Company Also Earns EASA Validation to Upgrade EVS On Its
Large-Cabin Business Jets Registered In Europe
Gulfstream Aerospace recently became the first Original
Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to receive approval from the European
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for all of its aircraft equipped with
the Gulfstream Enhanced Vision System (EVS) to obtain operational
credit for continuing approaches to 100 feet.
“As a result of the revised European Union Operations
(EU-OPS) rules, all EVS-equipped Gulfstream aircraft will be able
to proceed from Decision Height to a 100-foot altitude when using
EVS for low-visibility approaches,” said Pres Henne, senior
vice president, Programs, Engineering and Test, Gulfstream.
“We are extremely pleased that by working closely with EASA,
we were able to make this significant safety enhancement available
to our customers.”
EU-OPS rule 1.430(h), the European equivalent of Federal
Aviation Regulation (FAR) 91.175, requires pilots using instrument
approach procedures be able to visually see the approach lights and
runway environment from a predetermined distance in order to
proceed with landing the aircraft. With EVS, that distance has been
reduced to 100 feet, because the pilot can use the visual cues EVS
supplies.
U.S. operators flying in and out of Europe can take immediate
advantage of the EASA approval. European-based operators must still
obtain operational approval from the authority or agency that is
legally responsible for operational approvals in the country where
each aircraft is registered.
Additionally, Gulfstream received validation from EASA to
install the upgraded version of its Enhanced Vision System (EVS II)
on any of its four in-production large-cabin Gulfstream aircraft
models.
Commencing in the fourth quarter of this year, EVS II will be
standard on new-production ultra-long-range G550 and long-range
G450 business jets. It will be available as an option on the G500
and G350. EVS II is 22 pounds lighter, features four times the
computational power and has four times the memory of its
predecessor.
EVS II was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) in late 2007. The original Gulfstream EVS was certified on
Sept. 14, 2001. The Gulfstream EVS incorporates a specially
designed forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera that projects an
infrared real-world image on the pilot’s Head-Up Display
(HUD). On even the darkest nights, pilots using EVS can clearly see
a mountain range, a runway or any aircraft or vehicles on
taxiways.
Today, more than 400 Gulfstream aircraft operate with the
Gulfstream EVS.