol, LFV of Sweden and Airbus
are using flight trials to validate the pro-
cedures.
Commenting on achievements planned
for this year, SJU’s Hotham says, “The
scope of these validation activities covers
the provision of test tools and equip-
ment prototypes so that we get as close
to the market with these developments as
possible. Release 2011 will undoubtedly
provide a valuable set of capabilities, some
of which will be fully industrialized and
ready to deploy.”
By 2012, about halfway through the
Development phase, the SJU intends to
have met a number of concrete targets,
including the performance of 10,000
flights, 500 of them military; the establish-
ment of SWIM on a pilot basis; initial
4D trajectory verification; testing of 80
percent of SESAR projects in a real-life
environment; and operation of the first
remote control towers.
Data exchange will continue to be
developed to improve coordination
between flight profiles and movements of
aircraft on the ground. Activities at air-
ports will contribute to improved surface
management and runway utilization. In
terminal airspaces, there will be a focus on
advanced Continuous Descent Approach-
es and Continuous Climb Departures,
aimed at further ATM efficiency increases
and reduced environmental impact. Such
actions will demonstrate that SESAR
is no “pie in the sky” concept and that
Europe is on the way to converting its
ATM vision into reality.
One good omen for stakeholder
acceptance of the ATM revolution now
under way is the widespread interest being
shown in trials currently in progress under
the Atlantic Interoperability Initiative to
Reduce Emissions (AIRE). This series of
flight trials and demonstrations, aimed
at reducing CO2 emissions for surface,
terminal and oceanic flight operations,
is managed by the SJU for Europe in
collaboration with FAA for the United
States. In 2009 some 1,150 “green” flights
were undertaken, and so promising were
the results that the program recently has
been expanded. In particular, the SJU has
selected 18 projects involving 40 airline,
airport, ANSP and industry partners.
These partners will collaborate on
operations between city pairs as well
May 2011 Avionics Magazine 19

