Thu, Aug 16, 2007
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.
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