Entire Fleet Will Be Retrofitted For ADS-B Compliance

A leading US air cargo airline operator will equip its mainline fleet with the FreeFlight Systems 1203C SBAS/GNSS sensor and RANGR ADS-B receiver, the company announced at NBAA-BACE. This product pairing provides both a certified ADS-B position source as well as critical ADS-B Flight Information Services Broadcast (FIS-B) data, both modernizing the aircraft cockpit and drastically improving situational awareness.

With a large fleet of narrow and wide body aircraft, the operator is one of the world's largest air freight fleets that continuously perform in a demanding flying and logistical environment, while continuing to exceed customer satisfaction. The FreeFlight Systems product offering has been designed to meet all unique challenges that are characteristic of freight airline operations. The systems come packaged as a common installation pallet that involves minimal disruption to existing aircraft avionics, streamlining the install process across every aircraft type that makes up the fleet.

"We're pleased to provide the operator a robust product offering," said Tim Taylor, FreeFlight Systems' President and CEO. "This ADS-B equipage solution allows them to equip their fleet with minimum disruption, aircraft downtime, and no ADS-B-related dispatch-critical or operational restrictions."

FreeFlight Systems' RANGR series of ADS-B radios consists of fully-featured, TSO certified solutions that meet the stringent quality standards required for ADS-B compliance. A mature product, RANGR systems have accumulated thousands of hours of operations in the harshest flying conditions. The RANGR Receiver offers the customer an installed solution that provides vital inflight ADS-B In information to multitude of preferred mobile EFB applications.

As a certified ADS-B position source approved for all ICAO jurisdictions, the integrated 15-channel 1203C SBAS/GNSS sensor is part of a fully rule-compliant ADS-B Out system when paired with a compatible, certified Mode S Extended Squitter transponder. There are several hundred 1203Cs in service on multiple aircraft types ranging from airline transport to military, through heavy wing rotorcraft and business platforms. These receivers are characterized by their high performance, ease of installation, operational reliability and longevity. The 1203C also serves as the approved position source for TAWS/FMS, RNP, and other NextGen applications, and allows customers to take advantage of the operational and safety benefits provided by the NextGen airspace transformation without the need for extensive and costly avionics upgrades.       

With the January 1, 2020 ADS-B mandate less than two-and-a-half years away, large fleet operators have prioritized ADS-B systems installation during routine aircraft maintenance. Significant portions of today's airline fleet will remain in service long after 2020, and in many cases an STC'd retrofit solution comprising of a transponder upgrade and the addition of a dedicated GNSS receiver like the 1203C is the simplest and most cost-effective way to achieve mandate compliance.

(Image provided with FreeFlight Systems news release)

FMI: www.freeflightsystems.com