Photo courtesy SESAR JU
Patrick Ky, SESAR JU executive director, emphasizes importance of early benefits.
as transatlantic and, to this end, new
partners have come on board from such
additional locations as Austria, Belgium,
the Czech Republic, Germany, Canada,
Morocco, the Netherlands, the U.K. and
Switzerland.
Ky emphasizes the benefits of the
highly collaborative approach being
taken. “AIRE 2 will demonstrate that
green flight operations can be applied
everywhere immediately when partners
agree to work together with a common
goal,” he said. “This is not the future, this
is SESAR’s reality.”
Several transatlantic green flights are
to be operated by the Airbus A380 super-
jumbo. Seven projects involve integrated
gate-to-gate operations, a number of these
being supported by FAA and NAV Cana-
da as well as European partners.
Some validation projects are being
conducted in Europe’s most congested
airspaces and at the busiest airports.
For example, improvements in terminal
operations are the focus of trials involving
Lufthansa and Germanwings arrivals at
Dusseldorf and Cologne, an area of par-
ticularly dense traffic. Certain projects will
focus on vertical and speed optimization,
while partners who have already partici-
pated during the last couple of years will
expand on results achieved by bringing
green procedures into routine use. AIRE
is also building the first blocks of the
SESAR ConOps by testing 4D trajectory-
based operations and SESAR’s concept of
performance-based navigation.
Four enroute/oceanic projects cover
20 Avionics Magazine May 2011 www.avionicstoday.com
five new locations (Portugal, Canada,
Morocco, the U.K. and U.S.) and aim,
inter alia, to offer shortened flight paths
for heavy long-range aircraft crossing the
flight information regions of Lisbon and
Casablanca. A “Greener airports opera-
tions under adverse conditions” project
taking place in France is studying situa-
tions caused by bad weather or other fac-
tors constraining runway use.
Airport Capacity
Clearly, improving airspace capacity is
of little use if airport capacity remains a
choke point. That is why, in 2009, opera-
tors of six of Europe’s most capacity-
constrained airports came together in a
consortium to develop procedures aimed
at expanding airport capacity while also
reducing emissions and noise.
The six participants in the SESAR
European Airports Consortium (SEAC)
— Aeroports de Paris, Schiphol Ned-
erland BV, BAA Ltd. (UK), Flughafen
Munchen GmbH (Germany), Flughafen
Zurich AG and Fraport AG (Switzer-
land) — also provide representation
for Europe’s many smaller airports (the
continent has some 1,500 airports) via a
dialogue with Europe’s Airports Council
International and through the consor-
tium’s own membership in the SJU. Addi-
tionally, there is close collaboration with
the NORACON consortium (Norway
and Sweden) and with AENA in Spain.
SEAC is devising procedural improve-
ments within SESAR Work Package 6,
Airport Operations, and considering how
to improve airport infrastructures. In
terms of the latter, all players realize that
simply adding new runways, even where
this is not ruled out on grounds of finance
or public objections, is not the whole
answer and recognize that facilitating traf-
fic movements on the airport surface will
be an important contributor. SEAC is also
working to integrate new airport proce-
dures with AIRE gate-to-gate initiatives.
Enabling airports to collaborate
more closely with each other will require
improved communications between them.
A broadband system, which will integrate
with the SWIM intranet, will be based on
L-band line-of-sight terrestrial communi-
cations and on satellite communications.
Whether the latter is via a dedicated or
commercial satellite constellation has yet
to be decided.
As an example of the industrial
involvement that is central to SESAR, a
team led by Spain’s Indra is developing a
microwave-based airport surface datalink,
a prototype of which is expected to be
ready by the end of this year (Work Pack-
age 15.2.7).
Improved communications and shared
traffic awareness will enable airports to
operate more collaboratively and engage
in Airport Collaborative Decision Mak-
ing (A-CDM). Over the last two years,
the A-CDM program has made great
progress, with more than 20 airports so
far actively implementing it. By the end of
this year, 10 of those airports are expected
to have completed the implementation.
Further roll-out of the program will con-
tinue with ACI Europe, Eurocontrol and
the Civil Air Navigation Services Organi-
zation (CANSO) all actively encouraging
new participants.
As Eurocontrol Director Gen-
eral David McMillan has commented,
“A-CDM is a fine illustration of the way
performance improvements can often be
achieved without major capital expen-
diture. But it depends on partnership
— working together — and is based on
an integrated approach with information
being shared across different players. It
emphasizes the network nature of ATM
where an apparently local decision can
have implications right across Europe.
And of course it is focused on airports,
which are right at the heart of the need to
increase capacity.”
Eurocontrol, the pan-European air
traffic control authority which led the
SESAR Definition phase, may, with the
present phase, have ceded SESAR leader-
ship to the SJU, but it remains pivotal,
not least as a key member of the SJU. It
is actively leading a number of the work
packages while also participating in oth-
ers. One area of focus, for instance, is
information management (WP 8) and
information architecture (WP 14).
Accordingly, Eurocontrol is involved
in designing SWIM and other informa-
tion sharing technologies such as the Pan-
European Network Service (PENS). It is
helping to refine target concept elements
through work packages for En-Route,
Approach and Terminal operations, (WPs
4,5 and 10); airport ATC (WPs 6 and 12);
and network information management
(WP 13). It leads R&D transversal activi-
ties (such aspects as safety, security and
environment, WP 16) and Master Plan
Maintenance (WP C) as the plan evolves
in line with SESAR progress.
Eurocontrol is actively involved with
new communications, navigation and
surveillance (CNS) technologies, both on
the aircraft and in terms of non-avionic
systems. Its purview includes 4D trajec-
tory management functions, aircraft sepa-
ration assurance, approach functionalities
and surface movement operations. WP 9
activities embrace aircraft systems sup-
porting initial 4D trajectory operations —
air traffic situational awareness (ATSAW),
airborne separation assistance system
(ASAS), sequencing and merging — and
eventual full 4D with self-separation and
free routing. It is contributing to develop-
ment of the future GNSS-based naviga-
tion infrastructure and enhancement of
ground surveillance systems in support
of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-
Broadcast (ADS-B).
Crucial to all these activities and
central to the SESAR philosophy is the
conviction that evolution must be led by
performance requirements rather than,
as seems to have happened in the past,
by technology. Part of the function of
SESAR is to select technologies that best
meet carefully researched and formulated
performance requirements.
A small team based at the Eurocon-
trol Experimental Center in Bretigny,
France, is managing long-term, innovative
research under WP E. Supported by the
SESAR Scientific Committee, it marshals
research networks of academic and indus-
trial players to explore new ideas for the
long term and potentially useful innova-
tions that might be of benefit in the short
term. Forward-looking project themes
range from higher levels of ATM automa-
tion to mastering complex systems safely.
A noteworthy member of the Scien-
tific Committee that supports the team
is Frank de Winne, a European Space
Agency astronaut who was the first Euro-
pean to have a spell in command of the
International Space Station. He supports
the SJU in defining research themes and
is particularly interested in finding simple
solutions for complex situations.
On schedule?
Will the 2016 target date for comple-
tion of the SESAR Development phase
be met? Our soundings suggest that,
although there have been delays in the
program and the air transport recession
has reduced its apparent urgency, the date
could still be met — just.
Paul Ravenhill, technical director at
Helios, an ATM consultancy in the U.K.,
argues that now all research activities are
being well coordinated, there is strong
and focused momentum so that results
will come faster than hitherto.
Ravenhill points out the need for ATM
improvement is still urgent, commenting,
“SESAR was designed when air transport
was booming. Currently, we are in a down
cycle, but in a few years the industry may
be on the up again and ATM limitations
will once again threaten to constrain
growth. I know it’s hard for an industry
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www.aviationtoday.com/av
17807
board at the moment, but we need to environment. Airbus recently formed system is costing airlines $4.2 billion and
invest for the future.” a subsidiary, ProSky, to develop ATM that flying indirect routings creates 16 mil-
Ravenhill concedes that marshalling equipment and help move the SESAR lion tonnes of avoidable CO2 emissions.
the funding needed to secure full ATM project forward. Perhaps the recent achievements of
transformation in the next, Implemen- European officials also desire faster SESAR, culminating in the present-year
tation, phase will be a big challenge if progress. EU Transport Commissioner release of validation projects, with anoth-
present economic conditions persist. To Siim Kallas, for one, wants a higher pri- er to follow in 2012, will help convince
overcome this, innovative financing mod- ority accorded to the Single European skeptics that real progress is being made,
els may be needed. An example is the pro- Sky. Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus, secretary that SESAR is already delivering, and that
posal recently made by an ITT-led team general of the Association of European given continued stakeholder commitment
in the United States, for helping aircraft Airlines, agreed when he told a high-level there is much more to come.
operators equip for NextGen. The general meeting that the present inefficient ATM
idea is that aircraft operators might be
enabled to lease the necessary avionics
initially, gaining full ownership through
stage payments made as the FAA meets
specified milestones for ATM improve-
ment. Similar creative ideas are being dis-
cussed for Europe also.
Along with his role at Helios, whose
consultancy services contribute to
SESAR, Ravenhill leads the secretariat of
the Industry Consultation Body (ICB),
a forum through which industry players
provide advice to the European Commis-
sion on the legal framework for SESAR.
“The ICB continues to do a sterling
job,” he said. “Over the last couple of PIC WIRE & CABLE IS CELEBRATING 40 YEARS
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for future performance-based ATM.”
This makes the point that, in a large
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but it is inescapable that SESAR can-
not fully deliver on its promise without
major investment in avionics. Airbus, for
instance, does not see the full benefits
being delivered until around 2025 when a
new generation of “smart” aircraft will be
replacing today’s wide and narrow bodies,
and ground facilities should have evolved
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www.avionicstoday.com May 2011 Avionics Magazine 23

Photo courtesy U.S. Army
military

A Quick Reaction Capability 1 Grey Eagle with Lynx 30 radar taxis before surveillance mission at Camp Taji north of Baghdad, Iraq

