Connectivity Ecosystem Cybersecurity Vetted

Tucson-based Universal Avionics (UA), is a technology concern with primary foci in flight management systems (FMS) and cockpit instrument displays for private, business, and commercial aircraft. In addition to its Arizona headquarters, the  company maintains domestic offices in Kansas, Washington State, and Georgia; and overseas offices in Switzerland.

On 24 April 2023, Universal Avionics announced it had successfully completed Technical Standard Order (TSO) certification for its Connected FMS. The effort validates the cloud-based Connectivity Ecosystem's maturity, robustness, and compliance with applicable cybersecurity requirements.

UA’s Connectivity Ecosystem offers comprehensive, connected flight management system (FMS) capabilities with FlightPartner, which supports weather-driven smart flight planning, two-way flight plan exchanges in-flight and on-ground, and seamless interaction with third-party applications. The architecture also delivers safety and performance insights with FlightReview, a cloud-based, automated FMS and aircraft data collection system. Pilots’ workloads are streamlined by virtue of reduced entry times and seamless database updates. What’s more, optimizations to the system’s flight time, fuel planning, and flight data reporting features improve efficiency and may be used as part of a flight department’s Safety Management System (SMS).

Universal Avionics is positioned to offer its Connectivity Ecosystem to aircraft manufacturers and operators, thereby enabling the aforementioned to leverage the latest technological advancements to optimize day-to-day operations and maintenance. The solution is powered by the Solid-State Data Transfer Unit Plus (SSDTU+), which secures wireless interactions between tablets and FMS utilizing unique low-power Wi-Fi access controls (patent pending). The new solution provides an easy, direct upgrade to UA SSDTUs currently in service.

Universal Avionics CEO Dror Yahav stated: "This achievement reflects the expertise of our team, who have worked tirelessly to develop a cutting-edge connectivity platform that meets the highest standards of quality, safety, and performance. We are excited to bring the UA Connectivity Ecosystem to the market. We are confident that it will deliver significant value to our customers by enhancing mission preparedness on the ground and during flight."

The next phase of the connected avionics solution comprises additions to FlightPartner such as ADS-B-in and data-linked weather integration for weather awareness in all phases of flight. Weight and balance, take-off and landing, and engine-out performance entries will further streamline pilots’ entry workloads, with flight data monitoring aircraft data analytics and real-time event reporting available through FlightReview. As a follow-on development, the Connectivity Ecosystem will enable extensive aircraft data collection when connected to UA’s InSight  flight deck.

Universal Avionics is a subsidiary of Elbit Systems Ltd., an Israel-based defense manufacturer of  aerospace, land, and naval systems; Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) solutions; Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS); advanced electro-optics; electronic warfare suites; SIGnal INTelligence (SIGINT) systems; data links and communications systems; and radios.

FMI: www.usac.com