Esterline Awarded Cockpit Avionics Contract by Pilatus for French AF PC-21 Aircraft

Esterline is pleased to announce that its Avionics Systems business unit has been awarded a contract by Pilatus Aircraft Ltd to supply its high-performance cockpit avionics for PC-21 turboprop trainer aircraft for the French Air Force. Esterline has also received a contract for the provision of additional shipsets for the Royal Jordanian Air Force PC-21 fleet.

Esterline will supply the Cockpit Displays as well as the CMC Electronics brand dual Flight Management Systems (FMS), GPS Global Positioning System (GPS) Landing System Sensors and Head-Up Display (HUD) sub-system.

Michel Potvin, President, Esterline Avionics Systems, said, “Esterline has collaborated with Pilatus on a number of PC-21 programs to date, providing a wide range of advanced avionics. We are absolutely delighted that Pilatus continues to rely on Esterline Avionics Systems and look forward to supporting Pilatus and the PC-21 trainer for the French Air Force.”

Esterline is supplying its cockpit avionics for two key contracts announced last year with Pilatus Aircraft for PC-21 aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force as well as PC-21 turboprop trainers for the Royal Jordanian Air Force.

The six Esterline 6”x 8” active-matrix LCD Displays consist of four Cockpit Head-Down Displays (CHDD-268) and two smart Multi-Function Displays (MFD-2068) that are in both the front and rear cockpit, function as primary flight and navigation displays, and have superior optical performance. The displays feature the ARINC-653-compliant, open and modular MOSArt™ software suite which provides Pilatus and its customers with the freedom to integrate their own applications or Human Machine Interface (HMI) definitions on the Esterline platform.

The HUD sub-system includes the CMC Electronics brand SparrowHawk™ HUD with a set of front and rear cockpit Up Front Control Panels and HUD Camera, a HUD Symbol Generator, and a Video Display Unit for the rear seat instructor.  The SparrowHawk™ HUD is a compact unit that can display both raster video and stroke symbology.  The HUD symbol generator features the latest Compact PCI/PMC architecture and a powerful PC Processor.

The PC-21’s FMS is a variant of the latest generation CMC Electronics CMA-9000 Flight Management System that is well suited for modern digital cockpits for both fixed and rotary wing aircraft. The CMA-9000’s unique combination of civil certification with advanced tactical functions, radio management and Night Vision Goggle-capability make it the product of choice for both commercial and military operations. The company’s FMS systems are in service with over 60 civil and military operators with applications including Military Trainers, Military Transport, Maritime Surveillance, Search and Rescue, Law Enforcement, Oil and Gas, Emergency Medical Services and Commercial Air Transport.

The CMC Electronics high-performance CMA-5024 GPS Landing System Sensor provides RNP-RNAV and LPV GPS Approach capability, and meets the requirements for an Instrument Flight Rules, civil certified Global Navigation Satellite System. The sensor provides Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) GPS capability from departure to approach and complies with published CNS/ATM navigational mandates. WAAS/SBAS augments GPS to provide an extremely accurate navigation solution that will support all flight operations from en route to GNSS and WAAS/SBAS Localizer Performance with a Vertical Guidance (LPV) CAT-1 equivalent approach. The CMA-5024 is provisioned for growth to GBAS with a built-in VHF Data Broadcast receiver.