STARLite Vision
Small Tactical Radar-Lightweight (STARLite) gives warfighters high-

resolution imagery from unmanned aircraft systems and aerostats

By Frank Colucci

M
iniaturized Active
Electronically-Scanned
Array (AESA) radar gives
the U.S. Army a wide-
area, near-all-weather
surveillance sensor for the Grey Eagle
Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) and
the tethered aerostat Persistent Threat
Detection System (PTDS).
The Northrop Grumman STARLite
was to deploy to Afghanistan aboard the
PTDS in the first quarter of this year
and will go to war on the Hellfire-armed
Grey Eagle UAS in early 2012. Both
platforms will downlink high-resolution
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery
and Ground Moving Target Indication
(GMTI) data to United States joint-
service and allied military forces.
“This is an interoperable radar,”
explained Phil Owen, lead engineer for
UAS payloads at the Army Aviation
and Missile Command (AMCOM)
at Redstone Arsenal, Ala. “It is using
exclusively Open NATO standards. Any
other exploiter out in the field can utilize
this data without special software. That
makes a huge difference in exploitation.”
The Ku-band radar works in strip
mode to image a large area along a pro-
grammed path or in spot mode to take a
close look at specific targets. Actual per-
formance numbers for the new sensor are
undisclosed, but the Army credits STAR-
Lite with greater than 40 kilometer range
and better than 0.3 meter resolution.
In addition, a GMTI mode is required
to track vehicles moving from about 10 to
70 km/h on a digital map. A Dismounted
Moving Target Indicator (DMTI) intro-
duced on the PTDS uncovers enemies on
foot, and DMTI software will become
part of the baseline radar on the Grey
Eagle as well.
Every production Grey Eagle will
carry the Northrop Grumman AN/
ZPY-1 radar and Raytheon AN/AAS-53
Common Sensor Payload. (Avionics,
August 2008, page 24.) The radar covers
a wide area and cues the electro-optical
sensor to identify or laser-designate tar-
gets with two clicks at the operator’s sta-
tion. “It’s a very Open Architecture-type
of system, very warfighter-friendly,” said
Joe Parsley, UAS and rotary wing systems
senior manager at Northrop Grumman
Electronic Systems (NGES). “Without
STARLite, you could be searching all
day, if you had good weather.”

24 Avionics Magazine May 2011 www.avionicstoday.com

 Courtesy Northrop Grumman

The Ku-band STARLIte radar Strip mode paints a large area along a programmed path.
Company Effort
The 63-pound STARLite came from a
company-funded effort at NGES. The
Baltimore radar house had previously de-
veloped the 165-pound AN/ZPQ-1 Tacti-
cal Endurance Synthetic Aperture Radar
(TESAR). The single-channel TESAR
with electronically scanned receiver array
was the first UAS sensor with SAR and
GMTI functionality and deployed to
Bosnia in 1995 on the Air Force RQ-1A
Predator. STARLite has two channels to
provide greater GMTI accuracy, and it
benefits from later commercial-off-the-
shelf electronics.
“Certainly, it’s much lighter weight
and lower power, which allows it to be
Courtesy Northrop Grumman

used on a wide array of platforms,” noted

system engineering lead Mike Mazzoni,
with the Army Program Manager, Robot-
ics and Unmanned Sensors (PM RUS) at
Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.
PM RUS, under the Program Execu-
tive Officer, Intelligence, Electronic
Warfare and Sensors (PEO IEW&S), is
the Army sponsor for STARLite and the
General Atomics Lynx II Block 30 multi-
mode radar now in Quick Reaction Capa-
bility (QRC) units in Afghanistan and
Iraq. The QRC radar weighs about 80
pounds and was developed under a 2004
System Development and Demonstration
contract to equip the Extended Range
Multi-Purpose (ERMP) UAS, later Sky
Warrior and now Grey Eagle.
Northrop Grumman targeted the
Army market and began STARLite devel-
opment around 2005. The company won
a best-value competition in April 2008
and delivered the first two production sets
in February 2010. The new radar had no
commonality with TESAR, but leverag-
ing AESA production processes and
facilities enabled Northrop Grumman to
evolve a low-risk solution through several
test versions.
“The production system is a lot
The STARLite Spot mode generates high-resolution imagery of specific targets.
smaller,” said Parsley. “We took the obso-
lescence issues and addressed those. Tech-
nology enabled us to downsize.”
The current STARLite fills just 1.1
cubic feet with four line replaceable units
(LRUs) — radar electronics, antenna
assembly, INS/GPS and power supply —
and draws only 600 watts. Built-In Test
routines isolate faults down to the LRU
and make STARLite compatible with a
two-level field-and-depot maintenance
scheme.
Responsive AESA radars with arrays
of individual transmitter/receiver mod-
ules provide innovative search-and-track
functions and enhanced reliability by
eliminating mechanical sweep. However,
like TESAR, STARLite uses a single
array of modules electronically scanned
only in elevation. Azimuth still depends
on a mechanical gimbal for a 360-degree
field of regard. “If we did not have the
gimbal, we’d had to have multiple faces
on the array for more weight, complexity
and cost,” noted Parsley.
The STARLite contract awarded
in 2008 bought more than 70 radars.
Northrop Grumman at this writing had
delivered more than 30 systems, including
seven to General Atomics Aeronautical
Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) for integra-
tion on the MQ-1C. The GA-ASI radar
already on the Grey Eagle has an inertial
measurement unit and GPS receiver and
can take inputs from the aircraft naviga-
tion system via Mil-Std-1553 databus,
Ethernet or RS422 bus. The Grey Eagle
architecture also has an on-board Ether-
net connected to the data link and treats
the radar as a node on the network.
STARLite has a Northrop Grum-
man LN-251 digital INS/GPS navigator

www.avionicstoday.com May 2011 Avionics Magazine 25

 Photo courtesy Lockheed Martin

The Persistent Threat Detection System is a tethered aerostat and sensor integration architecture used to disseminate threat data
to operational forces. With STARLite radar and Dismounted Target Indication, it will help counter insurgents planting IEDs.

