Innovative Design Increases Reliability and Performance

For the fourth time, Honeywell, has been selected to provide components for China's new C919 commercial airliner. The New Jersey-based company's inertial reference and air data systems are among recent selections made by Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC) for its new single-aisle jet.

The Inertial Reference System will provide the aircraft's fly-by-wire system with location data, enabling precision approaches and highly accurate positioning during flight, along with more direct routing and flying precise satellite-based navigation approaches. Earlier this year, COMAC also selected Honeywell's auxiliary power unit, flight controls, wheels and brakes for this new airframe.

"Honeywell's navigation system is a clear industry leader with proven performance on a variety of air transport platforms," said Mark Howes, president of Honeywell Aerospace, Asia Pacific. "With our proven track record on aircraft flying international routes, this level of performance and reliability is the industry standard our customers want."

The air data system meets all requirements for Reduced Vertical Separation (RVSM) operation, and is configured with existing Honeywell Air Data Modules. "The Honeywell LASEREF VI has 50 percent less volume and 30 percent less weight and power consumption than similar systems," Howes said. "These improvements in weight and power reductions will drive lower fuel consumption over the life of the aircraft."

C919 Artist's Rendering

Honeywell says the LASEREF VI Inertial Reference System is an all-digital, high-performance Ring Laser Gyro system designed to enable more precise landings and reduce both operational and maintenance costs. The system contains a patented automatic mode control and Align-in-Motion technology, which eliminates complicated control devices in the cockpit, improves safety, and reduces training costs for crewmembers. The LASEREF VI Inertial Reference System has a proven reliability of more than 40,000 hours mean time between failures. The air data modules have a proven reliability of more than 500,000 hours mean time between failures. "Honeywell customers are flying more than 50,000 laser inertial reference and air data systems today," Howes said. "COMAC selected the Honeywell system not just for reliability and operations savings but because the experience is unmatched in the industry."

The LASEREF VI provides 100 percent availability for Required Navigation Performance (RNP) 0.1, which allows the most accuracy available today, enabling advanced Air Traffic Management (ATM), meaning more flights and better routing. The system can withstand a total loss of Global Positioning System (GPS) signal for more than seven minutes without exceeding the tightest RNP 0.1 integrity requirements. The Air Data System measures critical air data parameters and provides information for cockpit display and to the flight control and flight management systems.

FMI: www.honeywellnow.com