Equipped With Pro Line 21 Avionics; Saves Money Over New Planes

On Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rolled out the first of 18 older Beech-300 flight inspection aircraft equipped with a new, lighter Pro Line 21 avionics suite. Rockwell Collins designed the package and completed the first modification.

Over the next three years, FAA technicians will install the remaining 17 systems, along with an aircraft life extension program. The FAA is also modernizing the airborne flight inspection technology to support the Next Generation Air Transportation System.

Fleet modernization includes additional aircraft modifications to extend the Beech 300's useful life while reducing aircraft weight. The total cost of the project is $32 million, with an estimated $58 million savings to the tax payer through a fleet upgrade rather than replacing all the aircraft.

The FAA looked at several options, including replacing the current fleet of Beech-300s with Beech-350 aircraft, but decided it would be more cost effective to upgrade the current fleet. The total cost of fleet replacement would have been about $90 million.

FAA's Aviation System Standards recently became the first government organization in the United States to be registered under the new Society of Automotive Engineers Aerospace Standard 9110:2003.

The FAA says this new management tool compliments the ISO 9001:2000 quality management system the FAA has already been awarded. The new standard requires compliance with 170 additional quality processes related to aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul operations.

Aviation System Standards designs, develops and provides flight inspection services for the development of aeronautical charts. With the Beech 300 and other types of aircraft, its crews evaluate the adequacy of electronic navigational signals that are critical for the operation of a safe air traffic system. They provide services worldwide, including at the landing sites for the Space Shuttle.

The unit also uses longer-range Canadair, Hawker and Learjet aircraft for flight inspection.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.rockwellcollins.com