to integrate with air vehicle systems. It
requires no Tactical Common Data Link
changes and needs no more bandwidth
allocation than the current radar. PM
RUS and Northrop Grumman also made
a special effort to make the new radar
readily compatible with the Army One
System Ground Control Station and
other exploitation equipment. “I consider mission payloads integrated with the
us kind of ground-station agnostic,” said
Parsley. “It doesn’t matter; as long as
there’s a Windows-based system, we can
roll right into that system.”
The Army and contractor worked to
optimize the STARLite operator inter-
face. “We actually had the users involved
with development of the ground
control application,” said STARLite
Lead Engineer Joe Deroba, with
the Communications-Electronics
Research, Development and Engi-
neering Center (CERDEC) at
Courtesy Northrop Grumman
“An engineer who’s used to lat-long might Grey Eagle SAR uses aircraft motion to
not realize it.”
The Army plans to field 13 Grey
Eagle-equipped companies, each with
12 aircraft, mobile and portable ground
control stations, and ground data termi-
nals. The service already has 37 mobile,
relocatable PTDS aerostats with multi-
Army command information architecture undergoing product improvements.
by Lockheed Martin Mission Systems &
Sensors (MS2) in Owego, N.Y. Not all
PTDS aerostats will have STARLite.
The two platforms emphasize dif-
ferent radar modes. At altitudes greater
than 25,000 feet and speeds to 150 knots,
image large areas. The PTDS is fixed by
a 5,000-foot fiberoptic tether and uses
GMTI and DMTI to combat insurgents
placing improvised explosive devices.
“We’re all about GMTI right now,”
noted Phil Owen at AMCOM.
The baseline radar integrated into
the PTDS and Grey Eagle is meanwhile
“We are in the process of qualifying the
extended range antenna,” said Northrop
Grumman’s Parsley. “It would almost
double the range in some cases.”
Northrop Grumman is independently
testing a littoral maritime capability for
STARLite on the company’s Twin
Otter, based in the Baltimore area.
Though the Army cancelled its
XM-157 Fire Scout unmanned
helicopter program, the Navy has
deployed the ship-launched MQ-8B

Aberdeen Proving Ground. “They Fire Scout to Central Command

were able to comment on the design and may need a lightweight radar.
and ease-of-use.” There is no requirement to inte-
Feedback from users, for exam- grate the STARLite radar on the
ple, ultimately enabled operators to RQ-7B Shadow brigade-level UAS,
input targets in military grid coor- but Northrop Grumman expects
dinates as well as latitude and lon- to fly an AN/ZPY-1(V)2 radar in
gitude. “Simple things like that are STARLite radar occupies 1.1 cubic feet and weighs June with a weight of just 45 to
important to operators,” said Deroba. 63 pounds, compatible with a range of platforms 50 pounds. The lighter STARLite

26 Avionics Magazine May 2011 www.avionicstoday.com

 General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
MQ-1C Grey Eagle is the Army’s division-
level UAS, and in full production will
be equipped with Northrop Grumman
STARLite radar, Raytheon Common
Sensor Payload and Lockheed Martin
Hellfire missiles. Other payloads can ride
in the third bay or on underwing pods.

trades a standalone power supply for a

card in the electronics LRU and switches
to a lighter IMU. It nevertheless promises
range equal to the baseline system today.
“There is not a specific program that
has identified it,” said Parsley. “We’re
getting a lot of interest from the smaller
Photo courtesy General Atomics Aeronautical Systems

UAVs and other platforms of interest

because of its smaller size and weight.”
CERDEC at Aberdeen Proving
Ground now has a STARLite Systems
Integration Laboratory to augment the
current radar modes and introduce new
ones. Phil Owen at AMCOM acknowl-
edged, “We’re looking at options to get
a little bit of ground penetration with
it. Another thing we’re looking at is to
expand the GMTI capabilities to cover a
larger area.”

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 product focus
Photo courtesy Honeywell

Honeywell ‘SmartView’ Synthetic Vision System, offered on Gulfstream and Dassault jets, on approach to Scottsdale, Ariz., Airport.

Synthetic Vision
Suppliers of synthetic vision systems, valued by pilots for both safety and
situational awareness, strive for operational credits for the technology

By Ed McKenna bigger returns, seeing a place for SVS in ing a mental picture of what is happen-

T
he key argument for synthetic
vision systems (SVS) has always
been safety. The technology,
which delivers real-time, color
3-D imagery of the terrain out-
side the aircraft to the pilot, is broadly
praised for boosting pilot situational
awareness, driving SVS sales for corpo-
rate and general aviation aircraft and
helicopters.
Some vendors now are eyeing even
the cockpits of at least some air-transport
category aircraft.
There is little argument about whether
SVS can boost pilot performance, espe-
cially during IFR approaches. Regardless
of the weather or time of day, pilots can
use SVS to see surrounding terrain and
airports up to 40 miles away.
A big part of the pilot’s job is gather-
ing data “from the airspeed indicator,
altimeter, course deviation indicator,
maps, charts, ground speed … and build-
ing,” said Ben Kowalski, director of
aviation OEM Sales with Garmin Inter-
national. “Synthetic vision builds that
mental picture,” and saves the pilot “an
enormous amount of mental legwork,”
he said.
Gordon Pratt, vice president of busi-
ness development with Cobham Avion-
ics, agreed. SVS technology reduces the
pilot’s workload and headaches by “mak-
ing every flight like VFR,” he said.
This capability alone is boosting sales,

28 Avionics Magazine May 2011 www.avionicstoday.com

 especially to corporate and general avia-
tion aircraft manufacturers for new or
soon-to-be introduced platforms, and
catalyzing competition among providers
including Cobham, Honeywell, Rockwell
Collins, Universal Avionics, Avidyne
Corp., and Garmin.
For example, Rockwell Collins SVS
systems will be part of Bombardier’s
Global Vision cockpit for the Global

