Esterline CMC Electronics Achieves Milestone on Chilean Air Force C-130 Cockpit Avionics Upgrade Program
(Paris International Air Show – June 20, 2011) Esterline CMC Electronics (CMC) is pleased to announce that formal flight tests were completed and the first aircraft and spares were formally delivered to the Chilean Air Force (FACH) in April 2011 further to its selection of CMC in the fall of 2009 to provide the complete cockpit avionics systems upgrade of the FACH C-130 fleet. As prime contractor, CMC is responsible for delivery of the complete equipment suite including the supply of turnkey installation kits as well as all in-country activities including touch labour, training and support.
The formal flight test was successfully carried out in late March with a flight to Antarctica from Santiago, with all planned test points achieved.
The all-digital cockpit upgrade configuration is based on CMC's "Cockpit 9000" suite, which is built around the company's latest generation Flight Management System (FMS), the CMA-9000, and its industry leading IntegriFlight™ Global Positioning with Wide Area Augmentation System (GPS-WAAS) receiver, known as the CMA-5024. Cockpit 9000 also incorporates six large format, high resolution multi-function displays, as well as new navigation sensors, radios, autopilot, weather radar, auxiliary power unit, and numerous other subsystems.
The night-vision (NVIS) compatible Cockpit 9000 upgrade will extend the operational life of the aircraft for at least 20 years, allowing the Chilean Air Force’s aircraft to meet all current P-RNAV (precision area navigation) requirements and providing a growth path to meet future air navigation capabilities.
“We are very honoured to work with the Chilean Air Force on this comprehensive modernization program,” said Greg Yeldon, President, Esterline CMC Electronics. He added: “Our Cockpit 9000 suite has been engineered using the most advanced and state-of-the-art components available today in order to provide operators with unmatched operational reliability and maintainability for long into the future."
According to Chilean Air Force General Rojas, “We have been very impressed with CMC's flexibility in adapting its Cockpit 9000 to our specific needs while being able to schedule a very rapid installation turnaround. We look forward to experiencing the many operational, safety and economic benefits that this modern cockpit will bring to our C-130 aircraft.'
CMC is a world leader in the avionics upgrade of a wide range of fixed and rotary wing aircraft. For the C-130 platform, CMC has successfully completed more than 100 airframe upgrades for a variety of international customers, including defence organizations in Austria, Brazil, France, Dubai, the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia. CMC provides similar avionics modernization solutions on commercial air transport aircraft such as classic B747, DC-10, MD-80 and A300 aircraft, on numerous military trainers such as the Hawker Beechcraft T-6B, the Korea Aerospace Industries KT-1C, the BAE Hawk Mk51 and Mk66, and on helicopters such as the UH-60M Black Hawk.Esterline CMC Electronics (www.cmcelectronics.ca) has achieved an international reputation for innovation and excellence in the design and manufacture of electronics products for the military and commercial aviation markets. CMC’s focus is on delivering innovative cockpit systems integration and avionics solutions to its customers worldwide. Its principal locations are in Montreal, Quebec; Ottawa, Ontario; and Chicago, Illinois. CMC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Esterline Corporation (NYSE:ESL, www.esterline.com), a specialized aerospace and defense company headquartered in Bellevue, Washington. Esterline employs over 9,000 people worldwide.
