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Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group has entered into a conditional letter of agreement with Bombardier to develop a Future Air Navigation System (FANS) 1/A+ avionics upgrade for Bombardier’s Challenger 604 aircraft. The upgrade will be designed to enhance pilot to air traffic control communications and allow easy access to dedicated and shorter route FANS 1/A+ to North Atlantic Tracks.
Marshall will be responsible for designing the FANS 1/A+ upgrade for Bombardier and completing a trial installation for early 2015. The solution, which will then be available as a Bombardier Service Bulletin, is the first FANS 1/A+ avionics upgrade offered by Bombardier for the Challenger 604 on the market and will consist of entirely commercially available equipment.
FANS 1/A+ was developed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as one of a number of technologies behind next generation Air Traffic Management (ATM). It allows for the better handling of higher volumes of air traffic, and FANS-equipped aircraft enable operators to gain maximum revenue from their operations. The Bombardier upgrade will be compliant with all current variations of FANS 1/A+ (as defined by ICAO) and could provide customers with savings on time and fuel burn by providing access to the most efficient navigation routes.
Andy Nureddin, vice president, customer services and support, of Bombardier Business Aircraft, comments: “We are pleased to be working with Marshall on this project. Marshall has completed over 1,500 upgrades, on both military and commercial platforms, and has the knowledge, skills and experience to be able to deliver.”
Steve Fitz-Gerald, CEO of Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group, adds. “To work with Bombardier on this project is exciting for us, as we continue to work closely together to develop innovative engineering solutions.”
There are currently 361 Challenger 604 aircraft in service and this solution will be of great benefit to existing operators and owners.