Photo courtesy Rockwell Collins

5000 and Global Express XRS aircraft as
part of the company’s Pro Line Fusion
avionics suite. Those aircraft will be certi-
fied this year with “synthetic capability
on the head-down displays and synthetic
and enhanced vision on the head-up dis-
plays,” said Bob Ellis, Rockwell Collins
director of product and systems market-
ing for commercial systems.
Honeywell’s SmartView SVS already
is available as an upgrade for Primus
Epic-equipped Gulfstream jets and is
installed on more than 170 aircraft. “We
are certifying on four or five other types
of aircraft, and developing (a version) for
helicopter and transport and regional air-
craft,” said Chad Cundiff, Honeywell vice
president of Crew Interface Products.
Garmin is providing its Synthetic
Vision Technology capability with the
G1000 avionics suite for Embraer Phe-
nom 100s and 300s and Cessna Citation
Mustangs, said Kowalski.
However, “there is interest, but less
pull right now from the retrofit corporate
jet market,” said Matt Carrico, senior
engineering manager of advanced con-
cepts for commercial systems with Rock-
well Collins. The resistance is partly due
Photo courtesy Cobham Avionics
Runway shows on Rockwell Collins Head-Up Guidance System with synthetic vision
to the fact that operators can “get situa-
tion awareness, but not operation aware-
ness credit for synthetic vision.”
The question of operational credit is
not only holding up retrofit sales but also
the potential for using SVS technology on
air transport aircraft.
A lot of airlines are “interested in the
technology, but in the airline world today,
it has got to buy its way on” (the aircraft),
said Cundiff.
Gaining the go-ahead to reduce deci-
sion height for some ILS approaches
can translate into tangible returns for
operators by eliminating weather delays
or flight cancellations. “We have some
data that shows, for instance, that at most
airports in the U.S. there are about 150
to 200 hours a year when weather is too
low for landing. If we could lower the
decision height by even 50 feet, (those air-
ports) would be able to stay open,” Cun-
diff said. “This doesn’t apply to airports
that are CAT III autoland, but it does
apply at Chicago Midway and San Diego
(International Airport) and a lot of the
regional airports.”
For now, the question of operational
credit is being considered by RTCA Spe-
cial Committee 213, jointly with Eurocae
WG-79, which has been tasked by FAA
with developing minimum aviation sys-
tem performance standards (MASPS)
for synthetic vision and the range of
Enhanced Flight Vision Systems (EFVS),
Enhanced Vision Systems (EVS) and
Combined Vision Systems (CVS).
The issues specifically related to the

Cobham Avionics IDU-680 large-format display in triple configuration with synthetic vision primary flight display, HITS navigation

www.avionicstoday.com May 2011 Avionics Magazine 29

SVS case are being addressed in a draft
document, RTCA DO-315B. At this
point “the system referred to in (that
document) is proposed to be used on an
SA (straight-in approach) CAT I ILS
approach,” said FAA. Beyond that, the
specific features and architecture remain
“hypothetical” since “actual SVS designs
being developed to achieve instrument
approach credit are unique in many pro-
prietary ways.”
Despite these differences, FAA
stressed that it is still “useful to describe
one concept and system architecture as a
basis for minimum standards, from which
the actual systems being developed may
vary and show equivalence.” The agency
also said it “has not established a sched-
ule for implementing operational credit
for SVS.”
In its initial work, “FAA at least hint-
ed that they would be receptive to looking
at providing credit down to (a decision
height of) 150 feet for a suitable system,”
said Carrico. The current minimum is 200
feet for a CAT I ILS approach.
In the meantime, SVS vendors are
developing systems to bolster their cur-
rent positions and prepare themselves for
a future market.
Rockwell Collins believes its decision
to put SVS on the head-up display might
give it a leg up in the battle for approval
for operational credit. “We believe with
HUD, we can get credit to go below 150
feet,” said Carrico.
“There is significant advantage in
having a natural transition from IMC
(instrument meteorological conditions),
where you see a synthetic representa-
tion of world, to the conformal visual
representation as you come through the
obscuration layer,” said Ellis. Studies
done years ago with NASA showed “that
the transition phase, if it is mechanized in
30 Avionics Magazine May 2011 www.avionicstoday.com
a wholly heads-up environment, is a much N.H., and using it to land.
more natural way to fly.” “With our initial systems, we are
The Rockwell Collins SVS system allowing the pilot to choose a synthetic or
includes other features “that the pilots enhanced vision scene or nothing,” said
really like,” said Ellis. For example, “we Rockwell Collins’ Carrico. “They may
draw a dome feature over the intended choose to stick with the EVS scene; if not
landing airport that is visible when you they can switch to SVS (and use it) as low
are 20 to 30 miles away,” he said. “As you as the certification approvals will allow.”
get closer to it, the dome starts to fade FAA contends that “each of these
out, and you see the runway outline.” components are potential sources of error
Like the other vendors, Honeywell and failure modes.” However, “the use
deploys its SmartView SVS head-down of enhanced vision to augment the SVS
on the primary flight display. “With HD presentation offers the benefit of an inde-
displays, we’ve got a deep color palette pendent ‘picture’ of the forward view of
(with) texturing and shading,” said Cun- the runway that can serve to validate the
diff. “We can display a lot of information correctness of the SVS picture.”
including HUD symbology. But when the On a more practical level, the key
pilots go out the window, we want them to Garmin’s approach to the market is
to be flying the aircraft with reference to scalability, said Kowalski. The company
what they are seeing out the window, so offers systems that can be used on a
on a HUD you give them (just) the flight variety of platforms from light sport and
path marker, acceleration chevron, and turbine aircraft through the Phenom 300
speed and altitude tapes.” business jet. Depending on the platform,
At the heart of SmartView is Hon- the systems could have different sized
eywell’s Enhanced Ground Proximity screens, fewer features and different price
Warning System (EGPWS), which has points, he said.
chalked up more 800 million flight hours Garmin sells its G1000, G3000 and
since it was introduced 15 years ago to G5000 avionics suites to OEMs who pur-
combat controlled flight into terrain and sue their own approaches when it comes
approach accidents. “We know of 50 to synthetic vision. “A lot of them, like
accidents that have been ‘saved’” by the Embraer and Cessna, sell it as an option
EGPWS system, Cundiff said. on their aircraft,” said Kowalski. For
In the quest for operational credit other manufacturers, like Cirrus Aircraft,
or competitive advantage, vendors are it is a standard safety feature.
exploring the use of SVS and EVS in tan- The SVT capability comes pre-
dem, incorporating infrared images of the installed on Garmin’s G600 avionics
external situation. Honeywell and Gulf- retrofit package, and is available as an
stream have been awarded a $1.2 million add-on for the G500. And Garmin is now
contract from NASA to test Synthetic offering a helicopter version of its retrofit
and Enhanced Vision Systems for the suite.
NextGen flight environment. The tests Garmin will not be alone in the heli-
will investigate using Honeywell’s SVS as copter market, however. Honeywell is
low as 100 feet above threshold and then developing a helicopter SVS system, and
transitioning to Gulfstream’s EVS, devel- Cobham has already carved out a healthy
oped by Kollsman Inc., of Merrimack, niche in the market — tallying late last
year, for example, a contract to provide
Garmin G1000 displays with Synthetic the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Depart-
Vision Technology (SVT), an option for ment its Synthetic Vision Electronic
OEM or retrofit on business jets. Flight Instrument System (EFIS) for the
department’s fleet of 14 Eurocopter AS
350 B2 helicopters.
The Cobham Synthetic Vision EFIS
Photo courtesy Garmin International
has been approved for about 740 fixed-
wing and rotorcraft models, including
many Bell helicopter models, the Euro-
copter AS 350 and King Air, Citation
501, Cessna single and twin, Piper single
and twin, Piaggio Avanti and Pilatus
PC-12 fixed-wing aircraft models.
Helicopters offer somewhat different
challenges from fixed-wing aircraft.
“The lower you fly as a rule, the ter-
rain is an issue,” said Pratt. However, the
EFIS product is essentially “the information on to” the Smart-
same for helicopter and fixed- View system.
wing aircraft,” he said. “We have more pilot eyeballs
The Cobham system includes on the synthetic vision HMI
Highway in the Sky (HITS) navi- (human-machine interface) than
gation “which is a tunnel in space almost anything else we have
that traces your intended route done over the past decade,” said
from your flight management Rockwell Collins’ Carrico.

Photo courtesy Universal Avionics

system,” and a hover vector that “They have been key mem-
allows the pilot to determine his bers of our development team
hover performance,” Pratt said. throughout, going all the way
Now on software version 8, back to the original studies with
Cobham has added new features NASA pilots. And, more recent-
to the system, some of them ly, customer technical pilots and
derived from pilot feedback. FAA and Transport Canada
“They come up with very pilots have been partners with us
clever and creative ways to use the throughout the development pro-
system,” said Pratt. For example, gram for Global Express.”
“customers asked us to do a mark- Universal Avionics EFI-890R with Vision-1 Synthetic Vision
to-target for our hover vector.” They Next month: Electronic Flight
“wanted to be able to essentially crime scene to maintain a very precise Bags (EFBs)
drop a biscuit on the Earth, and then location at 1,000 feet and keep the cam-
hover relative to that biscuit.” eras pointed in a certain direction while Avionics Magazine’s Product Focus is a
The company accommodated pilots supporting assets on the ground. It is also monthly feature that examines some of the
by introducing a waypoint in the system used for search and rescue missions. latest trends in different market segments of
to designate or mark on a target. “The Other SVS vendors report equally pro- the avionics industry. It does not represent
pilot can just push a button on one of his ductive relationships with pilots who use a comprehensive survey of all companies
control sticks, put a symbol on the map or test their systems. At Honeywell, “they and products in these segments. Avionics
and then hover relative to that symbol,” are very much part of the design team,” Product Focus Editor Ed McKenna can be
Pratt said. This feature would allow a law said Cundiff. Pilot suggestions “drove us contacted at emckenna@accessintel.com
enforcement operator over a suspected to integrate a lot of the heads-up display

ad index
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www.avionicstoday.com May 2011 Avionics Magazine 31

 new products
Cabin Management Android Application They are rated for operation from -65°C
to +150°C. They meet requirements of
SAE-AMS-DTL-23053/8 for insulation
sleeve and the current draft of SAE-
AS81824/12 (modified for 150°C) crimp
splices. Visit www.tycoelectronics.com.

Component Support
The Avianca-TACA group awarded Bar-
field, a Sabena Technics company based
in Miami, a 10-year support contract to
provide component support for its fleet
of 60 Airbus A320s.
The agreement includes the group’s
four airlines: Avianca, TACA, Aerogal
and Ocean Air.
In addition, Barfield is setting up repair
capabilities in Bogota, Colombia, to better
support Grupo Avianca-TACA’s airlines
Flight Display Systems, based in Alpharetta, Ga., introduced and installed an as well as operators in South America.
Android software application for use with its Select Cabin Management System Visit www.barfieldinc.com
(CMS). The application allows passengers to control all cabin functions from their
mobile phone or tablet computer. Distributor Agreement
The 7-inch Android-powered tablet controls cabin functions including lighting, Beaver Aerospace & Defense, of Livonia,
window shades, Blu-ray player, movie library and Moving Map. The wireless sys- Mich., appointed Satair, of Copenhagen,
tem operates via Bluetooth for full control anywhere inside the aircraft cabin. Demark, as a full-line distributor of
The launch customer for Flight Display Systems’ Android CMS software is an its FAA-approved commercial aircraft
unnamed operator of a Gulfstream III business jet. Visit www.FlightDisplay.com. products. Beaver Aerospace & Defense
manufactures actuation systems and com-
ponents for the aerospace and defense
PTFE Cable Klaus H. Eichel and supported by Man- industries.
W.L. Gore & Associates, of Landenberg, agers of Sales GA Europe Wolfgang Visit www.beaver-online.com.
Pa., introduced High Flex Flat Cables for Schwarzer and Sabine Eichel and Sup-
the aerospace industry using polytetra- port Engineer Achim Baier. Training System
fluoroethylene (PTFE) technology. Visit www.dacint.com. Baltic Aviation Academy in Vilnius,
Low coefficient of friction and “excel- Lithuania, will use computer-based pilot
lent” tear resistance enable the cables to Cold-Applied Splice training systems from CPaT, based in The
maintain good signal integrity, accord- Tyco Electronics, of Harrisburg, Pa., Woodlands, Texas.
ing to Gore. The flexible material also introduced a cold-applied splice, which The academy said it will introduce
allows the flat cables to be stacked on top provides both wire termination and CPaT’s library of Flight Training com-
of each other without needing dividers environmental sealing in a single step. puter-based training (CBT/WBT) course-
and shelves, reducing the overall size and Sealing is provided without the need ware and Specialty programs, and Learn-
weight of the cable system. for adhesives, tapes, grommets or other ing Management System (LMS), into its
Visit www.gore.com. methods traditionally used in aerospace training curriculums.
and defense applications. Because no CPaT’s LMS provides real-time access
Technical Publications heat is needed, the splice can be applied to learning analytics and reports in order
Avidyne Corp., based in Lincoln, Mass., in potentially hazardous places such as in to track the student’s learning process.
formed a partnership with Aircraft fueled aircraft, according to the company. Baltic Aviation Academy offers 34
Technical Publishers (ATP), of Brisbane The immersible splice prevents water training programs, including type rating
Calif., to provide single-source, digital, from entering even under permanent training courses for Boeing 737 Classic,
avionics technical publications of Avi- pressure or weight. The splice uses a non- Boeing 737 NG, Boeing 757, Boeing 767,
dyne products for ATP customers. flowing gel to provide sealing without Saab 340/2000, Airbus A320, ATR 42-72,
Visit www.avidyne.com. mess. The metal splice is tin-plated cop- Embraer 135/145, Bombardier CRJ
per with a transparent polyvinylidene 100/200 and Bombardier CRJ 700/900, as
European Office fluoride sleeve and color-coded thermo- well as initial pilot training school (FTO)
DAC International, of Austin, Texas, has plastic end caps. courses. Visit www.balticaa.com.
opened a European General Aviation Splices are available in three color-
office in Germany. coded sizes for 26 AWG to 12 AWG wire Voice, Data Services
The Germany office is managed by with silver or copper-plate conductors. Members of the oneworld airline alli-

32 Avionics Magazine May 2011 www.avionicstoday.com

ance –– British Airways, Iberia, Finnair
and Malév Hungarian Airlines –– have
selected SITA to provide voice and data
services across their combined fleet of
more than 450 aircraft, including the
VHF data link mandated by EU Single
Sky regulations for air traffic control
(ATC) communications.
The five-year agreement will take the
airlines past the EU deadline of February
2015, which requires all aircraft flying in
Europe, and all EU Air Navigation Ser-
vice providers, to be equipped for ATC
data link capability.
In addition to the SITA VHF data
services, the airlines will be able to use
satellite services including Inmarsat Clas-
sic, SwiftBroadband and Iridium, for
operational and passenger use.
British Airways, Iberia and Malév
have renewed their existing SITA VHF
Data Link services agreement. Finnair
will be switching VHF and satellite com-
munications to SITA while Iberia will
switch to SITA for its satellite communi-
cations. Visit www.sita.aero.
Software-Defined Radio
Elbit Systems, based in Haifa, Israel,
launched its latest software-defined
airborne radio –– the Tadiran SDR-
7200AR. Specifically designed for
airborne platforms, the radio system
harnesses the power of its distinctive
automatic routing and relay capabilities
to offer extended range, while offering
video, voice and data simultaneously at a
high data rate, according to Elbit.
The Tadiran SDR-7200AR is com-
pliant with Software Communications
Architecture SCA version 2.2.2. It sup-
ports multiple frequency bands, including
VHF, UHF, L-Band, S-Band and SAT-
COM. Visit www.elbitsystems.com.
CMMI Certification
The ARINC engineering team renewed
its Software Engineering Institute (SEI)
Capability Maturity Model Integration
(CMMI) certification.
ARINC’s GLOBALinkSM Engineer-
ing group was recertified for the Capabil-
ity Maturity Model Integration Level 3
rating. The CMMI Level 3 award follows
an assessment of the GLOBALink Engi-
neering group’s process integration and
improvement.
ARINC said the assessment was con-
ducted on three key projects developed
by the GLOBALink Engineering team
— an ACARS turn-key replacement
system, ARINC’s ATN (Aeronautical
Telecommunications Network) router
and ARINC’s central ACARS message
processor. Visit www.arinc.com.
Flight Monitoring
Alakai Technologies, Hopkinton, Mass.,
was awarded FAA supplemental type cer-
tification for installation of its digital
Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) system
and wireless Internet units on Eurocopter
AS350 and EC130 helicopters.
According to the company, AS350
operators can now achieve comprehensive
airline-style FDM (also known as Flight
Operational Quality Assurance) pro-
grams at a fraction of the cost.
Alakai’s on-board and backend
algorithms turn raw data into objec-
tive, actionable recommendations and
decisions. The system works with older
round-dial as well as the latest glass cock-
pit aircraft, according to the company.
Visit www.alakai1.com.
MRO Contract
Delta Air Lines’ maintenance division,
Delta TechOps, has entered an exclusive
maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO)
partnership with GOL Linhas Aéreas
Inteligentes S.A. As part of the five-year
agreement, which includes an additional
five-year option, Delta TechOps will pro-
vide engine overhauls for a minimum of
50 percent of GOL’s CFM56-7 engines
and maintenance services for various
parts and components on GOL’s fleet of
Boeing 737NGs.  Paris Headquarters
Delta TechOps also will provide con-
sulting services related to maintenance
workflow planning, materials and facility
optimization, and tooling support and
will assist GOL with its efforts to secure
FAA Part 145 Repair Station Certifica-
www.avionicstoday.com
tion. In addition, GOL will assist Delta
with some line maintenance services for
Delta aircraft with extended ground time
in Brazil. Visit deltatechops.com. 
Galley Support
The Greek division of Scandinavian Avi-
onics (SA), based in Billund, Denmark,
is offering sales, certification, installation
and repair of aircraft galley equipment,
including ovens, coffee makers, water
boilers and beverage makers.
SA Greece stocks and supplies a range
of aircraft galley rotables, expendables
and consumables for sale, exchange and
loan. Also, repair services are offered from
a one-of repair to full support contract for
an entire fleet, the company said.
Certification services for any galley
equipment solution in any type of aircraft
can be carried out from the Scandinavian
Avionics headquarters in Billund via the
SA Part-21 design department, the com-
pany said.
The new capability also allows SA
Greece to provide full installation of gal-
ley equipment at its own hangar facilities
in Greece or at the customer’s preferred
location. Visit www.scanav.com.
Software Emulator
AdaCore, of New York City, released
GNATemulator, a flexible emulator
system for testing embedded software
applications. The system allows software
developers to compile code directly for
their target architecture and run it on
their host platform, through an approach
that translates from the target object
code to native instructions on the host.
This avoids the inconvenience and cost of
managing an actual board, while offering
an efficient testing environment compat-
ible with the final hardware.
The GNATemulator cannot be used
for all aspects of testing, but does provide
an efficient, cost-effective way of execut-
ing the target code very early and very
broadly in the development and verifica-
tion process, according to AdaCore.
Visit www.adacore.com.
Rockwell Collins opened a new Paris
headquarters for Europe, the Middle
East and Africa.
The office is led by Bruno Rambaud,
vice president and managing director.
Visit www.rockwellcollins.com.
May 2011 Avionics Magazine 33
 perspectives
by Fredrik Barcheus
ATM Automation
A
s traffic levels in civil aviation con-
tinue to increase, the possibility of
keeping up with capacity in Air Traf-
fic Management (ATM) by simply
applying “more of the same” is faltering. The
antidote, automation, is frequently cited as yet
another source of accidents. The Human Fac-
tors Research group at KTH, the Royal Insti-
tute of Technology in Stockholm, is one of
the many actors that try to combat the draw-
backs of badly implemented automation.
Whereas earlier increases in air traffic
could be mitigated by redesigning the ATM
sectors and increasing the number of air traf-
Do developers fic controllers, this is no longer the case. Con-
sequently, further work must be undertaken in
have the the area of automation in order to cope with
increases in traffic intensity.
appropriate From the viewpoint of a human operator,
tools to automation can decrease the continuously
developing understanding of system behavior,
understand or Situation Awareness. This in turn can cre-
the operational ate situations where automation together with
other system components, e.g. humans, per-
context of forms in a counter-productive manner.
The Human Factors Engineering group at
automated KTH has performed research in the area of
systems? aviation during the past decades and currently
works on modeling large, highly automated
systems in order to develop indicators for
safety assessment. The main rationale is to be
able to maintain the trend of increasing sys-
tem integration while diminishing safety risks
and their associated costs, ultimately progress-
ing sustainable aviation.
Whereas small decoupled systems are
fairly easy to model, large socio-technical sys-
tems are very hard since the number of tightly
coupled interactions between components
in the system is large as well as being non-
linear in their nature. This characteristic not
only makes the systems hard to analyze but
the consequence of non-nominal operations
tends to snowball and cause large costs.
The main driver of creating larger inte-
grated systems is basically to gain economic
advantage, but if larger systems create suf-
ficiently large consequences, this argument
becomes obsolete. Currently, we do not pos-
sess sufficiently good tools and methodologies
to assess large systems in near real-time in
order to prevent large break-downs. Attempts
have been done to create incident reporting
systems in order to elicit data, some of them
very good, but still there is a haphazard appli-
34 Avionics Magazine May 2011 www.avionicstoday.com
cation of Human Factors in many domains.
As a response to this, the European Com-
mission funded the HILAS project (Human
Integration into the Lifecycle of Aviation
Systems) in which KTH was a partner. The
project ventured on a system-wide integration
in the aviation sector, from flight-deck tech-
nology through operations to maintenance.
One of the major achievements in the HILAS
project was the inter-company sharing of
potentially competitive information to obtain
industry-wide benefits.
In order to overcome at least some of
the most cost inefficient causes, Europe has
since the 1990’s taken steps toward a more
harmonized ATM structure. The latest such
step is the SESAR program, which is often
compared to the NextGen initiative in the
U.S. Responding to emerging trends of higher
automation and complexity, SESAR supports
the Higher Automation Levels In ATM (www.
hala-sesar.net) and Complex World (com-
plexworld.innaxis.org) research networks, of
which KTH is taking an active part.
Does criticism of automation imply that
we should avoid automation altogether? No,
of course we shouldn’t. But we should retain
an awareness of the potential consequences in
order to make informed decisions. Automa-
tion may to some extent remove humans from
the “sharp end” of operations, but the imple-
mentation of automation tends to emphasize
human intervention in the development phase.
That redistribution would arguably make a
rationale for increased research regarding the
effects of decision making in early stages of
development. Do developers have appropriate
tools to understand the operational context
of the automated system, especially in event-
driven operations where some scenarios can
only be assessed post-hoc?
In the evolving highly automated ATM
system comprising a broader diversity of
aircraft, broader diversity of equipage in avi-
onics and communications, broader diversity
of agents (human or autonomous), the main
question posed by the KTH Human Factors
Research group is how to model the impact of
automation in order to increase the safety and
cost efficiency of aviation.
Fredrik Barchéus, MSc PhD, is a member
of the Human Factors Research group of KTH,
the Royal Institute of Technology in Stock-
holm. He can be reached at barcheus@kth.se
 June 15 - 16, 2011
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FAA Chair
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